Amazon

Principal Applied Scientist, Alexa International Tech

Amazon$198K — $269K *
Consumer Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in AI, NLP, machine learning or computational cognitive science with 10+ years of research experience.
  • Strong publication record in leading journals and conferences.
  • Proven thought leader in technology decision making.
  • Ability to effectively advocate ideas to executives.
  • Expertise in mentoring and training research scientists.
  • Experience in software development using languages like C++ and Java.
  • Excellent communication skills for both written and verbal interaction.

Responsibilities

  • Define and direct key research initiatives and machine learning techniques.
  • Develop and advocate for long-term strategies and goals.
  • Participate in planning, hiring, and mentoring within the organization.
  • Lead the development of scalable science and engineering solutions.
  • Serve as a key resource throughout the full cycle of ML development from design to maintenance.
  • Educate teams on advanced scientific techniques and trends.
  • Align teams around unified scientific strategies.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision).
  • 401(k) matching contributions.
  • Paid time off for vacation and personal time.
  • Parental leave support.
  • Mental health resources and support programs.
  • Flexible spending accounts for healthcare expenses.
  • Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage.
Full Job Description
As a Principal Applied Scientist, you are a trusted part of the technical leadership. You bring business and industry context to science and technology decisions. You set the standard for scientific excellence and make decisions that affect the way we build and integrate algorithms. You solicit differing views across the organization and are willing to change your mind as you learn more. Your artifacts are exemplary and often used as reference across organization.

You are a hands-on scientific leader. Your solutions are exemplary in terms of algorithm design, clarity, model structure, efficiency, and extensibility. You tackle intrinsically hard problems, acquiring expertise as needed. You decompose complex problems into straightforward solutions.

You amplify your impact by leading scientific reviews within your organization or at your location. You scrutinize and review experimental design, modelling, verification and other research procedures. You probe assumptions, illuminate pitfalls, and foster shared understanding. You align teams toward coherent strategies. You educate, keeping the scientific community up to date on advanced techniques, state of the art approaches, the latest technologies, and trends.

You help managers guide the career growth of other scientists by mentoring and play a significant role in hiring and developing scientists and leads.

Key job responsibilities

- Responsible for defining key research directions, adopting or inventing new machine learning techniques, conducting rigorous experiments, publishing results, and ensuring that research is translated into practice.

- Develop long-term strategies, persuade teams to adopt those strategies, propose goals and deliver on them.

- Participate in organizational planning, hiring, mentorship and leadership development.

- Technically ambitious with a passion for building scalable science and engineering solutions.

- You will serve as a key scientific resource in full-cycle development (conception, design, implementation, testing to documentation, delivery, and maintenance).

About the team

Want to be part of the team whose mission is to expand Alexa to new countries, languages, devices and cultures? The Alexa International team makes it happen. Our customers are very diverse in where they live, the languages they speak to Alexa, the devices they use and the content that matters most. In turn our problems are diverse and need innovative solutions.

Alexa International is at the nexus of all other Alexa teams and features, such as Smart Home, Music, News, ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition), NLU (Natural Language Understanding), Fire TV, Skills etc. We collaborate with hardware and software developers within and outside Amazon to build delightful experience for our customers.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- PhD with specialization in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, machine learning, or computational cognitive science 10+ years of combined academic and research experience.

- Strong publication record in top-tier journals and conferences.

- Functional thought leader, sought after for key tech decisions.

- Can successfully sell ideas to an executive level decision maker.

- Mentors and trains the research scientist community on complex technical issues.

- Experience developing software in traditional programming languages (C++, Java, etc..).

- Excellent written and spoken communication skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience building and deploying innovative machine learning solutions at scale for minimum 10 years.

- Expert level skills across many Machine Learning methodologies.

- Published research work in academic conferences or industry circles.

- Experience delivering complex end-to-end global ML solutions that run at very large scale.

- Experience working with real-world data sets and building scalable models from big data.

- Thinks strategically, but stays on top of tactical execution.

- Exhibits excellent business judgment; balances business, product, and technology very well.

- This technical leader for machine learning will be an independent thinker who can make convincing, information-based arguments.

- With a strong bias for action, this individual will work equally well with science, engineering, economics and business teams.

- This person will have very sound judgment and be able to recruit and develop high calibre talent.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, WA, Bellevue - 198,900.00 - 269,000.00 USD annually

About Amazon

Audible is a provider of spoken audio information and entertainment , on the Internet. They provide premium spoken audio content, such as audio versions of books and newspapers and radio programs, that is delivered over the Internet and played back on personal computers and hand-held electronic devices. The Audible service allows consumers to purchase and download their content from their Website, store it in digital files and play it back on personal computers and electronic devices. More than 15,000 hours of audio content are available on their Web site, including audio versions of books, periodicals and radio programs. Several manufacturers have agreed to support and promote the playback of their content on their hand-held audio-enabled electronic devices.

Amazon Careers

Joining Amazon presents an unparalleled opportunity to become part of a vibrant team pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth in the global marketplace. As a leader in e-commerce, technology, and logistics, Amazon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At Amazon, every day is an opportunity to collaborate with the brightest minds in technology and business to redefine what’s possible. Whether you’re interested in software development, marketing, human resources, or customer service, Amazon has a position waiting for you. Transform the way the world shops and innovates with our diverse and inclusive team. Amazon is not just a company; it’s a community where you can drive real change and contribute to projects impacting millions globally. Lead with Innovation and Leadership Amazon is the perfect place to enhance your leadership and innovation skills. Our culture encourages pushing the envelope and imagining the unimaginable. Here, you will lead projects that challenge the status quo and define new industry standards. Work with a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Our leadership is focused on harnessing the collective power of unique perspectives to foster growth and innovation. Explore Amazon’s Employment Benefits Amazon’s commitment to its employees extends beyond just career growth. We offer competitive benefits, including health care, parental leave, and diversity training, ensuring that our team not only excels professionally but also enjoys well-being and security. Internship and Networking Opportunities Start your career with an Amazon internship and gain hands-on experience that matters. Our internships provide a gateway to full-time employment and an opportunity to network with professionals across various sectors of the company. Future-Proof Your Career With Amazon, your career path is filled with numerous opportunities for advancement. Our learning and development programs are designed to nurture your professional growth and keep you at the forefront of industry trends. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the job opportunities at Amazon that match your skills and interests. We are constantly on the lookout for passionate, curious, and innovative team players ready to make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Explore the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await at Amazon. Amazon is more than just a company—it’s a platform for building a promising future. Whether you’re starting or looking to advance your career, Amazon offers the resources, support, and network you need to succeed. Join us, and be a part of our continuing mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company.
Learn more about Amazon
Size
1,608 employees
Market Cap
$832.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$21.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+28.1%
Revenue
$386 billion
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