Lead AI Engineer

Do you know when a client’s problem calls for an agent and when well-designed automation does the job? Then come and lead Etlia’s AI business from the ground up!
We’re looking for a Lead AI Engineer to join Etlia: someone who helps clients identify where AI is useful, and then designs, builds and takes the solutions into production. You’ll lead the growth of our AI offering and shape how we deliver AI to our clients.
Etlia?
Etlia is a Finnish data engineering company founded in 2013 that helps its clients create business value from data. We have more than 500 data and analytics projects behind us, and our clients are Finnish, Nordic and international companies such as Orion Pharma and Fennia. Our experts have an average of over 15 years of experience in data projects.
We serve our clients in technology environments such as Microsoft, Databricks, Snowflake and SAP, and always choose what fits the client’s needs best. AI is changing the data field quickly, and agents are already making their way to our clients’ data platforms. GenAI and ML solutions have been part of our services for a while, and we have delivered them together with a long-time partner. Now we’re building our own AI capabilities, and you’ll create them with us.
What’s the role about?
You’ll work directly with clients, all the way from the first idea to a solution running in production. The work usually starts with figuring out, together with the client, which problem is worth solving and which approach fits it best: generative AI, a multi-agent setup, traditional machine learning or something else. From there, you’ll take the project through definition, implementation and deployment.
In your day-to-day work, you’ll, for example,
help clients identify and prioritise AI use cases

design AI architectures and pick the right language models for the right tasks

build pilots and MVPs quickly and take them into production

connect AI solutions to client data, APIs and systems

set up evaluation, operations, governance and security around agents, including cost control and regulatory requirements

act as a forward deployed AI Lead, working closely with business stakeholders and showing the value of each solution.

Projects range from compact assignments to larger programmes built in several phases. You’ll typically work on a few projects at a time, with around 50–75% of your time spent on client work. You’ll use the rest to build Etlia’s AI offering and support solution sales, for example by creating reusable concepts and quick demos, developing ways of working and sparring with colleagues. As our AI business grows, so will the team around you.
Why would you be a great fit?
You’ve built AI solutions and seen how they perform once real users and real data meet them. You enjoy working with clients, talk about business as naturally as about technology, and like helping clients turn an idea into a concrete project.
We hope you have
a hands-on coding background, e.g. Python, Java or Scala

experience taking AI or agentic solutions into production

experience with at least one cloud platform and its AI tools (Azure is the biggest plus)

an outgoing, consultative and sales-minded approach

fluent English.

We also value
understanding of a business process such as supply chain, finance or sales

industry knowledge, especially from manufacturing

experience with AgentOps, AI governance or security around agents

cloud and AI certifications and experience with more than one cloud platform

Finnish language skills.

Why Etlia?
You get to build something new. As our AI Lead, you’ll shape the way we work with AI: the technologies we choose, the services we offer and how our AI business grows.
Around you are experienced data professionals who are always up for sparring. We keep improving the way we work, and we’ve gathered our shared practices into our own Common Way of Working playbook. We keep our skills sharp with a weekly office breakfast, bi-weekly learning sessions and conferences.
We are straightforward, and it shows in our client relationships: our clients gave us an NPS of 88 in 2025, and 95% of our clients continue working with us. We treat everyone equally and maintain a work culture that fits your life situation.
Salary and location?
The fixed monthly salary for this role is €7,000–8,000. In addition, Etlia’s partner model gives you the chance to share in the results you help create.
Our offices are in Espoo and Tampere, and we’d love to see you in person, too. We hold most client meetings remotely, so you can also work from elsewhere in Finland as long as you can travel from time to time. Our benefits include comprehensive health and accident insurance, as well as lunch, sport and culture benefits.
Interested?
Send your application by 1.12.2026. We review applications on a rolling basis and will fill the position as soon as we find the right person.
Recruitment process in short:
A conversation with our recruitment partner about your background and interests.

Meeting Etlia: A relaxed conversation where we get to know each other and go through Etlia as a company, the role and where we’re heading together. We’ll talk about expectations on both sides, and you’re welcome to ask us anything.

A technical discussion about your hands-on skills: A practical conversation about the technical solutions you’ve built and the ones you’ll build with us, including a light scenario exercise.

Decision and offer.

We’d like to meet you face to face in at least one of the interviews.

Ilmiö Talent Agency publishes this job ad on behalf of Etlia. For more information, contact Anton Virtanen (Talent Partner, Ilmiö), [email protected].

About the use of AI in recruitment:
We use AI to support the recruitment process, for example in writing job ads, pre-processing applications and producing interview notes. People always make all selections and assessments. We process applicant data securely within the EU and never use it to train AI models.