Principal AI engineer

Natera; United States; Remote; USD 178,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Natera seeks a Principal AI Engineer to lead AI initiatives that enhance decision-making and automation in clinical genomics. The role demands extensive experience in AI modeling and deployment, collaborating with diverse teams to implement cutting-edge solutions. Candidates will have the opportunity to influence the AI strategy and work with leading technology in a thriving organization committed to genetic testing and diagnostics.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Free testing for employees and families

401k benefits

Generous employee referral program

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software development.
• 5+ years deploying ML models using AWS.
• Proven experience fine-tuning LLMs and Generative AI.

Responsibilities

• Define AI strategy and lead Generative AI initiatives.
• Architect AI solutions and ensure scalability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for AI deployment.

Skills

Python

Java

SQL

AI/ML frameworks

Tools

AWS Bedrock

SageMaker

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Scikit-learn

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Principal AI Engineer to lead cutting-edge AI initiatives that drive efficiency, automation, and intelligent decision-making. This role will focus on developing and deploying AI-powered task automation, workflow guidance, and intelligent analytics.

As a technical leader, you will define the AI strategy, spearhead Generative AI, deep learning, and machine learning (ML) solutions, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. This role requires deep expertise in AI model development, infrastructure optimization, and human-centered AI applications for enhancing user experience.

Primary Responsibilities

AI Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and execute a strategic roadmap for AI-driven clinical genomics platform
• Identify and implement Generative AI and deep learning models.
• Lead research and prototyping efforts in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), prompt engineering, and fine-tuning LLMs (Large Language Models).
• Stay at the forefront of AI advancements, assessing emerging technologies for their practical application in the clinical and genomics domain.

Advanced AI & Machine Learning Engineering

• Architect and optimize Generative AI solutions leveraging AWS Bedrock, SageMaker, and ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn).
• Develop and fine-tune custom LLMs to enhance workflow automation and decision support.
• Build real-time AI-powered applications to provide contextual recommendations and predictive insights in clinical environments.
• Ensure scalability, security, and efficiency of AI/ML models for high-throughput
• Implement MLOps best practices, including automated model training, validation, and deployment pipelines.

Software Engineering

• Design full-stack AI-driven applications that integrate workflow automation, task management, and decision support.
• Develop interactive dashboards and AI-driven user interfaces.
• Work on backend AI services and front-end applications to deliver seamless AI-driven experiences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Thought Leadership and execute AI solutions.

Generative AI applications.

• Work closely with data scientists, software engineers
• Lead internal and external teams in the development and deployment of llm apps
• Educate technical and business leaders on AI/ML capabilities and strategy
• Advocate for and implement responsible AI practices, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Qualifications & Skills

• 8+ years of experience in software development.
• Expertise in Python, Java, SQL, and AI/ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, Scikit-learn).
• Proven experience fine-tuning LLMs, developing RAG systems, and working with Generative AI.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience deploying ML models in production using AWS SageMaker, Bedrock, or similar cloud AI platforms.
• Strong background in task automation, workflow optimization, and real-time AI applications.
• Deep expertise in cloud computing (AWS) and MLOps best practices.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a strategic mindset for AI adoption and innovation.
• Experience in creating models using neural nets, LSTM etc
• Publications in AI domain

The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.

Remote USA

$178,900 - $223,650 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.

Interested in building your career at Natera? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Enter manually

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Employment

Title *

Select...

Start date year *

End date month * Select...

End date year *

Current role

Education

School * Select...

Degree * Select...

Select...

Select...

Start date year *

End date month * Select...

End date year *

LinkedIn Profile

Website

Are you 18 or older? * Select...

Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? * Select...

Do you now or will you in the future require sponsorship? * Select...

Have you signed a non-compete with your current employer? * Select...

Please provide your current permanent residence street address? *

What city do you currently live in? *

What state do you currently live in? * Select...

Postal Code *

What are your salary expectations? *

Who is your most recent/current employer? *

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Natera’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305

Page 1 of 1

OMB Control Number 1250-0005

Expires 04/30/2026

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp .

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
• Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
• Blind or low vision
• Cancer (past or present)
• Cardiovascular or heart disease
• Celiac disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
• Diabetes
• Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Intellectual or developmental disability
• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
• Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
• Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
• Short stature (dwarfism)
• Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.