Convert the private portfolio into public proof: one open-source release, benchmark write-up, or conference talk per year — passive visibility is the clearest gap between this profile and the 70+ bracket.

Specialise the t-shaped profile into a rare combination — e.g. domain-specific ML plus production engineering, or LLM evaluation — 'standard' skill rarity is what keeps the candidate pool in the thousands.

Reconsider the immobility constraint or lean fully into remote-first employers: being location-bound in one metro cuts the set of bidders dramatically; even continental mobility or full-remote positioning raises the transfer price.