Principal AI Researcher, Agentforce Operations

salesforce.com, inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 197,300 - 313,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time off programs

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Employee stock purchasing program

Job summary

Salesforce.com, inc. is seeking a Software Engineer for the Foundational Models Team, dedicated to bridging cutting-edge AI research with customer value. The role focuses on developing innovative deep learning models and collaborating with product and engineering teams to deliver immediate value.

Candidates should have a Master’s or PhD in a quantitative field, extensive experience in machine learning, and production-grade Python skills. This position offers a competitive salary range from $197,300 to $313,700 annually, with additional benefits including medical, dental, and stock options.

Qualifications

• Experience developing and evaluating machine learning models in production environments.
• Peer-reviewed publications in novel AI solutions.
• A strong understanding of stochastic modeling and advanced retrieval mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement innovative deep learning models.
• Prototype architectures for enterprise data.
• Collaborate with teams to create production-ready features.

Skills

Deep learning model development

Transformer architectures

Production Python skills

Graph theory and optimization algorithms

Distributed GPU clusters

Education

Master’s or PhD in Computer Science or Mathematics

Tools

PyTorch

JAX

TensorFlow

DeepSpeed

TorchTitan

Kubeflow

Airflow

MLflow

PySpark

Job description

Software Engineering – Foundational Models Team

Foundational Models Team develops the next generation of business intelligence and bridges the gap between cutting‑edge research and customer value. The team is part of Salesforce’s Agentforce Operations.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Design, implement, and train novel deep learning models on large‑scale GPU clusters.
• Prototype new architectures and algorithms for enterprise data such as tabular, relational, and graph‑structured data.
• Stay current with AI research, apply relevant breakthroughs, and advise on internal AI strategy while shipping well‑engineered systems.
• Partner with engineering, product, and design teams to turn research into production‑ready features that deliver immediate customer value.

We’re Looking For

• Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a highly quantitative field with an AI/ML research focus.
• Experience developing, deploying, and evaluating machine learning models in production or top‑tier research environments, and a deep understanding of transformer architectures and advanced retrieval mechanisms.
• A track record of peer‑reviewed publications demonstrating novel, non‑standard AI solutions and foundational mathematical work such as stochastic modeling, graph theory, or optimization algorithms.
• Production‑grade Python skills, including experience with automatic differentiation frameworks such as PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow, and training large‑scale models across distributed GPU clusters using frameworks like DeepSpeed or TorchTitan.

Even Better If

• Experience building production‑grade ML pipelines using tools like Kubeflow, Airflow, or MLflow for tracking, versioning, and automated retraining.
• Built robust, distributed data pipelines for cleaning and analyzing massive datasets using tools like PySpark.

Benefits and Compensation

In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 – $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range is $237,700 – $344,700 annually. The range represents base salary only and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity, or benefits.

Benefits include time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), employee stock purchasing program, and equity.

More details about company benefits can be found at https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Salesforce is an equal‑opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non‑discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. All employees and potential employees are assessed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications without regard to protected characteristics.

Accommodations

If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or recruiting process, submit a request via the Accommodations Request Form at https://www.salesforce.com/accommodations-request/.

Candidate Privacy Statement

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