AVP, AI Engineer, Innovation

AI Engineer – Innovation Department

Harrison Street Asset Management (HSAM) seeks an AI Engineer to design, build, and deploy AI/ML systems that enhance the firm's AI strategy.

• Design, develop, and deploy production‑grade machine learning models to further enhance decision making
• Build and maintain Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures, agentic AI workflows, and multi‑model orchestration pipelines to surface insights from structured and unstructured data
• Develop AI tools that translate model outputs into human‑readable insights

• Build and optimize data pipelines to ingest, clean, and structure proprietary datasets across the Firm's investment portfolio
• Work within secure infrastructure to deploy scalable, secure AI solutions
• Integrate AI models with existing Firm systems, databases, and reporting workflows

• Partner with investment, asset management, portfolio management, and Impact teams to identify AI use cases and translate business needs into technical solutions
• Facilitate innovation workshops, design thinking sessions, and prototype demonstrations for senior leadership
• Expand existing relationships with external partners, startups, and research institutions as appropriate to advance the Firm's AI capabilities

• Ensure all AI systems are designed with human‑in‑the‑loop principles
• Adhere to the Firm's AI Policy, including data access controls, bias mitigation, explainability standards, and regulatory compliance
• Build guardrails around AI scope, data access, and output reliability

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related quantitative field
• 3–7 years of professional experience in AI/ML engineering or a closely related role
• Hands‑on experience with LLMs and Generative AI, including RAG, prompt engineering, embeddings, fine‑tuning, and agentic frameworks
• Experience with cloud platforms
• Strong data engineering skills
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non‑technical stakeholders

• Master's degree or PhD in a relevant field
• Prior experience in financial services, investment management, or real estate understanding of deal execution, due diligence, underwriting, and portfolio analytics
• Experience building and deploying AI systems in regulated environments

• Translational Thinking – Ability to bridge AI capabilities and investment decision‑making, making models actionable
• Human‑Centered Design – Commitment to building AI systems that augment rather than replace human judgment
• Intellectual Curiosity – Passion for staying current with emerging AI technologies, industry trends, and competitive developments
• Ownership & Execution – Ability to lead projects from concept through production with minimal supervision

$125,000 - $200,000 a year. For Illinois Only:
The expected base salary range for this position is $125,000 to $200,000.

In addition to base salary, total compensation includes a generous discretionary bonus, along with a comprehensive range of benefits – including medical, financial, and wellness programs – designed to support employees both professionally and personally.

Harrison Street is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.