Project Manager — AI Engagements (Contract-to-Hire)

Project Manager — AI Engagements (Contract-to-Hire)Avenera · Remote (US) · Contract-to-Hire $35–$60/hr (contract phase) · $70,000–$100,000 USD (converted FTE)ABOUT AVENERAAvenera is an AI engineering and services company. We partner with enterprise leaders on AI over the long term, building proprietary AI systems on their data and operating those systems alongside their teams, so capability compounds over time. Our work sits across strategic decisions and hands-on technical execution, and we measure ourselves on business outcomes, not time spent. Learn more at avenera.ai.THE ROLEWe're hiring a Project Manager to run client engagements end-to-end. You'll own the project plan, keep the work on track, and make sure clients and our internal team always know where things stand. You'd work closely with our AI Strategist, AI Architect, AI Solutions Architect, and client stakeholders.This role is for someone who is organized, calm, and follows through. You don't need to write the code or design the architecture, but you do need to understand enough about technical work to ask the right questions, spot when something's slipping, and translate between client leadership and engineering.WHAT YOU'LL DOBuild and maintain project plans, timelines, and milestones for client engagementsRun weekly status meetings with clients and internal status syncs with our delivery teamTrack deliverables against scope; flag risks and dependencies earlyCoordinate across our AI Strategist, AI Architect, AI Solutions Architect, and engineering teamManage scope changes and document decisionsTrack project budget and burn; surface variances before they become issuesWrite clear, concise status updates for client leadership and our own teamHelp improve how we run engagements as a firm, not just the one you're onWHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR3–4+ years of project management experience, ideally on technical, software, data, or AI projectsStrong organization and follow-through; you don't drop thingsComfortable with technical concepts; you can hold a conversation with engineers and ask useful questionsClient-facing experience with both technical and non-technical stakeholdersClear written communication; you write status updates people actually readComfortable in modern project tools (Asana, Jira, Linear, Notion, or equivalent)Calm under pressure when a project is at riskESPECIALLY VALUABLEProject management experience at a consulting firm, agency, or professional services companyDirect experience on AI, data platform, or cloud engagementsPMP, CSM, or equivalent certification (nice to have, not required)Experience coordinating distributed teams across multiple time zonesENGAGEMENT STRUCTUREContract-to-hire with potential to evolve into a longer-term roleHands-on responsibility and autonomy from day oneClose collaboration with Avenera's AI Strategist, AI Architect, and AI Solutions ArchitectCOMPENSATION & LOCATIONContract phase: $35–$60 per hour, based on experienceConverted FTE: $70,000–$100,000 USD, based on experienceRemote (US)Open to sponsoring work authorization for the right candidate