Principal Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position is responsible for leading the development and implementation of advanced AI systems at the intersection of traditional software development and artificial intelligence.

The Principal AI Engineer will design and architect scalable systems leveraging state-of-the-art language models while establishing technical standards and best practices.

This role requires technical leadership within the AI engineering team, collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders, and balancing innovation with organizational constraints in a highly scientific environment.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Design and lead implementation of sophisticated retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems integrating both semantic and traditional search capabilities.

• Architect and optimize vector search infrastructure for effective and secure information retrieval.

• Develop standardized data preparation frameworks for model fine-tuning in sensitive environments.

• Lead model fine-tuning initiatives and establish evaluation methodologies.

• Design and standardize prompt engineering strategies and in-context learning approaches.

• Architect robust applications integrating with AWS Bedrock, SageMaker, and related AI platforms.

• Lead development of production-grade Python back ends for AI-powered features.

• Design comprehensive evaluation frameworks for RAG and fine-tuning performance.

• Architect knowledge distillation pipelines for secure on premise deployment.

• Establish optimization standards for models in data center environments.

• Lead development of reasoning capabilities in self-hosted models.

• Direct evaluation of trade-offs between model size, performance, and security requirements.

• Lead model deployment, monitoring, and maintenance strategies for on premise environments.

• Collaborate with legal, security, and business stakeholders on AI implementation strategies.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field required.

o Master's or PhD degree preferred 

• Minimum 7 years of experience in software engineering with demonstrated technical contributions.

o Advanced degree work in relevant fields may count toward total experience

• Significant experience designing and implementing production AI systems, including: 

o Advanced prompt engineering and in-context learning strategies

o Scalable RAG architectures with multiple data sources

o Model fine-tuning for specialized domains

o Knowledge distillation for secure deployment

• Substantial experience in machine learning, NLP, or data engineering, including: 

o Implementation of ML/AI systems in production environments

o Data processing and transformation for AI applications

o Development of information retrieval systems

• Extensive production experience with Python and modern web frameworks.

• Experience implementing AI systems in regulated or IP-sensitive environments.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong expertise with cloud AI/ML platforms, preferably AWS.

• Advanced understanding of: 

o LLM capabilities, limitations, and evaluation methodologies

o Vector database architectures and embedding systems at scale

o Secure on premise model deployment considerations

• Demonstrated ability to: 

o Design and optimize scalable AI systems with security considerations

o Lead systematic, data-driven experimentation and evaluation

o Balance technical innovation with business and security requirements

o Make sound technical decisions in complex organizational environments

o Lead technical discussions across engineering, security, and business teams

o Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders

• Strong knowledge of: 

o Model optimization techniques for resource constraints

o Data center operations and security requirements

o Infrastructure-as-code practices for AI systems

• Excellent critical thinking with ability to anticipate technical challenges.

• Strong communication skills with experience presenting technical solutions to leadership.

• Ability to mentor junior AI engineers and provide technical guidance.

• Strong capacity to balance innovation with practical constraints in regulated environments.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This position requires the ability to communicate and exchange information, utilize equipment necessary to perform the job, and move about the office.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The position is typically performed in a traditional office environment or remotely as needed.

COMPENSATION SUMMARY

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $128,300.00 to $200,500.00.

This salary range represents a general guideline as MSD considers other factors when presenting an offer of employment, such as scope and responsibilities of the position, external market factors, and the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, education and experience.

Employees may qualify for a discretionary or non-discretionary bonus in addition to their base salary.

These annual bonuses are intended to recognize individual performance and enable employees to benefit from the Company's overall success.

BENEFITS SUMMARY

At MSD, we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees' well-being and financial security.

In addition to competitive salaries, our benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with prescription benefits.

We provide a 401(k) plan with company matching, flexible spending accounts, and company-paid short- and long-term disability insurance as well as group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

Our offerings also encompass paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays, and paid parental leave, along with an employee assistance program.

Additional voluntary perks include a fitness club membership contribution, pet insurance, identity theft protection, home and auto insurance discounts, and optional supplemental life insurance.

EEO/AA STATEMENT

MSD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, age, protected veteran status, pregnancy, disability status, or any other protected characteristic.

For our full EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit .

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Required Skill Profession

Computer Occupations