Senior Principal AI/ML Developer

Description

Job Requisition ID

26WD100188

This role can be remote within the U.S. or Canada, though San Francisco is the preferred location

At GET ( Growth Experience Technology) , we fuel sustainable growth by rethink ing how customers discover, buy, and use Autodesk. Our focus is creating a seamless, data-driven experience that feels simple, predictable, and tailored to customer needs—while also making it easier and more efficient for our teams to support them.

To get there, we're building smarter digital experiences, strengthening our platforms, and making our sales and marketing efforts much more efficient and connected. While the product experience will play a key role, a real unlock will come from the technologies that power better customer insights, more personalized engagement, and faster sales cycles.

Responsibilities

• The GET Applied AI organization is looking for a seasoned Senior Manager / Senior Principal of Applied AI Engineering to lead the application of AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics across Autodesk’s B2C business. This role will play a critical leadership role in shaping how Autodesk uses data and AI to build the eCommerce and personalization platforms of the future.
• Applied AI Engineers at Autodesk are both data/research scientists and software engineers, who develop and implement machine learning models and algorithms. Unlike other companies that separate these roles, our Applied AI Engineers work on projects from ideation to implementation.
• As a Sr. Principal Applied AI Engineer at Autodesk, you will be responsible for the development and training of cutting-edge machine learning models and algorithms that can effectively leverage our users’ platform activities and industry trends to create personalized recommendations that are delivered to our users at the optimal moment.
• As a senior leader within Applied AI, you will set technical and strategic direction, lead a portfolio of high-impact AI/ML initiatives, develop talent, and partner with senior business and technology leaders to translate Autodesk’s business priorities into scalable AI capabilities.
• You will be responsible for advancing machine learning solutions that leverage customer behavior, product engagement, commerce signals, and industry trends to create more relevant and personalized customer experiences. You will also help establish the organizational practices, technical standards, and operating mechanisms needed to scale Applied AI across Autodesk.
• Set the Applied AI Strategy – Define and drive the vision, roadmap, and investment priorities for key data science and machine learning capabilities across Autodesk’s B2C business, including personalization, recommendation systems, segmentation, forecasting, experimentation, churn prediction, product analytics, and customer insights.
• Lead a Portfolio of High-Impact Initiatives – Own multiple complex , cross-functional AI/ML programs from strategy through production and business adoption. Establish clear priorities, success metrics, operating rhythms, and accountability to ensure the team delivers measurable customer and business outcomes.
• Build and Develop a High-Performing Team – Provide leadership, coaching, and career development for Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers. Create an environment that attracts strong technical talent, raises the bar for execution, and enables individuals to grow in both technical depth and leadership.
• Provide Technical Leadership – Establish technical direction and engineering standards for machine learning systems, model development, experimentation, evaluation, production deployment, and MLOps . Guide teams through complex technical decisions while ensuring solutions are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with Autodesk’s broader technology architecture.
• Expand Autodesk’s ML Capabilities – Identify emerging opportunities where AI and machine learning can materially improve the customer experience or business performance. Guide the design and development of scalable end-to-end ML platforms and pipelines that enable personalization and intelligent decision-making at scale.
• Drive Experimentation at Scale – Establish robust experimentation and measurement practices that increase development velocity while maintaining scientific rigor. Enable teams to rapidly test hypotheses, evaluate model performance, quantify incremental impact, and translate learnings into product and business decisions.
• Influence Senior Leadership – Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders across Product, Engineering, eCommerce, Marketing, Finance, and other functions. Frame ambiguous business problems, identify opportunities where AI can create value, recommend investment priorities, and influence strategic decisions through data.
• Drive Cross-Functional Execution – Initiate and lead large-scale, complex strategic initiatives spanning multiple teams and organizations. Build alignment across technical and business stakeholders, resolve ambiguity and competing priorities, and drive programs through execution and adoption.
• Champion a Data- and AI-Driven Culture – Evangelize best practices in applied AI, machine learning, experimentation, and evidence-based decision-making. Help shape Autodesk’s broader approach to responsible, scalable, and business-oriented use of AI.
• Translate Technology into Business Impact – Develop compelling narratives that connect data, model performance, customer behavior, and financial outcomes. Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to executive, business, and technical audiences and ensure AI investments are tied to measurable impact.
• Raise the Organizational Bar – Establish reusable frameworks, processes, and best practices that improve how Applied AI teams prioritize work, evaluate opportunities, design solutions, and measure results. Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across Data Science, ML Engineering, and adjacent technical organizations.
• Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science , Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, or another related quantitative or technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, Applied Research, or a related technical discipline, with significant experience delivering production-scale machine learning solutions.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, technical organizations, or major cross-functional programs , including setting strategy, establishing priorities, and driving execution across multiple simultaneous initiatives.
• Experience developing technical talent through coaching, mentorship, technical leadership, performance management, or people management.
• Proven ability to lead technical strategy, machine learning system design, and optimization of production-scale ML infrastructure, including model deployment, model evaluation, data processing, monitoring, debugging, and model optimization.
• 7+ years of experience with software or machine learning system design and architecture, including launching and operating production systems.
• Deep hands-on experience with machine learning, data mining, information retrieval, recommendation or personalization systems, and applied statistical methods.
• Strong expertise in A/B testing, experimental design, causal reasoning, and measurement.
• Strong understanding of statistics, probability, customer and product analytics, and financial or business modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into data and AI strategies and connect technical investments to measurable customer and business impact.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder-management skills, with demonstrated ability to influence senior technical and business leaders.
• Preferred Qualifications
• MS or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Engineering, or another quantitative discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in machine learning, data science, or related disciplines, ideally including experience in eCommerce, personalization, growth, digital products, or consumer-facing platforms.
• 5+ years of experience in technical or people leadership , including building and developing high-performing Data Science and/or Machine Learning Engineering teams.
• Experience defining multi-year AI/ML strategies and translating them into organizational roadmaps, investment priorities, and measurable business outcomes.
• Experience hiring, developing, and retaining senior Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and technical leaders.
• Experience operating effectively in a matrixed environment and influencing senior executives across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Finance, and business organizations.
• Hands-on experience with cloud machine learning platforms such as AWS or Azure and strong knowledge of modern MLOps , model governance, observability, and production ML best practices.
• Experience building personalization, recommendation, ranking, forecasting, customer lifecycle, or next-best-action systems at significant scale.
• See how we’re building a diverse workforce and a culture of belonging to give more people the chance to imagine, design, and create a better world. Learn about all things AutodeskLife by following us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.
• Learn More
• About Autodesk
• Welcome to Autodesk! Amazing things are created every day with our software – from the greenest buildings and cleanest cars to the smartest factories and biggest hit movies. We help innovators turn their ideas into reality, transforming not only how things are made, but what can be made.
• We take great pride in our culture here at Autodesk – it’s at the core of everything we do. Our culture guides the way we work and treat each other, informs how we connect with customers and partners, and defines how we show up in the world.
• When you’re an Autodesker, you can do meaningful work that helps build a better world designed and made for all. Ready to shape the world and your future? Join us!

Conditions

Salary is one part of Autodesk’s competitive compensation package. For U.S.-based roles, we expect a starting base salary between $178,875 and $320,650. Offers are based on the candidate’s experience and geographic location, and may exceed this range. In addition to base salaries, our compensation package may include annual cash bonuses, commissions for sales roles, stock grants, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

• From health and financial benefits to time away and everyday wellness, we give Autodeskers the best, so they can do their best work. Learn more about our benefits in the U.S. by visiting https://benefits.autodesk.com/