diff --git a/app/agent/session.py b/app/agent/session.py
index 0707c90..59995de 100644
--- a/app/agent/session.py
+++ b/app/agent/session.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class MatchmakingAgentSession:
             "get_opportunity_detail": self.handle_get_opportunity_detail,
             # new in v2
             "run_search": self.handle_run_search,
+            "suggest_bubbles": self.handle_suggest_bubbles,   # the Fine-tune "pathway finder" engine
             "tailor_resume": self.handle_tailor_resume,
             "submit_application": self.handle_submit_application,
             "get_apply_proof": self.handle_get_apply_proof,
@@ -112,6 +113,16 @@ class MatchmakingAgentSession:
         clean_prefs = {k: v for k, v in prefs.items() if k not in ("user_context", "_fresh")}
         await save_feed(self.user_id, clean_prefs, result)
 
+    async def handle_suggest_bubbles(self, params: dict):
+        """Fine-tune bubbling — stage-aware (broad→narrow→role) bubbles from the picks so far."""
+        from app.engine import suggest
+        stage = params.get("stage", "role")
+        items = await asyncio.to_thread(
+            suggest.suggest, stage, params.get("picks") or {}, params.get("profile") or {}
+        )
+        await self.push("agent_data", action="bubbles_suggested",
+                        data={"stage": stage, "items": items or []})
+
     async def handle_tailor_resume(self, params: dict):
         await self._stub("resume_tailored", "resume-builder: tailor resume to the chosen role")
 
diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 46f0da2..b9c5010 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     DSPY_API_BASE: str | None = None
     DSPY_API_KEY: str | None = None
     CURATE_MODEL: str = "claude-opus-4-8"          # the senior recruiter (Opus, latest) — Opus's call is final
+    SUGGEST_MODEL: str = "claude-haiku-4-5"        # the bubbling engine — fast + cheap (latency-sensitive UI)
     EMBED_MODEL: str = "text-embedding-3-small"    # the vibe-engineer (direct OpenAI — gateway has no embeddings route)
     ENGINE_LLM_ENABLED: bool = True                # off / key absent → white-box sift + templated cards (safety net)
     SIFT_TOP_K: int = 18                           # candidate pool the curator reads
diff --git a/app/engine/suggest.py b/app/engine/suggest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1062965
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/engine/suggest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+"""The bubbling engine — the Fine-tune "pathway finder".
+
+One job: walk a user **broad → narrow → role** via three bubbler stages, generating each stage from
+the user's PICKS so far (so it genuinely narrows). Same journey for everyone — a résumé just warms up
+the first stage; a no-résumé user starts broad and funnels to the same concrete role.
+
+  stage "role"      → BROAD role areas / domains            (input: profile, if any)
+  stage "industry"  → industries that fit the liked areas   (input: role picks + profile)
+  stage "relevant"  → SPECIFIC pursuable job titles         (input: role + industry picks + profile)
+
+Returns a list of short labels, or `None` on any failure / no usable input (the frontend then keeps
+its seeded bubbles). Uses a fast/cheap model (latency-sensitive UI).
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import logging
+
+from app.config import get_settings
+from app.engine.curate import _parse_json   # tolerant JSON parser
+from app.engine.llm import curate_enabled, gateway_client
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_STAGE = {
+    "role": (
+        'Suggest BROAD role areas / domains a job-seeker could explore — wide buckets, NOT specific job '
+        'titles (e.g. "Data & AI", "Platform Engineering", "Product", "Growth"). Tailor to their role and '
+        'skills if given; otherwise span common tech + business areas so anyone can start broad.'
+    ),
+    "industry": (
+        'The job-seeker is drawn to these role areas: {role}. Suggest INDUSTRIES / domains that fit those '
+        'areas and their profile (e.g. "AI/ML", "Fintech", "Cloud Infrastructure", "Healthcare").'
+    ),
+    "relevant": (
+        'The job-seeker likes these role areas: {role}; and these industries: {industry}. Suggest SPECIFIC, '
+        'pursuable JOB TITLES (with seniority, e.g. "Senior ML Engineer", "Staff Data Engineer") they could '
+        'realistically target. These are the payoff of the funnel — concrete roles to pursue.'
+    ),
+}
+_COUNT = {"role": 8, "industry": 7, "relevant": 10}
+_COMMON = (
+    '\nRespond with ONLY a JSON object {{"items":[...]}} — short labels (max ~4 words each), best-fit '
+    'first, deduplicated, no prose.'
+)
+
+
+def _profile_brief(profile: dict) -> dict:
+    return {
+        "current_role": profile.get("current_role") or profile.get("title"),
+        "seniority": profile.get("seniority") or profile.get("experience"),
+        "years": profile.get("years"),
+        "industry": profile.get("industry"),
+        "skills": (profile.get("skills") or [])[:20],
+    }
+
+
+def suggest(stage: str, picks: dict | None, profile: dict | None) -> list[str] | None:
+    client = gateway_client()
+    if not (curate_enabled() and client) or stage not in _STAGE:
+        return None
+    picks = picks or {}
+    role_picks = ", ".join(picks.get("role") or []) or "(none yet)"
+    ind_picks = ", ".join(picks.get("industry") or []) or "(none yet)"
+    brief = _profile_brief(profile or {})
+    # "relevant" (the role payoff) needs SOMETHING to go on — picks or a profile; else bail to seeded.
+    if stage == "relevant" and not (picks.get("role") or picks.get("industry") or brief.get("current_role")):
+        return None
+    system = _STAGE[stage].format(role=role_picks, industry=ind_picks) + _COMMON
+    try:
+        resp = client.chat.completions.create(
+            model=get_settings().SUGGEST_MODEL,
+            messages=[
+                {"role": "system", "content": system},
+                {"role": "user", "content": json.dumps({"profile": brief, "picks": picks}, ensure_ascii=False)},
+            ],
+            max_tokens=400,
+        )
+        data = _parse_json(resp.choices[0].message.content)
+    except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — frontend keeps its seeded fallback
+        logger.warning("suggest(%s) failed: %s", stage, e)
+        return None
+
+    out, seen = [], set()
+    for x in data.get("items") or []:
+        label = str(x).strip()
+        if label and label.lower() not in seen:
+            seen.add(label.lower())
+            out.append(label)
+    return out[: _COUNT[stage]] or None