Custom AI Models

Yeriko Vargas

AI Engineer · AI Systems Architect · Detroit, MI

In one line

Sole architect on every system I've shipped since 2022: RAG and agent frameworks, real-time decision systems, forecasting. I own the whole thing: the architecture, the result.

How I work

01Data first

Read the real data before any model. Most AI failures are data failures.

02One model call

Each step asks the model once, with a tight brief and a cost cap.

03Python checks it

Deterministic gates test the output. A failed gate gets one repair, then stops.

04A human ships

Nothing reaches people or production without a person pressing approve.

05It logs itself

Every run leaves a receipt: what ran, what it cost, what changed, how to undo it.

Experience

Mar – Aug 2026

AI Engineer · M&A Supply Company · contract, remote

Built the Dealer Training Hub and a multi-mode AI assistant (LLMs, RAG, agent workflows) that replaced four spreadsheets and a paper sign-up process.

Jun 2022 – Feb 2026

Founder & Principal Systems Architect · Custom AI Models

LSTM forecasting plus a production RAG + agent framework for financial decision support. A real-time audio intelligence platform, running in production.

Mar – May 2022

Lead Data Scientist · Ford Motor Company · contract

ECU and vehicle-diagnostics data in Python, SQL, Spark, Hadoop and MATLAB; PCA and clustering surfaced recurring defect patterns and cut ECU issue resolution time by about 20%.

Mar – Aug 2021

Data Scientist · Soothsayer Analytics

Fraud detection and customer segmentation; clustering and predictive models found about 20% more fraudulent locations, explained to the business with SHAP.

Oct 2018 – Aug 2020

Deep Learning Analyst · FCA Fiat Chrysler (Stellantis)

Deep learning across ~250K vehicle configurations; 108 predictors cut to 14 key drivers.

2018 – 2021

Earlier · Official Driving School · Beaumont Health · Oakland University

R-Keras demand forecasts for 50+ locations, cardiovascular biostatistics, applied ML research on 100M+ row datasets.

Education

2019

MS, Applied Statistics · Oakland University

2017

BS, Applied Statistics · Oakland University