Recruiting for AI and Machine Learning Companies
Howard Lee & Associates recruits sales leaders, account executives, solutions engineers, customer success leaders and software engineers for AI and machine learning companies. We are based in Los Angeles and have been recruiting for technology companies since the firm was founded in 2002.
AI companies face a specific hiring challenge. The product is technical, the buyers are skeptical and the sales cycle often involves a proof of concept before anyone commits. The people who succeed in these roles need to be comfortable with ambiguity, fluent with technical buyers and patient with a longer evaluation process. We recruit for those qualities alongside the standard track record checks.
Who we help
AI native startups
Companies built from the ground up on machine learning or large language models. These teams are often making their first go to market hires and need people who can sell a product that is still evolving, to buyers who are still learning what they need.
AI platform and infrastructure companies
Companies that provide the tools, compute, data pipelines or model serving infrastructure that other AI teams build on. Their buyers are technical and their sales cycles involve deep evaluation. We recruit the solutions engineers, sales engineers and account executives who can navigate that process.
Software companies adding AI products
Established SaaS, cybersecurity and cloud companies that are building AI features into their platform or launching new AI products alongside their core offering. They often need to hire people who understand both the existing product and the new AI layer, and who can explain the value to customers who are skeptical or cautious.
Roles we recruit
Founding account executive. The first AE at an AI company needs to close deals without a proven playbook, a full marketing team or a long reference list. We look for people who have sold early stage products before and who are comfortable building the motion as they go.
VP of Sales. A VP of Sales at an AI company needs to build a repeatable process around a product that may still be changing. We recruit leaders who have scaled a sales team in a technical market and who know how to work with product and engineering when the roadmap shifts.
AI solutions engineer. Solutions engineers at AI companies run proof of concepts, answer deep technical questions and help customers understand what the model can and cannot do. We recruit people who are comfortable with uncertainty and who can translate technical capability into business value.
Sales engineer for ML platforms. ML platform sales engineers work with data engineers, ML engineers and architects at the customer. They need to understand model training, inference, data pipelines and deployment. We screen for that technical depth alongside the communication skills to run a strong evaluation.
Customer success for AI products. Customer success at an AI company often means helping customers get value from a product that requires configuration, data preparation and ongoing tuning. We recruit CSMs and CS leaders who are comfortable in that environment and who can drive adoption and renewal.
ML and software engineers. We recruit software engineers and engineering leaders who work on AI and machine learning products, including backend engineers, ML engineers and engineering managers. We screen for technical skills and for fit with how the team works.
What makes AI hiring different
Selling an AI product is not the same as selling a mature SaaS product with a known category, a clear ROI model and a short evaluation. AI buyers are often technical, cautious and still figuring out what they need. A proof of concept is common before any contract is signed. The sales cycle can involve data teams, security reviews, legal and procurement, all before the product has been fully validated in the customer environment.
Sales and pre-sales candidates who have only sold established products with a clear playbook often struggle in this environment. They are used to a defined process, a known objection set and a product that does what it says on the website. AI products require more patience, more technical fluency and more comfort with a conversation that does not follow a script.
On the engineering side, AI companies move fast and the tooling changes constantly. Engineers need to be comfortable learning new frameworks, working with models that behave unpredictably and shipping products where the output is probabilistic rather than deterministic. We look for that adaptability alongside the technical skills.
What we screen for
For sales and pre-sales roles at AI companies, we look for candidates who have sold to technical buyers before, who have run or supported a proof of concept and who can explain a complex product clearly without overselling what it can do. We check whether they have worked in a market where the product was still being defined and how they handled that.
For customer success roles, we look for people who have managed accounts where the product required significant onboarding, configuration or ongoing support. AI products often need a customer success team that is closer to a technical advisor than a relationship manager.
For engineering roles, we screen for the specific technical skills the role requires and for the ability to work in a fast moving environment where requirements change and the right answer is not always obvious. We speak with references who have worked with the candidate directly, not just managers who approved their work.
How a search works
Every search starts with a discovery call to understand the role, the team and what success looks like. We agree on the profile, target companies and pay range, then reach out directly to qualified candidates, including people who are not actively looking. We screen each candidate, check their experience against your requirements and deliver a focused short list with notes on each person. We coordinate interviews, help close the offer and follow up after the start date. See the full eight step process.
Related searches we run
AI companies that are building out their go to market team often need a sales leader and a team of account executives at the same time. We run those searches in parallel so the leader and the team come together.
Companies with a complex AI product that requires a technical evaluation often need solutions engineers and pre-sales leaders who can run a proof of concept and support an enterprise sales motion.
Frequently asked questions
Do you only recruit for AI companies?
No. We recruit for software and technology companies broadly, including SaaS, cybersecurity and cloud. AI and machine learning is a focus area because many of our clients build or sell AI products.
Can you recruit for a company that is adding AI to an existing product?
Yes. Many of our clients are established software companies adding AI features or building new AI products alongside their core platform. We recruit the sales, pre-sales and engineering talent they need to bring those products to market.
What makes recruiting for AI companies different?
AI products often require a longer proof of concept before a customer commits. Sales and pre-sales candidates need to be comfortable with technical buyers, with ambiguity in the product and with a sales cycle that involves data, security and procurement reviews. We screen for those qualities specifically.
Do you recruit ML engineers and data scientists?
We recruit software engineers and engineering leaders, including those focused on machine learning, model development and AI infrastructure. We do not place academic researchers or pure data science roles.
How do I start a search?
Call 714-234-9045, email steve@howardlee1.com or book a 15 minute call. We will set up a short call to talk about the role and what a search would look like.
Ready to start a search?
Tell us about the role. We will follow up within one business day.