AI Career Coaching Online
Personalized Guidance for Your AI Journey

Navigating an AI career transition alone is exhausting and slow.
Get expert online coaching tailored to your background, goals, and timeline.

Going It Alone Is Costing You
Time, Money, and Momentum.

You feel isolated trying to break into AI. No one in your network understands the path.

You've wasted months on courses and tutorials without clear direction or feedback.

Without guidance, you keep second-guessing what to learn, build, and apply for.

Personalized Online Coaching Gets You There Faster.

The World-Class AI Engineer Cohort

Working with an experienced AI engineer online gives you the clarity and accountability you need. No more wandering. A direct line to someone who has hired AI engineers and knows what works.

1

Assess Your Position

We evaluate your skills, background, and goals together

2

Build Your Roadmap

A personalized plan based on your situation, not generic advice

3

Execute with Support

Weekly calls, project feedback, and direct access when you need it

Meet Your Mentor

Zen van Riel

My aim has been the same for years: become a world-class AI engineer. Every career move I've made has been measured against that.

I started as a software tester on a $500/month internship in the Netherlands. Taught myself to code, learned to ship real systems, and worked my way to Senior Engineer at GitHub.

Then I left GitHub. I joined an AI research lab as Member of Technical Staff, where I currently build products for secure AI monitoring.

The cohort draws directly from my real experience so you can make progress fast.

I run this special cohort with only a few people because hands-on work with me is what it takes to bring you to become a world-class AI engineer.

Career progression from Intern to Senior Engineer

Real Results

Vittor

Vittor

AI Engineer

Built and deployed his portfolio piece, then landed the AI role

"The coaching played a huge part in my success. I focused on AI fundamentals, the certification path, and soft skills like professional writing. Having access to expert guidance gave me confidence during interviews and helped me feel I was on the right path.

I built my own platform (simple but functional) and deployed it on AWS. I used it in my portfolio and showcased it during interviews. The way complex topics were explained, especially the restaurant analogy for AI systems, really stuck with me. Focusing on doing the basics well was absolutely essential."

What You Will Get

8 Weekly Tuesday Sessions

3 hours each for 24 live hours total.

Project Scoping at Kickoff

We set the scope of what you'll ship and the milestones to get there before the live sessions start.

Code Reviews

Reviews of your code from Zen during the cohort.

Lifetime Demo Access

Every architecture demo is recorded and yours to keep.

Demo Day

You present what you built and get feedback from Zen, with a recording you can use in your portfolio.

12 Months Community Access

Included with the cohort.

Every Month Without Direction Is a Month Lost

8
Weeks
6
Seats per Cohort
24
Live Hours with Zen

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose online AI career coaching over self-study?

Self-study means making decisions alone about what to learn, what projects to build, and how to position yourself. Most people waste 3-6 months on the wrong things before figuring out what works. Online coaching gives you direct access to someone who has been through the process and hired AI engineers. You get a personalized roadmap, regular accountability, and feedback that prevents wasted effort.

How does online AI career coaching work?

We meet weekly via video call to review progress, address blockers, and plan next steps. Between calls, you have direct access for questions. The program includes: skills assessment and gap analysis, personalized learning roadmap, project guidance and code review, resume and LinkedIn optimization, interview preparation, and job search strategy. Everything happens online, fitting your schedule.

How much time will this take?

You'll spend 3 hours every Tuesday in the live session and roughly 3 hours of async work in between, for 8 weeks. The Tuesday session time is fixed.

I've signed up for cohorts before and dropped out. How is this different?

It probably isn't, and you should hold the money. Most cohort dropouts are people who couldn't articulate what they were shipping when they signed up. That's why the consult exists, and why I turn down most applications. If we get on the call and you can't tell me what you'll have shipped at the end of week 8, I'll point you to the AI Native Engineer community until you can.

I'm not pivoting careers. I want to build a product. Does this still work?

Yes, the cohort works for people shipping their first serious AI system whether the goal is to land a senior role or to launch a product. The shipped system serves both equally well.

Do I need prior AI experience?

You need to be able to code in Python or TypeScript. Complete beginners can follow the classroom they get access to before the cohort sessions to come in well-prepared.

What does it cost?

It's a four-figure investment that we discuss during the 30-minute consult, alongside whether the cohort is the right fit for your project.

Can I do this while working full-time?

Yes, most attendees do. The live session is one Tuesday a week and the async work fits around your existing schedule, as long as you can carve out roughly 6 hours a week.

How does online coaching compare to AI bootcamps?

Bootcamps cost $10,000 to $17,000 and follow a fixed curriculum designed for everyone. Online coaching is a four-figure investment, designed specifically for your background and goals. Bootcamps give you 1-2 hours of 1:1 time monthly. Coaching gives you 4+ hours plus ongoing access. If you have transferable skills, coaching is typically faster and more cost-effective.

Can I do AI career coaching from anywhere?

Yes. Everything is online. I work with clients across time zones in Europe, North America, and Asia. Calls are scheduled flexibly around your work and life. All materials, recordings, and communication happen digitally. Location is never a barrier to getting the guidance you need.

I accept those who have the highest chance of success.

In the 30-minute call we discuss your goals and whether you are ready for the program.