Production Python and Software Engineering
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
Python project structure (beyond notebooks)Package management and virtual environmentsType hints and documentationUnit testing with pytestGit workflows for team collaboration
PhD Researcher (ML/AI) → Industry AI Engineer
PhD to Industry AI Engineer: From Research to Revenue-Generating Systems
You've published papers, run experiments, and understand ML at a deep level. But industry doesn't need more papers, it needs engineers who ship production systems. This path addresses the mindset shift from research to industry: less perfection, more iteration. Less novel contributions, more business impact. Your theoretical foundation is a massive advantage, now let's add the software engineering practices that turn research into deployed products. Focus on implementation over theory: you already have the theory.
2-4 months
Prerequisites
- Deep ML/AI theoretical knowledge
- Python programming (may be research-focused)
- Experience running experiments and analyzing results
- Academic paper reading and writing
- Familiarity with ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow)
Your Learning Path
LLM APIs and Practical Implementation
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
OpenAI and Claude API integrationPrompt engineering for productionStructured output and function callingCost optimization and token managementError handling and retry patterns
System Design for AI Applications
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
FastAPI for AI servicesREST API design patternsDatabase design for AI workloadsAsync processing and queuesMicroservices vs monolith decisions
RAG and Vector Systems
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
Embedding models and vector representationsVector database selection and implementationChunking and retrieval strategiesHybrid search approachesRAG evaluation metrics
Deployment, Business Value, and Portfolio
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
Docker containerizationCI/CD for ML systemsCommunicating business impactInterview preparation for industryPortfolio project that demonstrates business value