AI for Domain Applications

  1. AI Engineer – Healthcare, Finance, Retail, Agriculture, Education, Manufacturing

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-30+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, ML/DL frameworks, domain-specific knowledge (e.g., finance, healthcare), data visualization, API integration.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior AI Engineer or Data Analyst within a specific sector. Focus on learning the industry's data types, regulations, and core problems. Key skills include Python, foundational ML, and domain-specific tools.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to an AI Specialist or Lead Engineer. You'll design and implement solutions for more complex, domain-specific challenges, such as fraud detection or patient outcome prediction. This stage requires deep industry knowledge and the ability to lead small projects.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Principal AI Engineer or Head of AI for a Business Unit. You'll set the technical strategy for an entire department, mentor teams, and become a subject matter expert, identifying high-impact AI opportunities within the domain.

    Free Learning Resources

  2. AI in Cybersecurity Specialist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, network security, threat analysis, ML for anomaly detection, data forensics.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Cybersecurity Analyst. Focus on understanding threat landscapes and basic data analysis for security logs.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Cybersecurity Specialist. You'll develop and deploy AI models to detect sophisticated threats and automate responses.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Principal Threat Intelligence Architect. You'll lead a team to design and implement a company's end-to-end AI-driven security strategy.

    Free Learning Resources

  3. AI in Gaming / AR / VR Developer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    C++/C#, Python, ML algorithms, game engines (Unity/Unreal), behavioral AI, computer vision.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Game Developer with an interest in AI. Focus on scripting AI for simple behaviors and physics interactions.

    Mid-Career

    Become a specialized AI in Gaming Developer. You'll design and implement complex AI for characters, level generation, or dynamic storytelling.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Lead AI Engineer for a gaming studio. You'll oversee the entire AI development pipeline for major titles and set the creative and technical direction.

    Free Learning Resources

  4. Autonomous Vehicle Engineer / Perception Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-40+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    C++, Python, Computer Vision, sensor fusion, robotics, deep learning for perception.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as an Intern or Junior Engineer. Focus on a single aspect like sensor data processing or object detection.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a specialized Perception Engineer. You'll integrate data from multiple sensors (LiDAR, cameras) to build a complete picture of the environment.

    Senior/Leadership

    Move to Principal or Lead AV Engineer. You'll be responsible for the entire perception system, ensuring safety and reliability, and mentoring junior engineers.

    Free Learning Resources

  5. Robotics Engineer (with AI modules)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, C++, ROS (Robot Operating System), kinematics, reinforcement learning, control systems.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Robotics Engineer. Focus on programming robot kinematics and basic task automation.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Robotics Engineer. You'll use AI to enable robots to learn from their environment and perform more complex tasks like object manipulation.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Robotics Program Lead. You'll oversee the development of a full line of robotic products and manage a team of engineers and scientists.

    Free Learning Resources

  6. Smart IoT / Edge AI Developer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Embedded systems, C/C++, Python, TensorFlow Lite, communication protocols (MQTT, LoRaWAN), hardware knowledge.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Embedded Systems Developer. Focus on writing low-level code for microcontrollers and sensors.

    Mid-Career

    Become an Edge AI Developer. You'll optimize and deploy ML models directly onto resource-constrained devices to enable real-time, on-device AI.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to IoT Solutions Architect. You'll design and oversee the entire ecosystem of smart devices and their AI capabilities for large-scale projects.

    Free Learning Resources

AI Product, Strategy & Business

  1. AI Business Analyst

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Business process analysis, SQL, data storytelling, AI/ML concepts, communication, stakeholder management.

    Entry-Level

    Begin by collecting and analyzing business requirements for AI projects. Your goal is to understand the problem and translate it into actionable technical tasks.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a Senior Business Analyst or a Product Manager. You'll lead the discovery phase for new AI products and own the business case and feature prioritization.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Business Strategy. You'll identify new market opportunities for AI and manage a portfolio of AI-driven initiatives.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Business process analysis

      Look for courses from business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX. Many offer free audit options.

    • SQL

    • Data storytelling

      Look for data visualization courses, as they often cover storytelling. Coursera has a great course called "Communicating with Data."

    • AI/ML concepts

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Communication & stakeholder management

      Look for soft skills courses on platforms like Coursera and edX from top business schools. Many of these courses are available to audit for free.

  2. AI Consultant / Strategist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-35 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Business acumen, market analysis, AI strategy, project management, client relations, domain expertise.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Consultant. You'll assist senior team members in advising clients on AI adoption and implementation strategies.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Consultant or Manager. You'll lead client engagements, develop complex AI strategies, and act as a key advisor.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Partner or Practice Head. You'll oversee the entire AI consulting business unit, drive sales, and shape the firm's strategic direction.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Business acumen

      Look for courses like "The Business of AI" on Coursera or similar business strategy courses on edX.

    • Market analysis

      Many platforms offer free tutorials on market research. Look for courses that teach you how to analyze market trends and competitive landscapes.

    • AI strategy

      Refer to the "AI for Everyone" course on Coursera by Andrew Ng for a foundational understanding of AI business strategy. For more advanced topics, look for corporate case studies and whitepapers from leading tech companies.

    • Project management

    • Client relations & domain expertise

      These are best learned through practical experience, but courses on communication, negotiation, and industry-specific topics can be helpful.

  3. AI Evangelist / Developer Advocate

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Public speaking, technical writing, community building, deep understanding of AI tools/platforms, social media presence.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Developer Advocate. Your focus is on creating tutorials and speaking at events to build a user base for a company's AI tools.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Evangelist. You'll be a recognized voice in the AI community, influencing the product roadmap based on community feedback and leading the developer relations team.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Developer Relations. You'll manage a global team of advocates and set the strategy for engaging the AI developer community.

    Free Learning Resources

  4. AI Program Manager / Delivery Manager

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹15-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Project management methodologies (Agile/Scrum), resource planning, cross-functional team leadership, risk management.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Project Manager. You'll manage project timelines and resources for a single AI initiative.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to an AI Program Manager. You'll oversee a portfolio of interconnected AI projects, ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of AI Programs. You'll be responsible for the delivery of the company’s entire AI portfolio and manage a team of program managers.

    Free Learning Resources

  5. AI Product Manager

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹15-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Product roadmap, user research, business case development, AI technology trends, data-driven decision-making.

    Entry-Level

    Start as an Associate Product Manager. You'll assist a senior PM with user research and feature documentation for an AI product.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Product Manager. You'll own a specific AI product, defining its vision, managing the backlog, and leading the cross-functional team.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Group Product Manager or Director of Product. You'll manage a portfolio of AI products and mentor a team of product managers.

    Free Learning Resources

  6. AI Solutions Architect

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹18-40+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Cloud architecture (AWS/Azure/GCP), system design, AI/ML model deployment, security, scalability.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Cloud Engineer. Focus on building and managing cloud infrastructure and basic data pipelines.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Solutions Architect. You'll design scalable and secure AI systems, choosing the right technologies to solve client problems and leading the technical design.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal Architect. You'll lead the architectural vision for an entire organization's AI initiatives, influencing company-wide technical strategy.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Cloud architecture

      Look for free courses and documentation from AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. All three offer extensive free resources to get started.

    • System design

      Look for tutorials on "system design for beginners" and architecture patterns for large-scale applications on platforms like freeCodeCamp, GeeksforGeeks, and YouTube.

    • AI/ML model deployment

      Refer to resources for "MLOps Engineer" in the Data, Infrastructure & Ops category.

  7. AI Technical Writer / Documentation Specialist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹5-12 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Excellent writing skills, ability to translate complex topics, AI/ML concepts, API documentation.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Technical Writer. Your focus is on writing clear documentation for AI products and tools under supervision.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Technical Writer. You'll take ownership of an entire product's documentation, working closely with engineers to ensure accuracy and clarity for developers.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Documentation Lead. You'll manage a team of writers and define the documentation standards and strategy for the company's AI portfolio.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Excellent writing skills

      Look for writing courses on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Technical Writing" course from Google is highly recommended.

    • AI/ML concepts

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • API documentation

      Look for courses on tools like Swagger/OpenAPI and Postman. A great free resource is Google's "Technical Writing" course.

Core AI & Machine Learning Engineering

  1. AI Algorithm Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Advanced mathematics, C++, Python, algorithm optimization, deep understanding of data structures.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Researcher or Engineer. Focus on implementing and optimizing existing algorithms, often in an R&D setting.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a Senior Algorithm Engineer. You'll design novel algorithms and lead their implementation, solving complex computational problems for production systems.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal Algorithm Scientist. You'll be a company-wide expert, responsible for designing and patenting new algorithms that give the company a competitive advantage.

    Free Learning Resources

  2. Computer Vision Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, OpenCV, TensorFlow/PyTorch, image processing, object detection, deep learning for vision tasks.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Computer Vision Engineer. Focus on data annotation, model training, and implementing basic vision algorithms.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Computer Vision Engineer. You'll design and build end-to-end computer vision systems for products, from data collection to model deployment.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal Vision Scientist. You'll lead research and development for new vision capabilities, mentor a team, and set the technical direction for all vision-related projects.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • OpenCV

    • TensorFlow/PyTorch

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • Image processing & object detection

      Look for courses on computer vision and image processing. The "Computer Vision" specialization on Coursera is a great start.

    • Deep learning for vision tasks

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" in this same category.

  3. Data Scientist – Machine Learning

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹9-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python/R, data analysis, statistical modeling, Scikit-learn, problem-solving, storytelling with data.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Data Analyst. Focus on data cleaning and exploratory data analysis to uncover business insights.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a Data Scientist. You'll build, train, and validate machine learning models to solve complex business problems, communicating your findings to stakeholders.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Data Scientist or Director of Data Science. You'll manage a team of data scientists, define the data strategy, and ensure projects drive significant business value.

    Free Learning Resources

  4. Deep Learning Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, TensorFlow/PyTorch, neural networks, computer vision, NLP, large-scale model training.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Deep Learning Engineer. Focus on training models using existing architectures and datasets, learning foundational concepts.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Deep Learning Engineer. You'll design and implement custom deep learning models for specific problems and optimize them for production.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Deep Learning Scientist. You'll be responsible for guiding research, mentoring junior engineers, and setting the technical direction for the deep learning team.

    Free Learning Resources

  5. Machine Learning Engineer (general)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-22 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, ML frameworks, data engineering, model deployment, software development.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior ML Engineer. Your focus is on building and maintaining ML pipelines and assisting with model deployment.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a Senior ML Engineer. You'll take ownership of the end-to-end ML lifecycle for production systems, from data ingestion to model serving and monitoring.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead ML Engineer. You'll lead a team of engineers, design system architecture, and serve as a technical expert for the entire ML function.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • ML frameworks

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • Data engineering

      Refer to resources for "Data Engineer" in the Data, Infrastructure & Ops category.

    • Model deployment

      Refer to resources for "Model Deployment Engineer" in the Data, Infrastructure & Ops category.

    • Software development

      Look for courses on software engineering best practices, design patterns, and version control (Git) on platforms like freeCodeCamp and Coursera.

  6. NLP Engineer (Natural Language Processing)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, NLTK/SpaCy, transformer models, text preprocessing, LLMs, information retrieval.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior NLP Engineer. Focus on text data preprocessing and building basic models for tasks like sentiment analysis.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior NLP Engineer. You'll work on complex NLP problems, such as custom text generation or large-scale document summarization, and optimize models for production.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal NLP Scientist. You'll lead research and development for the company’s NLP capabilities and guide a team of engineers.

    Free Learning Resources

  7. Predictive Analytics Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-18 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python/R, statistical analysis, time-series forecasting, SQL, regression modeling.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Data Analyst. Focus on building simple predictive models and providing insights from historical data.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Predictive Analytics Engineer. You'll design and implement advanced predictive models to forecast business metrics and drive strategic decisions.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Analyst. You'll oversee all predictive modeling efforts for a business unit and mentor junior analysts.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python/R & SQL

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" and "AI Business Analyst" in other categories.

    • Statistical analysis & regression modeling

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" in this category.

    • Time-series forecasting

      Refer to resources for "Time-Series Modelling Engineer" in this category.

  8. Reinforcement Learning Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, strong math background, deep learning, simulation environments, algorithm development.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Research Intern. Focus on implementing and testing fundamental RL algorithms in a research environment.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior RL Engineer. You'll design and build RL systems for real-world applications like robotics control or resource management.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Principal RL Scientist. You'll lead the research and development of new RL algorithms and applications for the company.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • Strong math background & deep learning

      Refer to resources for "AI Algorithm Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in this category.

    • Simulation environments

      Look for tutorials on platforms like OpenAI Gym and Unity ML-Agents. These are key tools for developing and testing RL models.

    • Algorithm development

      Refer to resources for "AI Algorithm Engineer" in this category.

  9. Speech Recognition Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹9-22 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, deep learning, signal processing, phonetics, audio data analysis.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Engineer. Focus on audio data collection and processing and using existing models for transcription.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Speech Recognition Engineer. You'll build and optimize custom speech-to-text models for specific languages and use cases.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Speech Scientist. You'll be responsible for the entire speech recognition pipeline and lead research into new acoustic modeling techniques.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python & deep learning

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in this category.

    • Signal processing & audio data analysis

      Look for courses on digital signal processing and audio analysis on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Digital Signal Processing" course from Georgia Tech on edX is a good starting point.

    • Phonetics

      Look for linguistics courses from universities on platforms like edX and Coursera to understand the fundamentals of human speech.

  10. Time-Series Modelling Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-18 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python/R, time-series libraries (Prophet, Statsmodels), feature engineering, forecasting models.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Analyst. Focus on data cleaning and using basic models to forecast simple trends.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Time-Series Modelling Engineer. You'll develop complex models to predict sales, market demand, or resource utilization, and work on optimizing model performance.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Time-Series Analyst. You'll be a company-wide expert, responsible for the forecasting strategy and mentoring a team of analysts.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python/R

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" in this category.

    • Time-series libraries (Prophet, Statsmodels)

      Look for official documentation and tutorials from these libraries. Many data science courses also have modules on time-series analysis.

    • Feature engineering & forecasting models

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" in this category for courses on feature engineering and general machine learning models.

Data, Infrastructure & Ops for AI

  1. AI Platform Engineer / Systems Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-28 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Kubernetes, Docker, cloud services, system architecture, Linux, automation scripting.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Systems Administrator. Focus on managing basic server infrastructure and automation scripts.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Platform Engineer. You'll design and build the internal platforms that enable data scientists to train and deploy models efficiently.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to Director of AI Infrastructure. You'll be responsible for the company's entire AI platform, leading a team and setting the long-term technology strategy.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Kubernetes & Docker

    • Cloud services

      Look for official documentation and tutorials from AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. They all offer extensive free learning resources.

    • System architecture & Linux

      Look for tutorials on system design for engineers and Linux command-line basics on platforms like freeCodeCamp and GeeksforGeeks.

    • Automation scripting

      Learn Python and Shell scripting. Refer to Python resources in other categories, and look for "Linux Shell Scripting" tutorials on freeCodeCamp.

  2. Big Data Engineer (for AI workloads)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹9-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Apache Spark, Hadoop, distributed systems, SQL, data warehousing, ETL.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Data Engineer. Focus on building and maintaining ETL pipelines and managing data storage.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Big Data Engineer. You'll design and build scalable data architectures and processing frameworks to handle massive datasets for AI training.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal Data Engineer. You'll be a top-level expert, responsible for the company's entire data architecture and mentoring other data engineers.

    Free Learning Resources

  3. Cloud AI Engineer (AWS, Azure, GCP)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Cloud provider certification, Python, API integration, cloud-native services (Sagemaker, Azure ML), security.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Cloud Engineer. Focus on learning a specific cloud platform and managing core services.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Cloud AI Engineer. You'll specialize in deploying and managing AI workloads on the cloud, leveraging platform-specific services to build scalable solutions.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Cloud AI Architect. You'll design cloud-based AI solutions for large-scale enterprise clients, ensuring performance, security, and cost-effectiveness.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Cloud provider certification

      Look for free courses from AWS (AWS Skill Builder), Azure (Microsoft Learn), and Google Cloud (Google Cloud Skills Boost) on their official websites.

    • Python & API integration

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • Cloud-native services

      The official documentation for AWS SageMaker, Azure Machine Learning, and Google Cloud AI Platform provides extensive tutorials and guides.

    • Security

      Look for cybersecurity courses and cloud security tutorials on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  4. Data Engineer (AI pipelines)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    SQL, Python, ETL/ELT, data modeling, cloud platforms, data governance.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Data Analyst. Focus on data cleaning and transformation to prepare data for models.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Data Engineer. You'll build and maintain robust data pipelines that automatically collect, process, and store data for AI models to consume.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Data Engineer. You'll oversee the data engineering team and be responsible for the company's entire data infrastructure and quality.

    Free Learning Resources

    • SQL & Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Business Analyst" and "AI Engineer" in other categories.

    • ETL/ELT & data modeling

      Look for tutorials on data warehousing and data modeling on platforms like Coursera and edX. The official documentation for tools like Apache Airflow is also a great resource.

    • Cloud platforms & data governance

      Refer to resources for "Cloud AI Engineer" in this category. For data governance, look for courses on "data privacy" and "data ethics."

  5. DataOps Engineer for ML

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-22 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    DevOps tools, CI/CD, data validation, pipeline automation, data observability.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a DevOps Engineer. Focus on implementing CI/CD pipelines and automating software builds.

    Mid-Career

    Become a DataOps Engineer. You'll apply DevOps principles to the data lifecycle, automating data delivery and quality checks to streamline ML development.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal DataOps Engineer. You'll lead the DataOps strategy for the organization and ensure data pipelines are reliable and scalable at an enterprise level.

    Free Learning Resources

    • DevOps tools & CI/CD

      Look for tutorials on tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions. The official documentation for these tools is often the best place to start.

    • Data validation & pipeline automation

      Look for resources on data quality management and pipeline automation using tools like Apache Airflow and Dagster.

    • Data observability

      This is a newer field. Look for blog posts and tutorials from companies specializing in data observability, such as Monte Carlo and Datafold.

  6. MLOps Engineer / ML Infrastructure Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    DevOps, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, model monitoring, cloud infrastructure, Python.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior MLOps Engineer. Focus on containerizing models and assisting with model deployment.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior MLOps Engineer. You'll own the end-to-end MLOps pipeline, from continuous training to monitoring models in production, ensuring performance and reliability.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to an MLOps Architect. You'll design and build the company's MLOps platform, choosing the right tools and technologies to support a large number of ML models.

    Free Learning Resources

    • DevOps, Docker & Kubernetes

      Refer to resources for "AI Platform Engineer" in this category.

    • CI/CD

      Refer to resources for "DataOps Engineer" in this category.

    • Model monitoring

      Look for tutorials on tools like MLflow and Kubeflow, which are used for tracking and monitoring ML models in production.

    • Cloud infrastructure & Python

      Refer to resources for "Cloud AI Engineer" and "AI Engineer" in other categories.

  7. Model Deployment / Serving Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹9-22 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    REST APIs, containerization, cloud deployment, scaling strategies, performance optimization.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Software Engineer. Focus on building and deploying backend services and APIs.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Model Deployment Engineer. You'll specialize in taking trained ML models and deploying them as scalable, low-latency services, ensuring they are reliable and performant in production.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Model Serving Engineer. You'll lead the team responsible for deploying and managing all production models and optimizing their performance at scale.

    Free Learning Resources

    • REST APIs

      Look for tutorials on building and consuming REST APIs using frameworks like Flask or FastAPI in Python.

    • Containerization & cloud deployment

      Refer to resources for "MLOps Engineer" and "Cloud AI Engineer" in this category.

    • Scaling strategies

      Look for courses on microservices architecture and scalability on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Cloud Computing" specialization from the University of Illinois is a great start.

    • Performance optimization

      Look for courses on performance tuning for web services and cloud applications. The official documentation for cloud providers is also a great resource.

Entry / Early-Career Roles

  1. AI Intern – Research Intern

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹20,000-50,000 per month (Stipend)

    Skills

    Python, basic ML concepts, data handling, academic research skills.

    Entry-Level

    This is the starting point. Focus on learning fundamental concepts, contributing to small projects, and building your professional network.

    Mid-Career

    An intern's career path is a direct transition into a full-time role, such as a Junior Data Scientist or AI Engineer, by demonstrating strong project work and a willingness to learn.

    Senior/Leadership

    Success at the intern level is measured by securing a full-time offer, not by moving into a senior role directly. Seniority is achieved after years of experience as a full-time employee.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python & basic ML concepts

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" and "Data Scientist" in other categories.

    • Data handling

      Look for courses on data manipulation using libraries like Pandas and NumPy on platforms like Coursera and DataCamp.

    • Academic research skills

      Look for courses on research methodology, scientific writing, and data analysis on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  2. AI Support Engineer – Technical Support (AI products)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹3-8 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Problem-solving, communication, basic AI knowledge, technical troubleshooting.

    Entry-Level

    Begin by providing support to customers using AI products. Your focus is on troubleshooting issues and understanding common user problems.

    Mid-Career

    Progress to a Senior Support Engineer. You'll handle more complex technical issues and provide feedback to the engineering team to improve the product.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Manager of Technical Support. You'll lead a team of support engineers and set the strategy for providing excellent customer support for AI products.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Problem-solving & communication

      Look for soft skills courses on platforms like Coursera and edX. Many of these courses are available to audit for free.

    • Basic AI knowledge & technical troubleshooting

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" and "Data Scientist" in other categories for a foundational understanding of AI/ML concepts.

  3. AI Teaching Assistant – Lab Assistant

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹20,000-40,000 per month (Stipend)

    Skills

    Strong foundational knowledge of AI/ML, communication, mentorship.

    Entry-Level

    This is an academic role, serving as a stepping stone. Your goal is to deepen your own knowledge, gain experience in communication, and potentially transition into a research or engineering role.

    Mid-Career

    You can transition into an applied research role or a junior position in a specialized AI field after demonstrating expertise and project work.

    Senior/Leadership

    Seniority is not typical for this role. It is a transitional role that prepares you for more senior positions in either academia (e.g., as a researcher) or industry.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Strong foundational knowledge of AI/ML

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories.

    • Communication & mentorship

      Look for courses on leadership, teaching, and communication on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  4. Junior Computer Vision – NLP Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹5-10 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, basic CV/NLP libraries, data preprocessing, academic project experience.

    Entry-Level

    This is the start of your journey as a specialized engineer. Focus on contributing to small-scale projects and learning from senior engineers.

    Mid-Career

    Transition into a full-fledged Computer Vision or NLP Engineer. You'll take ownership of complex projects and become an expert in a specific subfield.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Engineer. You'll lead a team of junior engineers and design the technical architecture for major projects.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in the AI for Domain Applications category.

    • Basic CV/NLP libraries

      Refer to resources for "Computer Vision Engineer" and "NLP Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Data preprocessing

      Look for courses on data science and machine learning. The "Data Science" specialization on Coursera is a great start.

  5. Junior Data Scientist (AI focus)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹4-9 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python/R, SQL, data cleaning, basic statistical analysis, model training.

    Entry-Level

    This is a foundational role. Focus on mastering data analysis techniques, data cleaning, and building your first end-to-end projects.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Data Scientist. You'll take on more complex modeling challenges, from model building to deployment, and will be expected to present your findings to business stakeholders.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Senior Data Scientist. You'll mentor junior team members, lead projects, and influence the company's data strategy.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python/R & SQL

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" and "AI Business Analyst" in other categories.

    • Data cleaning & basic statistical analysis

      Look for courses on data analysis and statistics on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Statistics with Python" course from the University of Michigan on Coursera is a great start.

    • Model training

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

  6. Machine Learning Associate – Analyst

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹4-10 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, ML libraries, data analysis, feature engineering, model evaluation.

    Entry-Level

    This is a foundational role. Your primary goal is to support senior ML Engineers by preparing data, running experiments, and evaluating models.

    Mid-Career

    You can transition into a Machine Learning Engineer role by gaining more experience in model deployment, software development, and end-to-end project ownership.

    Senior/Leadership

    Seniority is achieved after demonstrating expertise as a full-time ML engineer, not typically from this associate-level role.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python, ML libraries & data analysis

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" and "AI Engineer" in other categories.

    • Feature engineering & model evaluation

      Look for courses on machine learning. The "Machine Learning Specialization" on Coursera by Andrew Ng is a great start.

Generative AI & Large Language Models

  1. AI Content Engineer (text-to-image/video)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Deep learning, generative models (GANs, Diffusion), PyTorch, computer vision, creativity.

    Entry-Level

    Begin by mastering existing generative models and learning to fine-tune them on small datasets. Focus on producing high-quality creative output.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Generative AI Engineer. You'll build custom models and pipelines for specific creative tasks, from concept to production.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Generative AI Artist or Engineer. You'll lead a team in creating new generative capabilities and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI-driven content creation.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Deep learning, generative models & PyTorch

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Computer vision

      Refer to resources for "Computer Vision Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Creativity

      This is a soft skill that is developed through practice and experience. Look for tutorials on art, design, and creative writing to complement your technical skills.

  2. Conversational AI Developer (chatbots, voice bots)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-20 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Python, NLP, chatbot frameworks (Rasa, Dialogflow), speech recognition (ASR), intent recognition.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Developer. Focus on building simple conversational flows and integrating existing APIs for voice or text assistants.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior Conversational AI Developer. You'll design and build complex, multi-turn dialogue systems and integrate them into large-scale enterprise applications.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Conversational AI Architect. You'll oversee the design of a company's entire conversational AI platform and mentor a team of developers.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Python & NLP

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" and "NLP Engineer" in other categories.

    • Chatbot frameworks (Rasa, Dialogflow)

      Look for official documentation and tutorials from these platforms. Many also offer free courses and certification paths.

    • Speech recognition (ASR) & intent recognition

      Look for courses on speech processing and natural language understanding on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Speech Recognition" course from Coursera is a great start.

  3. Generative AI Engineer (text, image, audio, video)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Deep learning, transformer models, PyTorch/TensorFlow, model training/fine-tuning, creativity.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as an Engineer-in-Training. Focus on fine-tuning existing models and learning the foundational principles of generative AI.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Generative AI Engineer. You'll work on building and optimizing custom generative models for various modalities and deploying them to production.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Principal Generative AI Engineer. You'll lead the technical direction for a company's generative AI products and mentor a team of engineers.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Deep learning, transformer models & PyTorch/TensorFlow

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" and "NLP Engineer" in other categories.

    • Model training/fine-tuning

      Look for advanced courses on deep learning and NLP. The official documentation for Hugging Face is a great resource for learning fine-tuning.

    • Creativity

      This is a soft skill that is developed through practice and experience. Look for tutorials on art, design, and creative writing to complement your technical skills.

  4. LLM Engineer – Fine-tuning Specialist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹15-35 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Deep learning, LLMs (GPT, Llama), fine-tuning techniques, PyTorch/Hugging Face, data curation.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior LLM Engineer. Focus on learning model architectures and running fine-tuning experiments under supervision.

    Mid-Career

    Become an LLM Fine-tuning Specialist. You'll be the expert in training large models on proprietary data to achieve specific business goals, optimizing for performance and cost.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead LLM Architect. You'll be responsible for the company's entire LLM strategy, from model selection to fine-tuning and deployment pipelines.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Deep learning & LLMs

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" and "NLP Engineer" in other categories.

    • Fine-tuning techniques & PyTorch/Hugging Face

      The official documentation for Hugging Face is the best place to start. Look for tutorials and courses on platforms like Coursera and edX that cover LLM fine-tuning.

    • Data curation

      Look for courses on data science and data engineering. The "Data Curation" course from the University of Illinois on Coursera is a great start.

  5. Prompt Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Creative writing, deep understanding of LLM capabilities, knowledge of prompt design patterns, rapid iteration.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Junior Prompt Engineer. Focus on experimenting with different prompts to achieve a desired output, learning the nuances of LLMs.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Prompt Engineer. You'll work with product teams to design and test prompt templates that power customer-facing applications and internal tools.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Prompt Engineer. You'll be a recognized expert, responsible for developing and documenting a company’s prompt engineering best practices.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Creative writing & prompt design patterns

      Look for tutorials and blog posts on platforms like Medium and Substack. The prompt engineering guide from OpenAI is a great starting point.

    • Deep understanding of LLM capabilities

      Refer to resources for "NLP Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Rapid iteration

      This is a soft skill that is developed through practice. Look for tutorials on Agile and Scrum methodologies to learn how to work in an iterative environment.

  6. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    NLP, vector databases, search algorithms, Python, LLMs, information retrieval systems.

    Entry-Level

    Start as an Intern or Junior Engineer. Focus on building a basic RAG system using an open-source framework and a simple knowledge base.

    Mid-Career

    Become a RAG Engineer. You'll build and optimize complex RAG systems that can ingest and retrieve from massive, real-time data sources.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead RAG Architect. You'll be responsible for designing the company’s entire RAG infrastructure, ensuring scalability, accuracy, and reliability.

    Free Learning Resources

    • NLP & Python

      Refer to resources for "NLP Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category.

    • Vector databases & search algorithms

      Look for tutorials on platforms like Pinecone and Weaviate. The official documentation for these vector databases is the best place to start.

    • LLMs & information retrieval systems

      Refer to resources for "NLP Engineer" in the Core AI & ML category. For information retrieval, look for courses on data retrieval and search engine optimization.

  7. Synthetic Data Engineer (creating datasets for LLMs)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Generative models, data augmentation, Python, data labeling, dataset quality assurance.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Data Annotation Specialist. Focus on accurately labeling and curating real-world data to prepare it for model training.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Synthetic Data Engineer. You'll use generative models and data augmentation techniques to create high-quality, artificial datasets to train and improve models, especially when real data is scarce.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Data Strategy. You'll be responsible for the company’s overall data acquisition and curation strategy, including the use of synthetic data generation at a massive scale.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Generative models & Python

      Refer to resources for "Generative AI Engineer" in this category.

    • Data augmentation & data labeling

      Look for courses on data science and machine learning. Kaggle has a great section on data augmentation and data labeling.

    • Dataset quality assurance

      Look for courses on data quality management and data governance on platforms like Coursera and edX.

Leadership & Senior Specialist Roles

  1. AI Research Lead – Principal Scientist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹30-70+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    PhD in AI/ML, publications, research team leadership, strategic planning, deep technical expertise.

    Mid-Career

    This is not an entry-level role. It is a progression from a Senior Research Scientist after years of published work and demonstrated expertise in a specific field of AI.

    Senior/Leadership

    As a Principal Scientist, you'll lead a team of researchers, set the research agenda for the lab, and guide the direction of the company’s most innovative projects.

    Free Learning Resources

    • PhD in AI/ML & publications

      These are academic qualifications. The best way to achieve them is through a doctoral program at a university.

    • Research team leadership & strategic planning

      Look for courses on leadership, management, and business strategy from top business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Deep technical expertise

      This is a combination of many skills. Refer to resources for "AI Research Scientist" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories.

  2. AI Solutions Practice Head

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹30-60+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Business development, client management, project delivery, team leadership, consulting.

    Mid-Career

    This is a progression from a Senior AI Consultant or Solutions Architect. You'll be responsible for managing a team of consultants and overseeing a portfolio of client projects.

    Senior/Leadership

    As a Practice Head, you'll be a key leader in the organization, driving business growth, building client relationships, and shaping the firm's strategic direction.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Business development & client management

      Look for courses on sales, negotiation, and client relationship management from top business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Project delivery & team leadership

      Refer to resources for "AI Program Manager" and "Lead Machine Learning Engineer" in other categories.

    • Consulting

      Look for courses on consulting and business strategy from top business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX. Case studies from top consulting firms are also a great resource.

  3. Chief AI Officer – Head of AI

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹50-150+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Corporate strategy, executive leadership, P&L management, long-term AI vision, C-suite communication.

    Senior/Leadership

    This is a C-suite executive role. The path to this position typically involves decades of experience, starting as a senior leader in engineering, product, or research, and culminating in a role that drives the company’s entire AI vision.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Corporate strategy, executive leadership & P&L management

      Look for executive education courses and MBA programs from top business schools. Many of these programs offer free preview modules on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Long-term AI vision & C-suite communication

      These are high-level soft skills that are developed through experience. Look for courses on strategic thinking, leadership, and public speaking.

  4. Director of Data Science & AI

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹35-80+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Team leadership, project portfolio management, budget management, strategic planning, technical oversight.

    Mid-Career

    This is a natural progression from a Lead Data Scientist or Principal Engineer. You'll be responsible for managing multiple teams and defining the AI strategy for a large department or business unit.

    Senior/Leadership

    As a Director, you are a senior leader. Your focus is on strategic planning, resource allocation, and mentorship. You will be a key decision-maker in the organization.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Team leadership & project portfolio management

      Refer to resources for "AI Program Manager" and "Lead Machine Learning Engineer" in other categories.

    • Budget management & strategic planning

      Look for courses on financial management and business strategy from top business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Technical oversight

      This is a skill that is developed through years of experience. Look for courses on system architecture and software engineering best practices to complement your knowledge.

  5. Lead Machine Learning Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹25-50 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Technical leadership, system design, mentorship, deep expertise in ML, architecture.

    Mid-Career

    This is a progression from a Senior ML Engineer. You'll take on a leadership role, guiding a team of engineers, reviewing code, and ensuring the technical quality of all projects.

    Senior/Leadership

    As a Lead Engineer, you are a technical leader. You'll be a key influencer in the engineering organization and may progress to a Director of Engineering or a Principal Engineer role.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Technical leadership & mentorship

      Look for courses on leadership and management from top business schools on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • System design & architecture

      Look for tutorials on system design for engineers and software architecture patterns on platforms like freeCodeCamp and GeeksforGeeks.

    • Deep expertise in ML

      This is a combination of many skills. Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories.

  6. Senior MLOps Architect

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹25-50 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Cloud architecture, DevOps, automation, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, scalability.

    Mid-Career

    This is a progression from a Senior MLOps Engineer. You'll be responsible for designing the MLOps architecture for large-scale enterprise systems, ensuring models can be deployed and managed efficiently.

    Senior/Leadership

    As a Senior Architect, you'll be a top-level expert in the field. You may progress to a Director of AI Infrastructure or a Principal Architect role, setting the technical strategy for the entire company.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Cloud architecture & DevOps

      Refer to resources for "Cloud AI Engineer" and "MLOps Engineer" in other categories.

    • Automation, CI/CD & infrastructure-as-code

      Look for tutorials on tools like Terraform and Ansible. The official documentation for these tools is a great resource.

    • Scalability

      Look for courses on distributed systems and cloud architecture on platforms like Coursera and edX.

Research, Academia & Innovation

  1. Academic Faculty in AI – Machine Learning

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    PhD in AI/ML, teaching experience, research portfolio, student mentorship.

    Entry-Level

    This is a role for individuals with a fresh PhD. The path involves securing a tenure-track position and building a research group and teaching career.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become an Associate Professor. You'll be leading your own research lab, securing grants, and publishing in top-tier journals.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Full Professor. You'll be a recognized leader in your field, mentoring the next generation of researchers, and shaping the academic discourse on AI.

    Free Learning Resources

    • PhD in AI/ML, publications & research portfolio

      These are academic qualifications. The best way to achieve them is through a doctoral program at a university.

    • Teaching experience & student mentorship

      Look for courses on teaching and mentorship on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Online Teaching" course from the University of New South Wales on Coursera is a good start.

  2. AI Lab Scientist – Engineer

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-30 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Strong research background, prototyping, algorithm development, experimentation.

    Entry-Level

    This is a progression from a Postdoctoral Researcher or a PhD holder. The focus is on conducting foundational research and building experimental prototypes.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become a Senior Lab Scientist. You'll lead specific research projects and transition your research into real-world applications within a corporate or academic lab setting.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Lab Director or Research Lead. You'll be responsible for the overall research agenda of the lab, managing a team, and securing funding.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Strong research background, prototyping & algorithm development

      Refer to resources for "AI Research Scientist" and "AI Algorithm Engineer" in other categories.

    • Experimentation

      Look for courses on scientific methods and experimental design on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  3. AI Research Scientist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹15-40 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    PhD/Masters, strong mathematics, publications, programming, deep learning research.

    Entry-Level

    This is a progression from a PhD or Master's degree. The path involves working under a senior researcher, contributing to a research project, and publishing papers.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become a Senior Research Scientist. You'll lead your own research projects, collaborate with external partners, and publish in top-tier conferences, becoming a recognized expert in your subfield.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Principal Scientist. You'll be a leading figure in the field, guiding a team of researchers, and setting the direction for the company’s most important research initiatives.

    Free Learning Resources

    • PhD/Masters, strong mathematics & publications

      These are academic qualifications. The best way to achieve them is through a university program.

    • Programming & deep learning research

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories.

  4. Applied Scientist – AI/ML

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹15-35 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Research application, prototyping, deep technical skills, strong programming.

    Entry-Level

    This is a progression from a PhD or a Master's degree with a focus on practical application. The path involves working to bridge the gap between research and production.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become a Senior Applied Scientist. You'll be responsible for taking cutting-edge research and applying it to build innovative products and features.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Principal Applied Scientist. You'll be a top-level expert, guiding a team of scientists and engineers to apply research breakthroughs at scale.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Research application & prototyping

      Look for courses on rapid prototyping and product development on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Deep technical skills & strong programming

      Refer to resources for "AI Research Scientist" and "Machine Learning Engineer" in other categories.

  5. Postdoctoral Researcher – AI

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-15 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    PhD in AI/ML, specialized research, publications, grant writing.

    Entry-Level

    This is a specialized academic role for recent PhD graduates. The path involves conducting advanced research and preparing for a long-term career in academia or industry.

    Mid-Career

    The progression is typically to a tenure-track faculty position in academia or to a Senior Research Scientist role in a corporate lab.

    Senior/Leadership

    Seniority is not typical for this role. It is a transitional role that prepares you for more senior positions after completing your postdoctoral research.

    Free Learning Resources

    • PhD in AI/ML, specialized research & publications

      These are academic qualifications. The best way to achieve them is through a university program.

    • Grant writing

      Look for courses on grant writing and scientific communication on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  6. Research Engineer – Foundation Models

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹18-40+ Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Deep learning, transformer models, large-scale training, infrastructure knowledge, distributed systems.

    Entry-Level

    This is a high-demand, specialized role. The path involves working on large-scale models, assisting with training runs, and learning to manage a massive training infrastructure.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become a Senior Research Engineer. You'll be responsible for optimizing the training and inference pipelines for multi-billion-parameter models and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Principal Engineer. You'll be a top-level expert in large-scale model training and be responsible for the entire infrastructure and engineering strategy for foundation models.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Deep learning, transformer models & infrastructure knowledge

      Refer to resources for "Deep Learning Engineer" and "MLOps Engineer" in other categories.

    • Large-scale training & distributed systems

      Look for courses on distributed computing and parallel processing on platforms like Coursera and edX.

Responsible & Ethical AI

  1. AI Compliance Officer (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Legal/regulatory knowledge, data governance, privacy principles, audit and risk assessment.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Compliance Analyst. Focus on understanding data regulations and how they apply to AI systems.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Compliance Officer. You'll be responsible for auditing and ensuring that all AI projects within the organization adhere to a complex set of legal and ethical standards.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Governance. You'll manage the entire compliance and governance program for the organization, working directly with C-suite executives.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Legal/regulatory knowledge & data governance

      Look for courses on data privacy and compliance on platforms like Coursera and edX. The official websites for GDPR and HIPAA also have extensive documentation.

    • Privacy principles & audit and risk assessment

      Look for courses on risk management and information security on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  2. AI Ethics Researcher

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-18 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Philosophy/sociology background, ethical frameworks, policy analysis, technical understanding of AI systems.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Research Assistant. Your focus is on studying the societal impact of AI and assisting in the development of ethical frameworks.

    Mid-Career

    Become an AI Ethics Researcher. You'll be responsible for your own research projects, publishing papers, and influencing the development of AI products with an ethical lens.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Senior AI Ethicist. You'll be a recognized expert, responsible for guiding a company's ethical principles and leading discussions on the future of AI ethics.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Philosophy/sociology background, ethical frameworks & policy analysis

      Look for courses on philosophy, ethics, and public policy on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Ethics, Technology, and Engineering" course from TU Delft is a good start.

    • Technical understanding of AI systems

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories.

  3. AI Fairness – Bias Auditor

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹10-22 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Bias detection, fairness metrics, data analysis, Python, statistical methods, explainable AI (XAI).

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Data Analyst with a focus on data quality. Focus on understanding data distributions and identifying potential sources of bias in datasets.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Bias Auditor. You'll use specialized tools and statistical methods to audit AI models for fairness, working to mitigate bias and ensure equitable outcomes.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Fairness & Transparency. You'll lead the company's entire bias auditing program, set standards for fairness, and report directly to leadership on the ethical performance of AI systems.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Bias detection, fairness metrics & data analysis

      Look for courses on data science and machine learning. The "Data Science" specialization on Coursera is a great start.

    • Python, statistical methods & explainable AI (XAI)

      Refer to resources for "Data Scientist" and "Machine Learning Engineer" in other categories. Look for tutorials on tools like SHAP and LIME for explainable AI.

  4. AI Policy & Governance Analyst

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹8-18 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Public policy, legal knowledge, AI regulation, government relations, policy writing.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Policy Analyst. Your focus is on researching and analyzing new regulations and their potential impact on AI development.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Governance Analyst. You'll be responsible for drafting internal policies and ensuring that AI projects are aligned with both internal and external governance frameworks.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Public Policy. You'll be responsible for the company's government relations and public policy strategy, representing the company in discussions with lawmakers.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Public policy, legal knowledge & AI regulation

      Look for courses on public policy and law on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "AI and Law" course from the University of Helsinki is a good start.

    • Government relations & policy writing

      Look for courses on public relations and technical writing on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  5. Responsible AI Specialist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹12-25 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Interdisciplinary knowledge (tech, ethics, law), risk management, technical background, stakeholder management.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior Responsible AI Analyst. Your focus is on assisting senior specialists in risk assessments and ethical reviews of AI projects.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Responsible AI Specialist. You'll be responsible for conducting independent ethical reviews, providing guidance to product teams, and leading discussions on responsible AI development.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Lead Ethicist or Director of Responsible AI. You'll define the company's ethical principles and build the team responsible for ensuring all AI projects are developed with accountability and fairness in mind.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Interdisciplinary knowledge & risk management

      Look for courses on ethics, law, and technology. The "AI Ethics" course from the University of Helsinki is a great start. For risk management, look for courses on project management and information security.

    • Technical background & stakeholder management

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" and "AI Business Analyst" in other categories.

Supporting & Cross-Functional Roles

  1. AI Customer Success – Implementation Specialist

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹6-15 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Client communication, product knowledge, project management, technical troubleshooting, training.

    Entry-Level

    Start as an Implementation Specialist. You'll work with new clients to help them set up and use AI products, troubleshooting initial issues.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Customer Success Manager. You'll be responsible for managing a portfolio of key client accounts, ensuring they are getting value from the product and identifying new opportunities.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Customer Success. You'll manage the entire customer success organization and set the strategy for client retention and growth.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Client communication & project management

      Refer to resources for "AI Business Analyst" and "AI Program Manager" in other categories.

    • Product knowledge & technical troubleshooting

      This is best learned on the job. However, you can look for courses on a company's specific AI products or general technical support on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Training

      Look for courses on teaching, public speaking, and curriculum design on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  2. AI Quality Assurance Engineer (testing ML models)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹5-12 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    QA methodologies, Python, test automation, data validation, model performance metrics.

    Entry-Level

    Start as a Junior QA Engineer. Focus on manual testing and basic data validation of AI systems.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Senior QA Engineer. You'll develop and implement automated testing frameworks for AI models and data pipelines, ensuring model reliability.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a QA Lead. You'll lead the QA team, define the testing strategy for AI products, and ensure all systems meet high standards of quality.

    Free Learning Resources

    • QA methodologies & Python

      Refer to resources for "AI Engineer" in other categories. Look for courses on QA and software testing on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Test automation, data validation & model performance metrics

      Look for tutorials on tools like Selenium and Cypress for test automation. For data validation and model performance, look for courses on data science and machine learning.

  3. AI Training Data Curator – Annotator

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹4-8 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Attention to detail, domain-specific knowledge, data labeling tools, data quality control.

    Entry-Level

    This is a foundational role. Your primary goal is to curate and annotate high-quality datasets that will be used to train AI models.

    Mid-Career

    You can transition into a Data Curator or a Data Analyst role. You'll focus on ensuring data quality, creating data pipelines, and analyzing data to support model training.

    Senior/Leadership

    You can advance to a Manager of Data Operations. You'll manage a team of data annotators and curators and be responsible for the company’s entire data labeling pipeline.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Attention to detail, data labeling tools & data quality control

      This is best learned on the job. However, you can look for tutorials on data quality management and data annotation tools on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Domain-specific knowledge

      This is specific to your industry. Look for courses on a company's specific domain to complement your technical skills.

  4. AI Trainer (models and human teams)

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹7-18 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Strong communication, teaching ability, knowledge of ML models, curriculum design.

    Entry-Level

    Start by providing training and support to small teams, helping them understand and use AI models effectively.

    Mid-Career

    You'll become a Senior AI Trainer. You'll develop and deliver comprehensive training programs for large organizations, ensuring their teams are skilled in AI.

    Senior/Leadership

    You'll advance to a Director of AI Learning. You'll oversee all AI training and education initiatives, both for employees and external partners.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Strong communication & teaching ability

      Refer to resources for "AI Evangelist" in other categories. Look for courses on teaching and public speaking on platforms like Coursera and edX.

    • Knowledge of ML models & curriculum design

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" in other categories. For curriculum design, look for courses on instructional design and educational technology on platforms like Coursera and edX.

  5. Technical Recruiter – AI & ML talent

    Remuneration (India)

    ₹6-15 Lakhs per annum

    Skills

    Recruiting lifecycle, technical knowledge of AI roles, sourcing strategies, negotiation.

    Entry-Level

    Begin as a Recruiter. Focus on sourcing and screening candidates for entry-level tech roles. You'll learn to understand job descriptions and candidate skills.

    Mid-Career

    Become a Technical Recruiter specializing in AI. You'll develop expertise in the AI talent market, building a network of candidates and working with hiring managers to fill key roles.

    Senior/Leadership

    Advance to a Director of Talent Acquisition. You'll manage the entire recruiting function and develop the strategy for hiring the best AI talent for the company.

    Free Learning Resources

    • Recruiting lifecycle & sourcing strategies

      Look for courses on human resources and recruiting on platforms like Coursera and edX. The "Recruiting" specialization from the University of California on Coursera is a good start.

    • Technical knowledge of AI roles & negotiation

      Refer to resources for "Machine Learning Engineer" and "Deep Learning Engineer" in other categories to gain a technical understanding. For negotiation, look for soft skills courses on platforms like Coursera and edX.