Principal Data Scientist- Eng

Job  Type:
Regular Work Style: hybrid

Location:

Lowell,MA,United States, Atlanta,GA,United States Travel:
Up to 25%
Role:
Principal Data Scientist
- Eng Department:
Software & Product Development Business Unit:
Software & Product Development Why UKG:

At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That’s what we do.

We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you’ll get flexibility that’s real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters—and so do you. At UKG we are at the forefront of innovation leading the next wave of disruption in the Human Capital Management industry.

With our unparalleled dataset — the most complete view into our customers' workforce — we are uniquely positioned to build AI-powered solutions that fundamentally change how businesses manage their people. Our Data Science team sits at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world impact, building models and intelligent systems at scale that serve millions of employees and managers every day.

We are looking for a Principal Data Scientist (P6) who will define the org-wide data science vision and strategy, influencing executive decisions and building the capabilities to achieve long-term business outcomes. Operating at company scope, you are the authoritative technical voice for data science at UKG — setting the direction for how we invest in AI and ML capabilities, creating competitive advantage through technical excellence, and building organizational structures that outlast any single project or initiative.

About the role RESPONSIBILITIES:

Company-wide technical strategy:
Architecture & infrastructure investment:
Architect DS systems at company scale, creating designs that work across all product areas and use cases. Create architectural patterns that enable long-term evolution. Evaluate major infrastructure investments, providing technical perspective on platform choices that will shape DS work for years. Review critical design decisions across the organization.

Business-critical results & ownership:
Identify company-wide opportunities for DS impact. Execute initiatives with business-critical outcomes that create competitive advantage. Own decisions with company-wide implications and be accountable for DS strategy execution. Create organizational capabilities — frameworks, platforms, and standards — that outlast individual projects.

Strategic decision-making & executive influence:
Make strategic decisions with long-term implications, balancing multiple organizational priorities simultaneously. Build decision frameworks adopted broadly across the DS org. Represent DS in strategic planning and influence business decisions at the executive level, providing analysis and perspective that shapes the company's strategic choices.

AI & agentic systems leadership:
Define the company-wide agent development strategy, positioning UKG to leverage agentic AI for competitive advantage. Evaluate transformational opportunities in AI/ML frameworks and foundation models; advise on major vendor relationships. Set the bar for agent development excellence org-wide. Ensure agent governance at enterprise scale — safety, reliability, compliance, and responsible AI. Represent UKG externally on agent development.

Innovation agenda & organizational resilience:
Define the DS innovation agenda. Connect emerging capabilities to business…