Prototype Engineer

🚀 Contract Role: AI / Data / ML Prototype Engineer (Rapid PoC Builder)

We are seeking a highly autonomous contractor who thrives on turning loosely defined ideas into working solutions quickly. This role is focused on rapid experimentation, validation, and prototyping—not long delivery cycles.

The goal is simple: determine quickly whether an idea is viable and worth scaling.

🧩 The Role

You will take early-stage concepts and independently build end-to-end proofs of concept (PoCs), combining data engineering, machine learning, and lightweight application development. Where a PoC shows promise, you will extend it into a functional prototype aligned to real business needs.

You will work with minimal guidance, move fast, and communicate findings clearly to stakeholders.

⚙️ Key Responsibilities

• Build PoCs from loosely defined ideas within 2–3 days
• Design and implement end-to-end experimental solutions (data → model → output)
• Combine data engineering, analytics, and ML to test feasibility quickly
• Develop lightweight prototypes (APIs, notebooks, dashboards, simple UIs)
• Translate business ideas into technical approaches independently
• Iterate rapidly based on feedback and refine working solutions
• Integrate data from APIs, SQL sources, and cloud platforms
• Apply ML/NLP techniques where relevant to validate concepts
• Clearly document and communicate outcomes, assumptions, and limitations
• Identify whether ideas should be scaled, adjusted, or dropped

🧠 What We’re Looking For

• Strong ability to turn ideas into working software quickly
• Hands-on Python experience (data processing, prototyping, ML)
• Strong SQL and data engineering skills (APIs, pipelines, cloud data)
• Experience building end-to-end prototypes, not just models
• Understanding of ML fundamentals (feature engineering, evaluation, etc.)
• Ability to work in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
• Strong problem-solving and independent thinking

🌟 Nice to Have

• Experience integrating LLMs or AI services into applications
• Familiarity with modern data platforms (e.g., Snowflake)
• Experience with visualization tools (Tableau, Plotly, etc.)
• Exposure to marketing or customer analytics (segmentation, churn, attribution)

📈 What Success Looks Like

• You can go from idea → working PoC in 2–3 days
• You can evolve PoC → usable prototype in 2–3 weeks
• You help teams make fast, evidence-based decisions
• You prioritise practical outcomes over perfect engineering