AI Engineer: Job Description, Salary, Duties & More (2024)

The Ultimate Career Resource For AI Engineers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a growing niche.

The sector has a compound yearly expansion of 37.3% through 2030 and was valued at $136.55 billion at the end of 2022.

As a result, AI engineers and specialists are in high demand.

If you’re planning to start a career as an AI engineer, you’re in the right place.

Here is all the information you will require to make a suitable decision.

AI Engineer Information

Official Job Title	AI Engineer
Average Salary	$127,746
Stress Level	High
Work/Life	Low
Job Satisfaction	High
Career Advancement	Average

AI Engineer Job Description

Here is an in-depth job description for AI engineers to help you understand what they do:

What Is An AI Engineer?

AI engineers are responsible for programming and developing algorithms that allow AI to operate just like a human mind.

They build models that enable businesses to gain valuable insight into important decisions.

Not only that, but they also maintain the systems.

What Does An AI Engineer Do On A Daily Basis?

The daily tasks of AI engineers involve managing their completed products.

They have to update systems while keeping up with the latest trends continuously.

Coding and developing software are their essential daily tasks.

Besides that, they spend most of their day communicating with other experts and software teams.

They have to interact with a lot of people every day to keep operations running smoothly.

Responsibilities, Duties, & Roles Of An AI Engineer

AI engineers have one of the toughest responsibilities in the sector.

They are responsible for conducting statistical analysis.

Not only that, but they have to analyze the results to help the company make critical decisions.

Their duties include making AI models that help businesses understand the benefits and outcomes the model will bring about.

An AI engineer also has to support data science teams by automating their infrastructure.

As a result, their role is to help improve a company’s system.

Lastly, the engineers have to collaborate with other departments, such as robotics.

This allows them to improve their models and make them target-specific.

AI Engineer Salary

Here are the salaries of AI engineers according to their career levels:

Average Salary

The average salary of an AI engineer per annum is $127,746.

This means that the hourly wage is about $63.

But, of course, the figure can vary due to regions.

For example, California, Connecticut, and New Jersey salaries are relatively higher than in other regions.

So it is critical to work in a place where salary is high, and AI engineers are in demand.

Starting Salary

The starting salary of an AI engineer is $103,352 per year.

As the career level rises, the amount also increases.

Senior Salary

The salary of a Senior AI Engineer per year is $217,000.

This figure can vary depending on the company and region.

How To Become An AI Engineer

Here is everything you need to know if you are serious about becoming an AI engineer.

The Entry Level: Certification, Training, & Degree

A bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for AI engineering.

The degree must be in a relevant field such as data science, IT, computers, or statistics.

Besides that, you could opt for a master’s degree in data science, cognitive science, or math.

However, keep in mind that a master’s degree is not typically a requirement.

Besides that, to improve your eligibility, you could opt for certifications too.

It is also necessary to have training in at least one or more programming languages.

Other Skill Sets, Requirements, & Qualifications

To get an AI engineer job, you need to have excellent programming skills.

So learning Java, Python, C++, and much more can be pretty helpful.

In addition, they will assist you in implementing AI models.

You also need to have some knowledge of linear algebra and statistics.

This is vital for building and implementing complex models.

One of the job requirements is to be able to interpret and understand data.

How Long Does It Take To Become An AI Engineer?

AI engineers have to spend a few years completing their education and getting a degree.

After that, they have to work other relevant jobs in the industry before applying for an AI engineer position.

Is It Hard To Become An AI Engineer?

The answer to this can vary depending on the person.

If you are serious and have the skills for it, becoming an AI engineer will be easy.

AI Engineer Career Paths

If you’re unsure about this career path, you’re in the right place.

Here are the details that will help you make a decision:

The AI Engineer Roadmap

Firstly, you need to accomplish a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field.

While pursuing your education, you should participate in internships in software and data companies.

This will provide you with exposure to the working environment.

Besides that, you can join extra lessons to learn programming and how to interpret data.

The skills you pick up during training will eventually help you write resumes and ace interviews.

Certifications are not necessary, but they are suitable for enhancing credibility.

Projections For Growth In AI Engineer Jobs

The projection growth for AI engineering is 21% through 2031.

The sector is continuously growing at a faster-than-average rate.

However, the career advancement of AI engineers is gradual.

Succeeding and thriving in this field require competence and grit.

Not to mention, the competition in this field is high.

In Summary: Is AI Engineer A Good Career?

AI engineering is a competitive field.

Therefore, if you cannot survive stressful conditions, it is best to choose a different option.

Otherwise, it is a good choice.

Working Conditions

Here is all the information you need regarding the working conditions of AI engineers:

Can An AI Engineer Work Remotely From Home?

Yes, AI engineers can work from home.

However, you will rarely find companies offering this option.

This is because engineers have to interact with many people daily.

How Many Hours Does An AI Engineer Work?

Typically, the minimum hours an AI engineer has to put in are 40 hours.

But many times, they have to work overtime to meet deadlines.

So this number can quickly rise to up to 50 hours.

Can An AI Engineer Work Part-Time?

Few companies offer part-time jobs, but most don’t.

AI engineering involves a lot of onsite work that can take hours.

So part-time work is not suitable for this field unless the company is small.

What Are The Average Vacation Days Of An AI Engineer?

The average vacation days of AI engineers is around 20.

Of course, the actual number can vary from company to company.

Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to an AI Engineer

Resume Tips

To land a job, it is essential to write a stellar resume.

The tips below can help you achieve this:

Use AI-relevant keywords consistently in the document
Quantify your contributions through percentages and numbers
Don’t add columns or make your resume too fancy, as it will be tough to read
Mention all skills relevant to AI, programming, data, and much more
Use action words to signify major things
Don’t mention generic skills and work unless they have a connection to AI engineering

With these six tips, you can create the perfect resume to stun employers.

Interview Questions

As an employer, here are the top questions you can ask during an interview:

Q1: What are the applications of AI?

Why it works: It will help you learn whether the candidate knows enough about the field or not.

Q2: What are the crucial skills an AI engineer should possess?

Why it works: This question will allow you to understand whether the applicant knows the job requirement.

They are most likely to answer skills they possess, thus giving you better insight.

Q3: What is Python?

Why it works: This will help you learn immediately if the candidate has programming knowledge.

Q4: What will you do if you face an unexpected setback?

Why it works: Most of the time, AI engineers have to work with uncertainty.

So this question will help you understand if a candidate is suitable and can help your business overcome setbacks.

Jobs Related To An AI Engineer

Here are some jobs related to AI engineering:

AI developer
AI architect
Machine learning engineer
Data scientists
Robotic scientist
Business intelligence developer
And much more

For HR Manager: Tips For Hiring An AI Engineer

If you’re an HR manager looking to hire an AI engineer, here are some tips to follow:

Key Characteristics To Look For In An AI Engineer

Looking for these top characteristics will help in hiring a suitable individual:

Background in statistics, probability, and algebra
Creativity and grit
Ability to understand and interpret data
Quick learning skills with high perseverance
A passion for AI engineering

Minimum Level Of Education And Experience

An AI engineer needs to have a bachelor’s degree in at least one of the relevant fields.

A few years of experience in the technological sector is also necessary.

Besides that, for individuals with no degree, certifications, and training are essential for entry-level jobs.