TAMPA DATA & AIÂ RECRUITMENT
OVERVIEW
Harnham Data Recruitment is a premier recruitment agency specializing in AI and data-driven roles in Tampa, a city rapidly becoming a significant hub for tech and AI innovation. Tampa’s technology sector has experienced a 30% growth in recent years, with projections showing 3,700 new tech jobs by 2027, making it an exciting time for AI talent in the region. As a leader in AI recruitment, we connect businesses with the best-fit candidates who can drive innovation through cutting-edge AI technologies. Our recruitment services cater to businesses seeking talent across both emerging AI fields and traditional data science sectors.
We are experts in AI and data recruitment, with a team highly skilled in identifying exceptional talent across industries. Whether you’re seeking professionals in machine learning, AI-powered applications, or business data roles, we ensure your hiring needs are met with precision. From downtown Tampa to St. Petersburg and the broader Tampa Bay area, we've built an extensive network within both the tech and business communities. We also connect with students from local institutions like the University of South Florida and Miami International University of Art & Design.
Our recruitment consultants act as industry insiders in the AI and data recruitment landscape, leveraging deep insights to match you with the most qualified candidates. Whether you're enhancing customer experiences or optimizing business processes, Harnham is your trusted partner in finding ideal candidates who can leverage AI technologies to propel your business forward.
DATA & AI RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING
HOW WE DO IT
Just like the Data & AI professionals we place, Harnham use tried and tested models in our recruitment processes.
At Harnham, we understand the complexities of AI-driven solutions and the significance of aligning the right talent with your organization’s needs. Whether it’s reinforcement learning, unsupervised learning, or generative AI tools, our consultants work closely with you to ensure potential hires possess the right expertise for your needs.
We leverage our deep understanding of the AI field to help you make informed decisions. By conducting extensive reference checks and ensuring cultural alignment, we ensure that each hire contributes to your long-term success. With our proactive approach, we focus on fostering a collaborative learning environment, ensuring both clients and candidates benefit from successful placements.
Our recruitment process includes identifying the key skills required for specific roles, such as proficiency in AI-powered tools, predictive analytics, and advanced machine learning models. Whether you're based in Tampa, St. Petersburg, or the wider Tampa Bay area, our AI recruitment services provide comprehensive solutions tailored to your business goals.
WHAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER TAMPA DATA RECRUITMENT AGENCIES?
What sets Harnham's Data and AI Recruitment apart from other agencies in Tampa, is our extensive experience in the Data & AI industries as we've been in them for so many years. Our Tampa Data & AI Recruitment team are well informed. Offering insider knowledge, and a wealth of experience.
We bring that unique blend of expertise and insights to the Data & AI recruitment market in Tampa. Our team not only recruits the best AI talent but also ensures candidates are prepared for the practical applications of artificial intelligence in business. We focus on both academic qualifications and hands-on experience, ensuring candidates are equipped for real-world applications like AI-powered decision-making and business intelligence.
Tampa's tech scene is thriving, and our clients benefit from this dynamic environment, with organizations like Tampa Bay Wave and Tampa Bay Tech helping to foster a community of innovative companies. Whether you're hiring for roles in AI-powered automation, machine learning, or predictive analytics, we provide access to a range of tools and resources to guide your hiring process.
Harnham is recognized for its ability to match qualified candidates with organizations looking to innovate in the AI sector. We understand that successful AI recruitment is about more than just filling a vacancy—it’s about aligning your company culture with candidates who will contribute to your business’s success. Tampa’s growing business community, supported by organizations such as the Miami AI Club, ensures a continuous influx of talented professionals eager to drive business breakthroughs.
DATA AND AI RECRUITMENT FOR TAMPA BUSINESSES: WHAT TO EXPECT
When you partner with Harnham for AI recruitment in Tampa, you’ll receive an in-depth consultation to define your hiring needs. From the interview process to onboarding, we ensure every step aligns with your company culture. Our goal is to help you hire professionals who not only bring technical expertise but also understand the nuances of your business operations.
We specialize in recruiting for data-driven roles that focus on generative AI tools, reinforcement learning, and other advanced AI technologies. In addition, we also cover traditional data roles like data science and business analysis. Leveraging our extensive network of top-tier AI professionals, we ensure that every candidate we place brings the right experience and skills to elevate your business. Tampa’s rich diversity, including students and professionals from institutions like Miami Dade College and University of Miami, provides a great pipeline for AI talent.
If you’re looking for AI talent that will impact your organization’s success, Harnham provides the best-suited candidates for your needs. Whether you're in Tampa, St. Petersburg, or the wider Bay Area, our recruitment team is here to connect you with professionals who can bring innovation and actionable insights to your business.
WHY CHOOSE TAMPA FOR YOUR AI RECRUITMENT NEEDS?
Tampa is rapidly emerging as a key player in the AI and tech community, with a thriving business ecosystem and a forward-thinking approach to innovation. With more top institutions beyond Miami Dade College and the University of Miami like the University of South Florida. There are also several tech-focused accelerators like Tampa Bay Wave, the city offers a growing talent pool of AI professionals. Tampa’s mastermind business breakthrough mentality is reflected in its expanding technology sector, where key companies such as PwC, Maxar Technologies, and MetLife are establishing strong presences.
In addition, the recent expansion of TheIncLab into Tampa is a great indicator of the city's commitment to AI and cybersecurity innovation. These developments make Tampa an exciting place to find forward-thinking professionals who are driving the future of AI. For businesses looking to integrate AI solutions into their operations, Tampa offers exciting opportunities to collaborate with top talent in the field.
JOBS
LATEST TAMPA
DATA JOBS
Harnham are a specialist Data & AI Recruitment business with teams that only focus on niche areas.
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (VLM)
$200000 - $230000
+ Computer Vision
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
Fully Remote, United States | $200,000 to $230,000 base plus equity and benefits
This is a high impact opportunity to shape how Vision Language Models are applied in real world, production grade systems. You will play a central role in building and scaling VLM driven intelligence that connects edge devices with cloud based reasoning, influencing both technical direction and product outcomes in a fast moving environment.
The Company
They are a technology led organisation building intelligent, connected solutions that blend advanced machine learning with real world operational workflows. Their platform is designed to turn complex visual data into actionable insights at scale. The team brings together expertise across machine learning, computer vision, embedded systems and data science, with a strong focus on building systems that perform reliably in production.
The Role
- Own the design and development of cloud based Vision Language Model pipelines used for large scale labelling and annotation
- Drive decisions on what visual signals, metadata and contextual information are captured from edge devices to maximise VLM performance
- Build and evaluate end to end inference systems, including prompt design, fine tuning strategies and model benchmarking
- Partner closely with embedded systems, computer vision and data science teams to close the loop between devices and cloud intelligence
- Stay at the forefront of the VLM landscape, assessing and integrating commercial and open source models as capabilities evolve
Your Skills and Experience
- Strong commercial experience as a machine learning engineer working with computer vision, LLMs or Vision Language Models
- Hands on experience evaluating, fine tuning or deploying VLMs in production environments
- Deep understanding of how edge constraints such as bandwidth, latency and compute influence model design
- Proficiency with Python, PyTorch and modern cloud based inference and evaluation tooling
- Practical expertise in prompt engineering and model evaluation, with a focus on measurable performance improvements
- Comfortable owning problems end to end and collaborating across hardware and software teams
What They Offer
- Competitive base salary of $200,000 to $230,000 plus equity
- Fully remote working across the United States
- Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental and vision cover
- Flexible paid time off and a strong culture of autonomy and trust
- The opportunity to be a technical leader in the application of Vision Language Models at scale
How to Apply
If you are excited by the challenge of building production grade VLM systems with real world impact, apply now to learn more about this opportunity.

To Apply for this Job Click Here
Principal Data Scientist
San Francisco
$200000 - $230000
+ Data Science & AI
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
Principal Data Scientist
Remote or Hybrid, United States.
Competitive salary plus bonus and benefits
This is a senior-level opportunity to shape the direction of data science and artificial intelligence within a high-impact, product-focused environment. You will operate as a technical leader, driving complex initiatives from concept through delivery while influencing how advanced analytics and AI capabilities are embedded into end-user experiences.
The Company
They are an established organisation investing heavily in data science and AI to enhance their products and deliver meaningful outcomes at scale. Operating at the intersection of technology, data, and user experience, they bring together cross-functional teams to solve complex problems.
The Role
* Lead the design and delivery of high-impact data science and AI solutions aligned to strategic business objectives
* Provide technical leadership across multiple workstreams, ensuring projects are well-scoped, prioritised, and delivered effectively
* Collaborate with product, engineering, and business stakeholders to define problems and translate them into scalable data solutions
* Develop and implement production-grade machine learning and AI systems, including generative AI capabilities
* Communicate insights, recommendations, and technical concepts clearly to a range of stakeholders
Your Skills & Experience
* Strong expertise in data science, machine learning, or artificial intelligence, demonstrated through academic or industry work
* Proven track record of building and deploying production-scale data and AI systems, including experience with generative AI
* Ability to independently define problems, design solutions, and deliver results end-to-end
* Experience providing technical leadership and guiding cross-functional teams
* Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences
What They Offer
* Competitive salary with bonus and comprehensive benefits
* Opportunity to lead strategic AI and data initiatives with real business impact
* Collaborative, cross-functional working environment
* Flexibility through remote or hybrid working
* Clear progression opportunities within a growing data and AI function

To Apply for this Job Click Here
Senior Data Scientist
New York
$180000 - $200000
+ Data Science & AI
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
Senior Data Scientist
AdTech | Fully Remote (US)
Base salary up to $200K + equity
On behalf of a high-growth AdTech startup, we are partnering with an innovative, venture-backed business that is scaling a data‑driven advertising platform operating at significant volume and complexity. The company is building core technology for real-time decisioning, optimisation, and measurement, and is now seeking a Principal Data Scientist / ML Engineer to play a key role in shaping its machine learning and data science capabilities.
This position represents a true hybrid role, split approximately 50% Machine Learning Engineering and 50% Data Science, with end‑to‑end ownership from research through to production.
The Role
The successful candidate will operate at Principal level, acting as both a hands-on technical leader and a strategic partner to Product and Engineering leadership.
Key responsibilities include:
- Owning and leading high-impact ML and data science initiatives across the business
- Designing and scaling production-grade ML architectures using Databricks and cloud-native tooling
- Building, deploying, and maintaining batch and real-time ML pipelines used in customer-facing systems
- Developing advanced statistical and machine learning models to support optimisation, ranking, forecasting, and attribution use cases
- Establishing best practices for experimentation, feature engineering, model deployment, monitoring, and retraining
- Driving MLOps standards across the organisation, including CI/CD for ML, model versioning, and performance monitoring
- Translating complex business problems into robust, data-driven solutions
- Mentoring senior and mid-level data scientists and ML engineers, while setting a high technical bar
- Contributing to the longer-term ML and data strategy in a fast-scaling startup environment
Required Background
- 6-10+ years of experience across Data Science and/or ML Engineering, with demonstrated impact at Staff or Principal level
- Strong hands-on experience building and operating production ML systems at scale
- Deep expertise with Databricks (Spark, MLflow, Delta Lake, feature pipelines)
- Excellent foundations in statistics, machine learning, and applied mathematics
- Experience working with large, complex, real-world datasets in high-throughput environments
- Proven ability to balance research depth with engineering pragmatism
- Comfortable operating in ambiguous, high-ownership startup settings
Preferred Experience
- Background in AdTech, MarTech, marketplaces, or data-intensive SaaS platforms
- Exposure to real-time or low-latency ML systems
- Experience influencing ML platform or data strategy at company level
- Familiarity with GenAI or LLM use cases within advertising or data products
Why This Opportunity
- Join a rapidly scaling AdTech startup at a pivotal stage of growth
- Significant influence over technical direction, architecture, and modeling approaches
- Fully remote role (US-based)
- Competitive compensation package: up to $200K-$210K base + bonus + equity
- High level of ownership and visibility within the business

To Apply for this Job Click Here
Senior Data Scientist
New York
$200000 - $210000
+ Data Science & AI
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
Principal Data Scientist
Full Remote (From the US)
Salary up to $210K base + bonus
A large, global technology-led organisation operating in a mission-driven, data-intensive domain. The business designs and scales complex digital platforms used by millions of end users worldwide, combining advanced data science, AI, and product engineering to drive measurable real-world impact.
Mission
- Act as technical lead for high-impact Data Science and AI initiatives across the organisation
- Define architectures, methodologies, and best practices for complex DS/AI and GenAI problem spaces
- Lead the design and delivery of production-grade AI systems, with particular focus on LLMs and generative AI
- Drive strategic initiatives by aligning DS/AI priorities with business and product objectives
- Mentor senior and junior data scientists, setting technical direction and raising engineering standards
- Own multiple projects simultaneously: scoping, prioritisation, delivery timelines, and stakeholder alignment
Profile
- PhD or equivalent in Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or related field
- Senior-level experience: typically 6-10+ years in DS/AI roles, including leadership at Principal / Staff level
- Demonstrated technical leadership: defining strategy, owning complex initiatives, and mentoring teams
- Deep hands-on experience with production-scale DS/AI systems, with a strong recent focus on Generative AI / LLMs
- Expertise in LLM architectures, orchestration frameworks, and AI governance (guarding, scaling, monitoring, reliability)
- Strong understanding of MLOps / LLMOps in enterprise environments

To Apply for this Job Click Here
Principal Data Scientist
$200000 - $220000
+ Data Science & AI
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
Principal Data Scientist
Remote | Salary up to $220,000 + 15% bonus
This is an opportunity to step into a senior, high-impact Principal Data Scientist role where you will shape the direction of advanced AI and data science initiatives at scale. You will work on commercially meaningful problems, leveraging cutting-edge techniques including generative AI, while influencing both strategy and delivery across a globally recognised platform.
The Company
They are a well-established, innovation-led organisation focused on delivering data-driven products at scale. With a strong investment in AI and advanced analytics, they partner closely across product, engineering, and design to create impactful, user-focused solutions. Their teams are highly collaborative and operate in a modern, fully remote environment that encourages autonomy and technical excellence.
The Role
- Lead the design and implementation of advanced data science and AI solutions aligned to business objectives
- Provide technical leadership across complex projects, setting direction and best practice for modelling and deployment
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to identify opportunities and define requirements
- Apply generative AI and other advanced methodologies to solve real-world problems
- Translate technical findings into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders
- Oversee project timelines and ensure successful delivery across multiple workstreams
Your Skills and Experience
- Strong commercial experience in data science and machine learning, with recognised expertise in a specialist area
- Deep understanding of production-level AI systems and recent exposure to generative AI techniques
- Proven ability to lead complex projects end to end, from concept through to deployment
- Experience working cross-functionally with product, engineering, or business teams
- Clear and collaborative communication style, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
- Background in a quantitative or technical field such as Data Science, AI, Mathematics, or similar
What They Offer
- Salary up to $220,000 with a 15% performance bonus
- Fully remote working with flexibility and autonomy
- Opportunity to work on high-impact AI initiatives at scale
- Collaborative, forward-thinking technical environment
- Clear scope for progression into broader technical or strategic leadership roles
How to Apply
If you’re interested in exploring this Principal Data Scientist opportunity, apply now for a confidential discussion.

To Apply for this Job Click Here
VP AI Engineer
New York
$200000 - $220000
+ Data Science & AI
PermanentUSA
To Apply for this Job Click Here
VP AI Engineer
$220K base + bonus + RSU
New York or San Francisco
A global financial technology organisation operating at enterprise scale, combining advanced software engineering, data science, and applied AI to modernise large-scale production systems. The company invests heavily in automation, operational excellence, and AI-driven infrastructure, building mission-critical platforms used across complex, high-reliability environments.
Mission
- Design and deploy agentic AI systems to automate and optimise large-scale production environments
- Build LLM-powered solutions that diagnose issues, reason over complex systems, and take secure, auditable actions
- Develop RAG pipelines and domain knowledge systems with strong data quality, feedback loops, and governance
- Productionise LLMs: evaluation frameworks, prompt orchestration, response validation, self-correction loops
- Integrate AI agents with observability, incident management, deployment, and runtime platforms
- Implement safety, reliability, and compliance guardrails (policy enforcement, rollback strategies, circuit breakers)
- Optimise performance, cost, and latency through prompt engineering, caching, routing, batching, and streaming
Profile
- Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative or computational field (Master’s / PhD preferred)
- 7+ years of experience in applied ML, data science, or software engineering in production environments
- Strong hands-on development in Python (or C++ / Java / Go), building large-scale applications
- Practical expertise with LLMs: prompt engineering, fine-tuning/adaptation, RAG, tool-calling agents, vector search
- Experience building secure, explainable, and reliable AI systems with strong governance and auditability
- Comfortable collaborating across engineering, infrastructure, and operations teams with measurable business outcomes

To Apply for this Job Click Here
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News & Blog
With over 10 years experience working solely in the Data & AI sector our consultants are able to offer detailed insights into the industry.
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