Direct-Hire Recruiting for AI, ML, and Data Teams
We help companies find, screen, and hire specialized AI, ML, GenAI, data science, and data engineering talent. Our process combines focused recruiting outreach with practical technical evaluation so your team spends time with stronger candidates.
Focused on AI/ML, GenAI, data science, analytics, and data engineering roles.
AI and data roles are hard to hire for
The best candidates are often not applying. Generic recruiters do not understand the role deeply enough. And weak screening creates wasted interviews.
Generic recruiters miss the depth
Most recruiters cannot evaluate whether a candidate has actually built with LLMs, designed ML pipelines, or run production data systems — so they forward resumes that look right on paper.
Interviews waste engineering time
Your data scientists and ML engineers get pulled into too many low-signal screening calls. Every bad interview is time they are not building.
The best candidates are passive
Senior AI and data talent are rarely actively applying. Reaching them requires targeted outreach — not job board posts.
Mis-hires are expensive
A bad hire in a specialized technical role costs months of runway, team morale, and re-recruitment time. Getting the candidate profile right matters.
Focused search with technical judgment built in
Sunray Hire focuses on specialized AI, ML, GenAI, data science, and data engineering searches. We help define the role, identify target profiles, source candidates, run initial qualification, and support technical screening before candidates reach final interviews.
Targeted sourcing
We identify candidates by role, domain, seniority, and technical fit — reaching people who are not actively applying.
PhD-level technical evaluation
Candidates are screened by PhD-qualified AI/ML experts with direct research and production experience — not generalists working from a keyword checklist.
Hiring support
We help coordinate the process from intake through offer stage — keeping the pipeline moving and communication clear.
Roles we recruit for
AI and data roles are distinct disciplines. We recruit across AI engineering, machine learning, data science, data engineering, and technical leadership.
AI Engineer
Direct-hire recruiting for AI engineer roles — sourcing and screening candidates who build production LLM applications, RAG systems, and AI-native products.
ML Engineer
Direct-hire recruiting for ML engineer roles — sourcing candidates who can build and maintain production ML systems, not just train models in notebooks.
Data Scientist
Direct-hire recruiting for data scientist roles — sourcing candidates who can do the full job: statistics, experimentation, modeling, and business judgment.
How the search process works
A structured search from intake through offer — designed for specialized technical roles.
Hiring intake
Understand the role, must-have skills, compensation range, interview process, and ideal candidate profile.
Search strategy
Define target companies, titles, skill signals, and outreach angles.
Sourcing and outreach
Build and contact a targeted candidate list — reaching people who are not actively looking.
Screening and shortlist
Qualify candidates for interest, fit, compensation, communication, and technical relevance.
Interview and offer support
Support scheduling, feedback loops, and closing through offer acceptance.
Recruiting for technical roles requires more than keyword matching
Many AI and data resumes look similar. The difference is whether a candidate has actually built, deployed, analyzed, or led work similar to what your team needs. Sunray Hire brings practical AI/ML/data judgment into the recruiting workflow so hiring teams receive a tighter, better-aligned shortlist.
- PhD-level technical evaluation built into every search — not a generalist keyword screen
- Evaluators with direct AI/ML research and production experience across LLMs, MLOps, data science, and data engineering
- Candidate conversations probe real project depth: what was built, what decisions were made, what the tradeoffs were
- Clear communication with hiring teams throughout — no opaque pipelines
We are not a resume-forwarding shop
Our process is designed to understand the role, identify the right candidate profile, and screen for real project depth before candidates reach your interview process.
Candidate-consent first
We do not submit candidate information to a company without candidate permission. Before representation, we discuss the role, company, compensation range, location expectations, and process.
Flexible direct-hire recruiting support
Sunray Hire primarily supports direct-hire searches. Most early engagements can be structured as contingency search, with a recruiting fee due only after a successful hire. Final terms, guarantee period, fee percentage, and replacement policy are confirmed in a written agreement before the search begins.
Retained or hybrid search structures may be considered for specialized or urgent roles.
Hiring for an AI, ML, or data role?
Send us the role details and we will respond with whether the search is a fit.