Principal AI Engineer; Gilbert, AZ

Responsibilities

As a Principal AI Engineer, you will be pivotal in driving the evolution of our AI‑powered products and solutions, shaping the future of education through innovative technology. This position will lead the design, development and deployment of scalable solutions using Generative AI and Machine Learning foundational models, and guide the team in solving complex AI problems and architecting solutions for AI projects.

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of innovative, scalable AI/ML solutions focusing on the full lifecycle of projects from conception to deployment, including building and optimizing AI models.
• Lead the team in building scalable, high‑performance LLMOps pipelines.
• Design and co‑own the Generative AI/ML system and project architecture, frameworks, tools, and processes.
• Lead research initiatives, experimenting with new algorithms and identifying opportunities for innovation, such as LLMs, embedding pipelines, and generative AI search/retrieval frameworks.
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and hands‑on coding throughout the implementation phase, ensuring seamless integration of AI features and aligning with stakeholders to define AI and product roadmaps.
• Manage and preprocess large datasets, design efficient data processing pipelines, and ensure data integrity and security in adherence to privacy regulations.
• Design and implement AI/ML models with feedback loops and automated re‑training and fine‑tuning pipelines.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including product teams, data scientists, data engineers, and software engineers, to integrate AI capabilities into existing and new products.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to team members, fostering a culture of growth and innovation.
• Review work of junior engineers and guide design review sessions across projects, ensuring consistency and adherence to best practices.
• Ensure AI solutions are developed and deployed ethically, considering fairness, accountability, and transparency.
• Take ownership of defining project milestones, timelines, and ensuring successful delivery within specified deadlines.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of coding standards, best practices, and documentation.
• Stay up to date with the latest AI developments and trends.

This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Gilbert, AZ office location. Remote will be considered.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or a closely related field; equivalent professional experience will also be considered. High School diploma or GED required.
• 6+ years of progressive work experience in data and analytics, big data related positions with at least 3 years in developing and implementing analytical applications.
• Experience building and deploying LLM models, prompt engineering, context management, and embedding techniques using MS Azure and competitive cloud services.
• Advanced understanding and practical experience in machine learning and natural language processing, especially large language models (LLMs) and their integration, optimization, and evaluation.
• Experience using analytics/ML tools such as Python, NLTK, Hugging Face, SQL, and Snowflake.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, and MLflow or similar tools for lifecycle management of machine learning models.
• Proven ability to translate innovative ideas into practical, scalable solutions.
• Intrinsic motivation with a strong desire to make a positive impact on the organization.
• Excellent problem‑solving, critical‑thinking skills, and an aptitude for innovation.
• Demonstrated leadership experience and ability to lead a team of junior AI engineers.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Aspirations for professional development and growth opportunities.
• Impact‑oriented and user‑focused, team‑first mindset.

• Flexible and generous paid time off
• Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) employer matching program
• Parental leave
• Wellness resources
• Charitable matching program
• On‑site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
• Community outreach groups
• Tuition reimbursement

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S.‑based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.