Senior Data Scientist, ML Operations & Gen AI

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in developing production software/ML systems, with at least 1 year focused on LLMs/GenAI.
• Strong proficiency in Python and familiarity with a major deep learning/LLM framework (e.g., PyTorch/Transformers); experience with Lang Chain/Llama Index, vector databases, and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Proven track record in delivering Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), prompt engineering, evaluation frameworks, and guardrails in a production setting.
• Solid understanding of APIs, distributed systems, and ML Operations (Kubernetes, CI/CD, monitoring).
• Experience with the EPIC health platform is preferred.
• Proficient with ML platforms and ML Operations:
  Demonstrated capability in assessing and enhancing ML platforms, identifying deficiencies, and designing solutions to address them. Familiarity with data ingestion, preprocessing, feature storage, model training, deployment, and monitoring.
• Knowledgeable in SQL and big data platforms like Postgres, Redshift, and Snowflake.
• Familiar with Agile/Scrum methodologies and best practices.
• Previous experience in Generative AI and ML Operations within a healthcare EPIC context is preferred.
• Understanding of vector databases and Kubernetes orchestration is an asset.

• Design and develop production-grade Machine Learning Operations and Generative AI solutions.
• Lead the hands-on implementation of scalable GenAI solutions from initial problem framing through prototyping, evaluation, and production monitoring.
• Create internal copilots/assistants (such as knowledge search, code/content generation) and customer-facing products (including conversational analytics, summarization, recommendations, and workflow automation).
• Design RAG pipelines, embedding strategies, vector searches, and model orchestration; assess the effectiveness of fine-tuning versus prompt engineering.
• Implement guardrails, safety filters, prompt/version management, and optimize latency/throughput and cost controls.
• Identify areas for improvement or additional functionalities within the ML platform and design and develop solutions that fill these gaps; analyze system performance for scalability and reliability to uncover enhancement opportunities.
• Collaborate with infrastructure teams to ensure the seamless integration and deployment of ML solutions, optimizing scalability, performance, and reliability of AI Team outputs by adopting industry best practices.
• Streamline data workflows, including ingestion, preprocessing, feature engineering, and model training, to improve efficiency and reduce latency, working closely with data engineering teams.
• Evaluate and enhance model prototypes for real-world adaptability, collaborating with infrastructure and development teams to incorporate ML models into production systems and communicate technical requirements effectively.
• Work alongside our Data Science team to implement and operationalize AI/ML models, ensuring successful collaboration with other machine learning engineers, data scientists, and software engineers. Responsibilities include applying engineering best practices to machine learning.

Company:

We are Sentara, a leading healthcare provider located in Virginia Beach, VA, dedicated to improving health every day. We are searching for an experienced Senior Data Scientist, specializing in Data Science ML Operations and Generative AI, to join our remote team. As part of our mission, we offer competitive compensation, starting from $91,416 annually, alongside a range of benefits including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, retirement plans, and more.

At Sentara, we value diversity and inclusiveness, guided by our principle of ensuring our workforce reflects the communities we serve. Join us in our commitment to deliver innovative healthcare solutions.