Principal Applied Scientist

Viant Technology; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully paid health insurance

Paid parental leave

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

A leading Ad Tech firm in California is seeking a Principal Applied Scientist to lead AI strategy and drive innovation in machine learning. The role entails developing next-generation models in NLP and deep learning, conducting high-impact research, and mentoring a talented team. The ideal candidate should have over 7 years of experience in machine learning, a relevant advanced degree, and a strong publication record. Competitive compensation ranges from $220,000 to $260,000.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building and deploying machine learning models at scale.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex ML projects from research to production.
• At least two peer-reviewed publications in AI-related fields.

Responsibilities

• Set the vision for applied ML research and decision-making across products.
• Conduct advanced research in NLP and deep learning.
• Develop, optimize, and deploy high-throughput ML models.
• Explore novel AI techniques for enhancing targeting and personalization.
• Design, run, and analyze A/B experiments to test strategies.
• Provide technical leadership for a team of applied scientists.

Skills

Machine learning models

Deep learning

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Reinforcement learning

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Distributed computing

Education

Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Viant’s Machine Learning team is at the forefront of transforming the Ad Tech industry through cutting-edge machine learning and AI-driven automation. By eliminating manual processes in digital ad creation, optimization, and measurement, we build autonomous, scalable systems that process hundreds of millions of events daily.

We are seeking an exceptional Principal Applied Scientist to drive groundbreaking innovation in applied machine learning. In this role, you will lead end-to-end AI strategy, shape the applied science roadmap, and develop next-generation models in NLP, deep learning, and large-scale AI systems. Your expertise will push the boundaries of AI capabilities, delivering measurable business impact while fostering a research-driven, data-centric culture at Viant.

DAY-TO-DAY

• Lead and Define AI Strategy – Set the vision for applied ML research and AI-driven decision-making across Viant’s products and services.
• Drive High-Impact Research – Conduct advanced research in NLP, RL, LLMs, and deep learning, publishing in top-tier conferences while applying findings to real-world production systems.
• Architect and Deploy ML at Scale – Develop, optimize, and deploy high-throughput, low-latency ML models, collaborating with engineers to bring solutions into production.
• Innovate in Generative AI & Causal ML – Explore novel AI techniques, such as LLMs, reinforcement learning, and causal inference, to enhance targeting, personalization, and attribution models.
• Experimentation and Validation – Design, run, and analyze A/B experiments to test ML-driven strategies, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• Mentor and Influence – Provide technical leadership for a team of applied scientists and ML engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.

MUST HAVE

• Experience: 7+ years of experience building and deploying machine learning models at scale.
• Technical Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead complex, high-ambiguity ML projects from research to production.
• Academic & Industry Recognition: Masters + At least two peer-reviewed publications in deep learning, NLP, or a related AI domain or a PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Deep Expertise in ML & AI: Strong foundation in deep learning, NLP, generative AI, and causal inference.
• Programming & Frameworks: Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, LangChain, Llama Index).
• Scalability & Cloud: Experience with distributed computing, cloud ML platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), and real-time AI inference.

GREAT TO HAVE

• Industry Impact: Publications at top-tier ML/NLP conferences (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL, AAAI).
• Ad Tech Expertise: Experience in digital advertising, real-time bidding, or audience modeling.
• Generative AI Applications: Hands-on experience with LLMs and multimodal AI applications.
• Optimization & Personalization: Strong background in reinforcement learning, dynamic pricing, or recommendation systems.

LIFE AT VIANT

Investing in our employee’s professional growth is important to us, but so is investing in their well-being. That’s why Viant was voted one of the best places to work and some of our favorite employee benefits include fully paid health insurance, paid parental leave and unlimited PTO and more.

BASE COMPENSATION RANGE

Base compensation range: $220,000 - $260,000
In accordance with California law, the range provided is Viant’s reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. Final title and compensation for the position will be based on several factors including work experience and education.

About Viant

Viant Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: DSP) is a leader in CTV and AI-powered programmatic advertising, dedicated to driving innovation in digital marketing. Viant’s omnichannel platform built for CTV allows marketers to plan, execute and measure their campaigns with unmatched precision and efficiency. With the launch of ViantAI, Viant is building the future of fully autonomous advertising solutions, empowering advertisers to achieve their boldest goals. Viant was recently awarded Best AI-Powered Advertising Solution and Best Demand-Side Platform by MarTech Breakthrough, Great Place to Work® certification and received the Business Intelligence Group’s AI Excellence Award. Learn more at viantinc.com.

EEO STATEMENT

Viant is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. Viant prohibits unlawful discrimination against employees or applicants based on race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, military status, veteran status, uniformed service member status, sexual orientation, transgender identity, citizenship status, pregnancy, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. Viant also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

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