Sr. AI/ML Engineer- Life Sciences

Abbott; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 78,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott is a global healthcare leader seeking a Sr. AI/ML Engineer to guide the architecture and roadmap of a life sciences AI platform.

You will implement reusable services, integrate agent frameworks with enterprise data, and mentor junior engineers to deliver scalable, validated AI solutions. The role partners with Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, and Data Science, as well as Clinical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, and Medical Operations within cancer diagnostics and precision oncology contexts.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent with quantitative focus as outlined in essential duties.
• 3+ years of experience in statistics, computational biology, data science.
• 3+ years of experience with AI/ML algorithms.
• Knowledge of NLP, image processing, and computer vision.
• Experience with large language models and generative AI concepts.
• Strong Python programming and ML frameworks.
• Experience with open-source AI models.

Responsibilities

• Guide architecture and roadmap of the life sciences generative AI platform.
• Design reusable platform services and components.
• Integrate agent frameworks with enterprise data sources and systems.
• Collaborate with science and medical teams to translate workflows into AI solutions.
• Define evaluation criteria to verify quality and value of solutions.
• Mentor junior team members and participate in cross-functional meetings.

Skills

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SKLearn

NLP

ML/AI concepts

Open-source models

Transformer architectures

Retrieval augmented generation

Education

Ph. D in Statistics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or related field

Master’s degree in Statistics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or related field with 4+ years experience

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SKLearn

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION: Position Overview

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

The Sr. AI/ML Engineer guides the architecture, technical roadmap, and hands‑on implementation of the life sciences AI platform providing the foundations for agentic solutions across the science and medical offices. This role helps shape the organization’s AI strategy and evaluates emerging state‑of‑the‑art technologies for practical implementation within the platform. This role serves both technical consumers in the Bioinformatics, Biostatistics and Data Science group, and non‑technical consumers across Clinical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, and Medical Operations within a setting of advanced cancer screening and precision oncology. The work combines pragmatic experimentation with a clear path beyond prototypes, producing solutions that are evaluated, validated, governed, supported, and reusable. This role defines the engineering standards, controls, and validation framework under which generative AI solutions are developed and published, and provides technical leadership through mentorship and architecture review.

Essential Duties

• Guide the architecture, technical roadmap, and strategic evolution of the life sciences generative AI platform, including its runtime, gateway, memory, identity, observability, and evaluation capabilities, to accelerate and improve scientific and medical processes and outcomes.
• Design and implement shared platform services, reusable components, and supported solution patterns that generalize recurring needs and reduce reliance on function‑specific point solutions.
• Integrate agent frameworks and interoperability protocols with enterprise data sources, document repositories, and scientific systems using secure, supported platform patterns.
• Partner with stakeholders and AI/ML engineers across science and medical functions to translate operational workflows, SOPs, and business needs into scalable, supported AI solutions.
• Drive platform adoption by defining and applying evaluation criteria that demonstrate solution quality, reliability, efficiency, and business value.
• Apply Agile practices to iteratively develop, evaluate, and mature promising concepts into validated, reusable solutions.
• Provide mentorship and coaching to more junior level team members.
• Act as resource and subject matter expert in core team and/or cross‑functional meetings.
• Communicate difficult, sensitive, and complex information clearly to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Uphold company mission and values through accountability, innovation, integrity, quality, and teamwork.
• Support and comply with the company’s Quality Management System policies and procedures.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance and availability during the designated work schedule.
• Act with an inclusion mindset and model these behaviors for the organization.

Ability to work on a mobile device, tablet, or in front of a computer screen and/or perform typing for approximately 85% of a typical working day. Ability to travel 5% of working time away from work location, may include overnight/weekend travel.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph. D in Statistics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or related quantitative field as outlined in the essential duties, or master’s degree in Statistics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or related quantitative field as outlined in the essential duties plus 4 years of experience in lieu of a Ph.D.
• 3+ years of experience in statistics, computational biology, applied mathematics, or related quantitative field as outlined in the essential duties.
• 3+ years of experience with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with advanced AI concepts, such as artificial neural networks, deep learning, and reinforcement learning.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques within one or more of the following fields: natural language processing, image processing and computer vision, image and pattern recognition.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with large language models for generative AI and associated concepts, such as transformer architecture and retrieval augmented generation.
• Strong programming ability with demonstrated experience in Python and one or more associated machine learning frameworks, such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or SKLearn.
• Knowledge of and experience working with open‑source AI models.
• Demonstrated ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years of life sciences industry experience working with biological data.
• 2+ years of industry experience in molecular diagnostics, preferably cancer diagnostics.
• Expertise in data mining approaches within healthcare settings generating insight from routinely collected healthcare data.
• Basic knowledge of ML‑Ops and processes for managing the versioning and deployment of machine learning models.
• Scientific understanding of cancer biology.

The base pay for this position is $78,000.00 – $156,000.00 In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

JOB FAMILY: Product Development

DIVISION: ONCO Cancer Diagnostics

LOCATION: United States of America : Remote

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS:

WORK SHIFT: Standard

TRAVEL: Yes, 5 % of the Time

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE: Not Applicable

SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES: Continuous sitting for prolonged periods (more than 2 consecutive hours in an 8 hour day), Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday)

Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans. EEO is the Law link – English: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_English.pdf EEO is the Law link – Espanol: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_Spanish.pdf

Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 135 years, Abbott has been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows people and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 countries, we create new solutions — across the spectrum of health, around the world, for all stages of life. Whether it’s next‑generation diagnostics, life‑changing devices, science‑based nutrition, or novel reformulations, we are advancing some of the most innovative and revolutionary technologies in healthcare, helping people live their best lives through better health. The people of Abbott come to work each day with relentless energy, enthusiasm and a promise to enhance the health and well‑being of millions of people. They push the boundaries to help manage and treat some of life’s greatest health challenges. We invite you to explore opportunities at Abbott, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings. An equal opportunity employer, Abbott welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.

Follow Us: Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Twitter