Principal AI Engineer

Sonic Healthcare USA; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonic Healthcare USA is seeking a Principal AI Engineer to lead enterprise AI initiatives, architect scalable ML systems, and deploy AI-powered applications in production. This senior role requires hands-on leadership, collaboration with Engineering, Product, Security, and Data teams, and a focus on secure, compliant AI solutions.

The candidate will drive platform strategy, mentor engineers, and establish governance for AI initiatives, while staying ahead of emerging technologies and industry

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field.
• 8+ years of software engineering experience with 4+ years building AI/ML systems in production.
• Proven experience designing and deploying scalable AI solutions.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python.
• Experience with LLMs, RAG, ML platforms, LangChain or similar, vector databases, and AI inference platforms.
• Experience leading complex technical initiatives from concept through production.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and technical direction for enterprise AI and machine learning solutions.
• Design, build, and deploy AI applications, LLM-powered products, RAG pipelines, and agent-based systems.
• Establish best practices for model development, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and governance.
• Drive AI platform strategy, scalability, reliability, security, and performance.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to translate business needs into AI-powered solutions.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend adoption opportunities.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership across AI initiatives.
• Ensure AI solutions align with security, privacy, and compliance requirements.

Skills

Python

PyTorch/TensorFlow

Hugging Face

LLM APIs

RAG Architecture

Vector Databases

LangChain

Kubernetes & Containers

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field

Tools

LangChain

Kubernetes

Job description

Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities And Position Qualifications We’re not just a workplace – we’re a Great Place to Work certified employer! Proudly certified as a Great Place to Work, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive environment. At Sonic Healthcare USA, we emphasize teamwork and innovation. Check out our job openings and advance your career with a company that values its team members!

Sonic Healthcare USA is seeking a Principal AI Engineer to lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise AI solutions. This is a senior technical leadership role for a hands‑on engineer who can define AI architecture, influence strategy, and build production‑grade systems leveraging machine learning, large language models (LLMs), AI agents, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

The ideal candidate will work closely with Engineering, Product, Security, and Data teams to transform complex business challenges into scalable, secure, and innovative AI solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and technical direction for enterprise AI and machine learning solutions.
• Design, build, and deploy AI applications, LLM-powered products, RAG pipelines, and agent-based systems.
• Establish best practices for model development, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and governance.
• Drive AI platform strategy, scalability, reliability, security, and performance.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to translate business needs into AI‑powered solutions.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend adoption opportunities.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership across AI initiatives.
• Ensure AI solutions align with security, privacy, and compliance requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field.

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with 4+ years building AI/ML systems in production.

• Proven experience designing and deploying scalable AI solutions.

• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python.

• Experience with:

• Large Language Models (LLMs)

• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

• Machine Learning platforms and frameworks

• AI orchestration frameworks (LangChain or similar)

• Vector databases and AI inference platforms

• Experience leading complex technical initiatives from concept through production.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare, cybersecurity, or other regulated industries.
• Experience with MLOps, model monitoring, and AI governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of Responsible AI practices, security controls, and compliance requirements.
• Experience with distributed training, large-scale inference, and AI infrastructure.
• Contributions to open-source AI projects or published technical research.

Required Technical Skills

• Python
• PyTorch and/or TensorFlow
• Hugging Face
• LLM APIs
• RAG Architecture
• Vector Databases
• LangChain or Similar Frameworks
• Kubernetes and Container Technologies

Preferred

• MLflow
• Databricks
• Azure AI Services
• AWS AI/ML Services
• vLLM
• Okta/SSO Integration
• Security and Observability Platforms

Why Join Us?

This role offers the opportunity to shape our AI strategy, influence enterprise technology decisions, and build innovative AI solutions that create measurable business impact while advancing the organization’s AI maturity.

Scheduled Weekly Hours 40

Work Shift Job Category: Information Technology

Company Sonic Healthcare USA, Inc

Sonic Healthcare USA is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and is committed to an inclusive workplace for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability, genetics, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.