AI and Automation Specialist

Remote AI Automation Consultant (Contract/Freelance)
3rd Wave | Remote | Project-based
About the role
3rd Wave is a UK-based AI automation consultancy. We design and build AI agents and workflow automation for SMBs, connecting the systems they already use so information moves between them without manual effort.
We're building a pool of remote consultants to help deliver our pipeline of client projects. Work is project-based, so you'll pick up engagements that fit your skills and availability rather than committing to a single long-term role.
What you'll be doing
Every project is different, but the shape is consistent: you'll be integrating business systems (CRMs, job boards, document tools, spreadsheets, communication platforms) via APIs and browser automation, building orchestrated workflows, and layering in AI where it adds real value, always with a clear audit trail and a human able to stay in control.
Typical work includes:

Building automated workflows that connect two or more business systems end to end

Designing data pipelines that pull from external sources (APIs, scrapers, browser automation) and land clean, structured data somewhere useful

Building AI-assisted steps into a workflow (extraction, classification, drafting, summarisation) with human review built in

Producing clear handover documentation so non-technical clients can run and maintain what you've built

What we're looking for
We care more about how you think than which specific tools you've used. The common thread across our work is systems integration and automation, so you should be someone who genuinely enjoys wiring disparate tools together and making messy manual processes disappear.
You'll likely be a strong fit if you have:

Solid experience with a workflow automation platform (n8n, Make, Zapier, or similar) — n8n specifically is a big plus

Confidence working directly with REST APIs, webhooks, and authentication flows

Experience with no-code/low-code data platforms such as Airtable, Clay, or

A working understanding of how to bring AI into a workflow sensibly: prompting, extracting structured output, and knowing when a human needs to check the result

How to create one shot prompts for agent prompts

Comfort with browser automation tools (e.g. Apify, Airtop, or similar) for the sites and services that don't offer a clean API

Good diagnostic instincts — able to trace a broken pipeline back to its root cause rather than just patching symptoms

Clear written communication, since you'll often be producing documentation a non-technical client relies on

You don't need to tick every box above. We'd rather hear from someone with deep strength in a few of these than a shallow pass through all of them.
How we work

All projects are scoped in a detailed Statement of Work before work begins, so you'll always know the deliverables, timeline and assumptions upfront

Projects typically run 2 to 6 weeks, though some clients have longer multi-phase programmes

Remote and asynchronous by default, with discovery workshops and check-ins as needed

You'll usually be working directly with the client's team during discovery and testing phases, not just building in isolation

To apply
Tell us about a system integration or automation project you're proud of, what tools you used, and what made it hard.
Originally posted on Himalayas