Principal AI & Machine Learning Engineer - U.S. Based Hybrid Opportunity

Common App; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Common App seeks a Principal AI & ML Engineer to lead production‑grade AI initiatives within the Data Analytics & Research division. You will embed AI into enterprise workflows, drive measurable gains in productivity, and mentor teams with strong technical authority.

Collaboration with Data Engineering and Governance is essential. Ideal candidates bring 8–10 years in ML/AI with LLM experience, deep Python/R skills, and a track record deploying end‑to‑end ML pipelines and AI governance in a large

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Data Science, Math or closely related field; or equivalent experience (required).
• 8–10 years in ML/AI/Data Science with 3+ years in applied AI and production ML systems.
• Experience integrating LLMs and generative AI into enterprise workflows.
• Experience with data governance and enterprise compliance frameworks.
• Proficiency in Python and R for ML; familiarity with PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn or equivalents.
• Experience building LLM-powered apps, including prompt engineering and retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG).
• Strong SQL skills and experience with Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery.

Responsibilities

• Lead embedding AI into enterprise workflows to improve productivity and decision support.
• Set standards for AI development, mentor peers, and translate ML concepts for stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering, Data Governance and business teams to ensure scalable, secure AI solutions.

Skills

AI engineering

production ML

LLM integration

prompt engineering

RAG

technical leadership

communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Data Science/Math

Master's or PhD in CS/ML/Data Science

Tools

Python

R

scikit-learn

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Databricks

Snowflake

BigQuery

Hugging Face

Job description

About Us

Do you have a passion for higher education? Do you want to make a positive impact on the college admissions process? Our staff help to remove barriers and encourage students to forge their path to a better future. Common App is a national not‑for‑profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year we support more than 1 million students, one-third of whom are first‑generation, as they apply to our more than 1100 diverse member colleges & universities using the Common App's free online application.

Do you have a passion for higher education? Do you want to make a positive impact on the college admissions process? Our staff help to remove barriers and encourage students to forge their path to a better future. Common App is a national not‑for‑profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year we support more than 1 million students, one-third of whom are first‑generation, as they apply to our more than 1100 diverse member colleges & universities using the Common App's free online application.

If you are an experienced Artificial Intelligence professional and want to be part of a mission-driven non‑profit that uses innovative technology to advance the college admission process, Common App may be a great match for you. Common App is currently searching for a Principal AI & Machine Learning Engineer.

Responsibilities

The Principal Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) Engineer is the technical leader responsible for embedding artificial intelligence into enterprise workflows and analytic processes to drive measurable gains in productivity, insight generation, and decision support within the Data Analytics & Research (DAR) division. Highly regarded for exceptional performance and deep technical expertise, this role focuses on applied, production‑ready AI/ML, driving groundbreaking initiatives that embed artificial intelligence into enterprise workflows

Reporting to the Senior Director, Analytics Engineering, the Principal AI/ML Engineer partners closely with Data Engineering, Data Governance, and cross‑functional business stakeholders to ensure that AI solutions are scalable, secure, compliant, and aligned with enterprise data strategy. This role operates as a senior individual contributor and technical authority, setting standards for AI development practice, mentoring teammates on applied AI techniques, and translating complex machine learning capabilities into enterprise‑grade systems that deliver lasting organizational value. The Principal AI/ML Engineer is a recognized expert in the field, frequently sought out for technical guidance, mentorship, and thought leadership both within the organization and across the broader AI and higher education data community.

Requirements

This role requires:

• Candidates must live in the United States
• Hybrid Work & Travel: Employees can live anywhere in the US or its territories, with the willingness and ability to travel for periodic in‑person events—including semi‑annual Common App retreats, department retreats, and strategic leadership sessions
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a closely related quantitative or technical field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in machine learning, AI engineering, or data science, with at least 3 years focused on applied AI and production ML systems
• Demonstrated experience integrating LLMs and generative AI into enterprise analytic or operational workflows
• Demonstrated experience working within enterprise data governance and compliance frameworks
• Expertise in applied machine learning and AI, including supervised and unsupervised learning, natural language processing, and large language model integration (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, open‑source LLMs via Hugging Face)
• Demonstrated experience designing and deploying production‑grade AI/ML systems, including end‑to‑end ML pipelines covering training, evaluation, versioning, deployment, and monitoring
• Proficiency in R and Python for machine learning and AI development; familiarity with ML frameworks such as scikit‑learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent
• Experience building and operationalizing LLM‑powered applications, including prompt engineering, retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG), and tool/agent orchestration frameworks
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with large‑scale cloud data platforms (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery); ability to design AI‑ready data pipelines within enterprise warehouse environments
• Knowledge of AI governance, responsible AI principles, and compliance considerations for AI systems handling sensitive or personally identifiable data
• Proven ability to serve as a senior technical individual contributor, setting standards, making architectural decisions, and mentoring peers without formal management authority
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex AI/ML concepts into accessible language for non‑technical stakeholders and executive audiences
• Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deliver high‑quality AI solutions in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment

Ideal candidate will possess

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Master's or doctoral degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a related field
• Relevant AI/ML or cloud certifications (e.g., Databricks Certified Machine Learning Professional, AWS Machine Learning Specialty, or equivalent)
• Experience working with Agile frameworks for cross‑functional, product‑minded collaboration
• Experience with agentic AI frameworks.