Principal AI/ML Engineer

Pantheon Data • Fairfax, VA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Principal AI/ML Engineer to serve as a technical leader and architect for advanced Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) and Generative AI solutions. This role goes beyond hands-on model development and focuses on setting technical vision, establishing best practices, and leading the design of scalable, production-grade AI systems. The ideal candidate is a recognized expert in Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Large Language Models (LLMs), and deep learning, with proven experience integrating these capabilities into end-to-end enterprise solutions that process and extract value from large volumes of unstructured data.
As a Principal Engineer, you will drive innovation, guide architecture decisions, mentor engineering teams, and work closely with product, leadership, and customers to translate complex business challenges into robust AI/ML solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical field (PhD a plus).
• 3+ years of experience designing and deploying Machine Learning and AI systems in production environments.
• 2+ years of experience leading or mentoring engineering teams in production environments
• Demonstrated experience in building, developing, and productionizing machine learning systems
• Deep expertise in Intelligent Document Processing, including OCR, NLP pipelines, and document understanding systems.
• Strong hands-on experience with Large Language Models and Generative AI techniques, including prompt design, fine-tuning, and RAG-based architectures.
• Proven experience designing and deploying scalable ML systems and services in cloud environments.
• Must have a disciplined, methodical, minimalist approach to designing and constructing layered software components that can be embedded within larger frameworks or applications.
• Advanced proficiency in Python and common ML/AI frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face, spaCy, etc.).
• Experience with AWS, including AI/ML and data services (certifications a plus).
• Experience with system architecture, APIs, microservices, and distributed systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical initiatives and influence architecture across multiple teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work effectively remotely in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to meet deadlines and produce quality work.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite software including Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Strong knowledge of MLOps tooling and practices (CI/CD for ML, model monitoring, feature stores, experiment tracking).
• Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments and using tools such as JIRA and Confluence.
• Knowledge of both relational and non-relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.).
• Experience in regulated or security-conscious environments where data governance and compliance are critical.
• Track record of technical publications, patents, conference presentations, or open-source contributions in AI/ML (nice to have).

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Strategy
• Define and drive the technical vision and roadmap for AI/ML and IDP capabilities across products and programs.
• Establish architectural standards, design patterns, and best practices for scalable, secure, and maintainable AI systems.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, research advancements, and tooling in Generative AI, LLMs, OCR, and NLP, and recommend adoption where appropriate.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for AI/ML design decisions and solution trade-offs.
• Solution Architecture & Development
• Architect end-to-end Intelligent Document Processing solutions combining OCR, NLP, LLMs, and other deep learning models.
• Design and oversee implementation of production-grade ML systems, including data pipelines, model training workflows, evaluation frameworks, and inference services.
• Lead the development of reusable AI/ML frameworks, services, and accelerators that can be leveraged across multiple projects.
• Ensure solutions meet requirements for performance, scalability, reliability, and security.
• Generative AI & Advanced Modeling
• Guide the use of LLMs and other generative models for document understanding, information extraction, summarization, classification, and question answering.
• Define best practices for prompt engineering, fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and model evaluation.
• Oversee experimentation and model benchmarking to continuously improve solution accuracy and efficiency.
• Data & MLOps Integration
• Collaborate with data engineering teams to design robust data ingestion, labeling, and feature engineering pipelines.
• Define and implement MLOps best practices, including versioning, model governance, monitoring, and automated deployment.
• Ensure responsible AI practices, including model explainability, bias mitigation, and auditability where applicable.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with product managers, customers, and business stakeholders to translate high-level requirements into technical AI/ML solution designs.
• Communicate complex AI/ML concepts clearly to non-technical audiences, including executives and clients.
• Work closely with engineering leaders to align AI/ML initiatives with overall platform architecture.
• Mentorship & Team Development
• Mentor and guide senior and junior engineers, fostering technical growth and engineering excellence.
• Lead technical design reviews, code reviews, and architecture discussions.
• Promote a culture of innovation, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning within the engineering organization.

Benefits

• We are always looking for good people! Pantheon Data is committed to providing its employees with competitive salaries and benefits in order to increase employee satisfaction and productivity.
• In addition to our benefits, we also offer SmartBenefits through the Washington Metro Area Transportation Authority, where you specify an amount of your pre-tax wages be paid directly to your SmarTrip account.
• In some cases, tuition assistance may be available for continuing education expenses and certifications related to their position.
• Additional details may be found at https://pantheon-data.com/careers/

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior