Principal AI Architect

ecolab; United States; Hybrid; USD 166,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Ecolab Digital is seeking a Principal AI Architect to scale AI/DS value across digital software with embedded AI. You will shape the AI tech stack, collaborate with AI teams and solution architects, and own architecture strategy for scalable, compliant AI-enabled SAAS solutions.

You will mentor teams, drive governance, and evaluate new AI tooling while aligning with business goals and innovation roadmaps. Travel up to 10% and a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field; 10+ years progressive architecture and AI/DS design experience.
• Enterprise Architecture: AI + data ecosystem design across multi-agent orchestration and enterprise AI/ML standards.
• AI/ML Platforms: LLM APIs, transformer architectures, RAG workflows, LLMOps frameworks.
• Data & Cloud Infrastructure: Databricks, Snowflake, Azure.
• Programming: Python, APIs, microservices.
• Governance & Security: Responsible AI, privacy/compliance, OAuth2/JWT/TLS/RBAC.
• DevOps & Delivery: CI/CD, containerization, observability.
• Leadership: Influence strategy, mentor engineers, communicate with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define enterprise architecture across GenAI, agentic workflows, ML platforms, and data engineering ecosystems.
• Serve as a technical voice in leadership discussions, influencing strategy and navigating organizational challenges.
• Architect and implement scalable AI solutions including agentic ecosystems and AI model integrations with end-to-end SAAS solutions.
• Evaluate technologies for multi-cloud cost optimization (Databricks, Snowflake, Azure).
• Elevate governance standards covering security, compliance, and responsible AI/data use.
• Mentor engineering teams, fostering autonomy, technical excellence, and architectural discipline.
• Evaluate emerging AI/data tooling and integrate reusable architectural patterns to accelerate delivery.
• Ensure alignment of architecture with business goals, scalability requirements, and innovation roadmaps.
• Provide clear communication to stakeholders to drive alignment and decisions.
• Work within an agile global resource model, planning for initiatives.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

AI/DS design

LangChain LangGraph Haystack

LLMOps platforms

Python

CI/CD

Leadership

Security & Privacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Databricks

Snowflake

Azure

LangChain

LangGraph

Haystack

LLMOps frameworks

MLOps tooling (Kubeflow, MLflow)

Job description

Ecolab Digital is seeking a commercial solution focused Principal AI Architect to scale the value of AI / DS intelligence to deliver unique offerings for customers via digital software solutions with embedded AI. In this role, you will collaborate with the AI development teams, E2E solution architects, and technical engineering owners to design AI architecture within the larger solution architecture. You will own the strategic advancement of the AI tech stack and understand industry changes and opportunities to maximize solution design. You will partner with AI development teams to review adherence and navigate new solution challenges through the development process. This role is aligned with a dynamic team at the forefront of technological innovation creating cutting-edge AI for intelligent solutions that transform how our customers operate for enhanced efficiency and sustainability.

Position Details

Desired location for this role is either Naperville, IL or St. Paul, MN with a hybrid schedule.

Travel: Up to 10% of the time.

What you will do

• Define enterprise architecture across GenAI, agentic workflows, ML platforms, and data engineering ecosystems.
• Serve as a technical voice in leadership discussions, influencing strategy and navigating organizational challenges.
• Architect and implement scalable AI solutions including agentic ecosystems, advanced pipelines, and AI model integrations with larger end-to-end SAAS solutions.
• Evaluate and understand technologies that meet needs in support of cost optimized, multi-cloud solutions including aspects of Databricks, Snowflake, Azure and beyond.
• Elevate governance standards covering security, compliance, and responsible AI/data use.
• Mentor engineering teams, fostering autonomy, technical excellence, and architectural discipline.
• Evaluate emerging AI/data tooling and integrate reusable architectural patterns to accelerate delivery.
• Ensure alignment of architecture with business goals, scalability requirements, and innovation roadmaps.
• Provide clear, consistent communication and presentation to various stakeholders related to AI architecture strategy and implementation to drive alignment, education and impact-based decisions
• Work within an agile global resource model, planning for and delivering against initiatives

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Computer Science or related field and 10 years of experience in progressive architecture and AI/DS design and engineering
• Enterprise Architecture: AI + data ecosystem design, multi-agent orchestration (LangChain, LangGraph, Haystack), enterprise-wide AI/ML standards.
• AI/ML Platforms: LLM APIs (OpenAI, Hugging Face, Anthropic, MosaicML), transformer architectures, RAG workflows, LLMOps frameworks (prompt lifecycle, monitoring).
• LLMOps frameworks (prompt lifecycle, monitoring, context engineering, harness engineering).
• Data & Cloud Infrastructure: Databricks (Delta Lake, Spark SQL, PySpark, MLflow), Snowflake (enterprise-scale warehousing), Azure (AKS, Synapse, EventHub, Logic Apps).
• Programming & Integration: Python (Transformers, LangChain, PyTorch), API integration (REST, GraphQL, gRPC), microservices/event-driven systems.
• Governance & Security: Responsible AI frameworks, privacy/compliance, OAuth2, JWT, TLS, RBAC.
• DevOps & Delivery: CI/CD (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), observability (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack).
• Leadership & Strategy: Influence technical strategy, mentor engineers, simplify complex concepts for diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in an ambiguous environment, embracing change and utilizing proven reasoning in balancing practical business needs and architectural rigor
• No immigration sponsorship is available for this role at this time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to multi-cloud architectures (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Strong understanding of token-efficient AI consumption with an ability to surface FinOps tradeoffs
• Experience with data mesh and federated AI systems.
• Familiarity with knowledge graphs and semantic search.
• Hands-on with MLOps orchestration tools (Kubeflow, MLflow, Vertex AI).
• Understanding of edge AI deployment and IoT integration.
• Experience in enterprise architecture frameworks (TOGAF, Zachman).
• Knowledge of AI ethics frameworks and regulatory compliance (EU AI Act, ISO standards).
• Demonstrated interconnected disciplinary knowledge of digital solution development

Annual or Hourly Compensation Range

The base salary range for this position is $166,300.00 - $249,600.00. This position is eligible for annual bonus pay based on performance, per plan terms. Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws.

Benefits

Ecolab strives to provide comprehensive and market-competitive benefits to meet the needs of our associates and their families.