Ultimate Software

Principal Data Scientist- Eng

Ultimate Software • $163K — $235K *
Atlanta, GA 30349In-Person
Information Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in a quantitative field plus 8+ years of experience, or Master's plus 12+ years in data science or a related area.
  • Recognized technical authority in the data science community with expertise in multiple AI/ML specialty areas.
  • Proven track record in setting and executing company-wide data science technical strategy.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence executive decisions on products and technology investments.
  • Experience in designing and governing data science systems at enterprise scale including MLOps and responsible AI.
  • Strong command of ML frameworks and cloud platforms, with ability to set standards for code quality and infrastructure.
  • Experience developing and mentoring senior technical talent, influencing career frameworks.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement a company-wide technical strategy for data science.
  • Architect and evaluate critical infrastructure investments for scalable data science systems.
  • Identify and drive business-critical initiatives that create competitive advantages.
  • Make strategic decisions balancing multiple organizational priorities and influence executive planning.
  • Define and lead the agent development strategy to leverage AI for competitive edge.
  • Establish an innovation agenda that connects emerging capabilities to business transformation opportunities.
  • Build and mentor the data science leadership bench, driving hiring and learning strategies.

Benefits

  • Eligible for performance-based bonus and restricted stock unit awards.
  • Comprehensive health and wellness programs.
  • Professional development and continuous learning opportunities.
  • Flexible working hours and work-from-home options.
  • Employee assistance programs and support.
Full Job Description
About the role

RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Company-wide technical strategy:
  • Architecture & infrastructure investment: Architect DS systems at company scale, creating designs that work across all product areas and use cases. Create architectural patterns that enable long-term evolution. Evaluate major infrastructure investments, providing technical perspective on platform choices that will shape DS work for years. Review critical design decisions across the organization.
  • Business-critical results & ownership: Identify company-wide opportunities for DS impact. Execute initiatives with business-critical outcomes that create competitive advantage. Own decisions with company-wide implications and be accountable for DS strategy execution. Create organizational capabilities - frameworks, platforms, and standards - that outlast individual projects.
  • Strategic decision-making & executive influence: Make strategic decisions with long-term implications, balancing multiple organizational priorities simultaneously. Build decision frameworks adopted broadly across the DS org. Represent DS in strategic planning and influence business decisions at the executive level, providing analysis and perspective that shapes the company's strategic choices.
  • AI & agentic systems leadership: Define the company-wide agent development strategy, positioning UKG to leverage agentic AI for competitive advantage. Evaluate transformational opportunities in AI/ML frameworks and foundation models; advise on major vendor relationships. Set the bar for agent development excellence org-wide. Ensure agent governance at enterprise scale - safety, reliability, compliance, and responsible AI. Represent UKG externally on agent development.
  • Innovation agenda & organizational resilience: Define the DS innovation agenda. Connect emerging capabilities to business transformation opportunities. Create an environment where breakthrough work is possible across teams. Guide the organization through major transitions and model resilience at senior level. Evaluate emerging techniques and frameworks for strategic fit - recognized externally as a domain expert.
  • Talent strategy & leadership development: Build the DS leadership bench by mentoring senior ICs and managers. Shape the DS career framework and define the company-wide learning vision for data science. Drive hiring strategy and pipeline development. Model lifelong learning and continuously evolve expertise through new challenges.
  • Business acumen & competitive positioning: Develop deep understanding of industry dynamics and competitive landscape - how UKG wins in the market and how competitors are investing in ML. Translate business strategy to DS strategy and influence data strategy company-wide. Ensure DS data needs are met at enterprise scale and that governance meets enterprise requirements.

About you,

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
  • PhD in a quantitative field plus 8+ years of industry experience, or Master's degree plus 12+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or a closely related discipline, with a demonstrated trajectory of increasing organizational scope and impact.
  • Recognized technical authority in the broader data science community, with expertise across multiple AI/ML specialty areas. Track record of evaluating emerging techniques for strategic fit and driving their adoption across an organization.
  • Proven ability to set and execute company-wide DS technical strategy, with accountability for outcomes that span multiple product areas and deliver business-critical results.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence executive-level decisions on products, technology investments, and business strategy - and to represent data science as a strategic function in senior planning forums.
  • Experience designing and governing DS systems at enterprise scale - including MLOps, model governance, data quality, responsible AI, and compliance requirements across a large organization.
  • Strong command of ML frameworks, cloud platforms (GCP / Agent Platform, BigQuery, or equivalent), and the full modern AI/ML toolchain. Ability to set company-wide standards for code quality, automation infrastructure, and documentation.
  • Experience building, mentoring, and developing senior technical talent including staff-level ICs and engineering managers. Demonstrated influence on career frameworks and org-wide learning programs.
  • Exceptional communication skills at the executive level - ability to articulate complex technical strategy, competitive tradeoffs, and long-term DS investments in terms that drive organizational alignment and business decisions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Experience advising on major vendor relationships, platform commitments, and build vs. buy decisions for AI/ML infrastructure at enterprise scale.
  • Experience designing and governing enterprise-scale agentic AI systems, including safety, reliability, and compliance frameworks for multi-agent architectures.
  • Deep familiarity with the HCM industry - understanding how Workforce Management, Talent, and Pay create differentiated value - and how ML capabilities translate to competitive advantage in that market.
  • Experience shaping an organization's DS career framework, hiring strategy, and technical learning culture at scale.
  • Advanced expertise in responsible AI at enterprise scale: fairness, interpretability, privacy-preserving ML, model risk management, and regulatory compliance.

The pay range for this position is $163,900 to $235,550. The actual base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge and work location. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible to participate in a performance-based bonus plan and to receive restricted stock unit awards as part of total compensation. Learn more about UKG's benefits and rewards at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/benefits

About Ultimate Software

Ultimate Software is a leading provider of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions. The company's UltiPro platform offers a comprehensive suite of HR, payroll, and talent management tools designed to help organizations manage their workforce more effectively. Ultimate Software was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Weston, Florida. The company has received numerous awards for its workplace culture and has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the United States. In 2019, Ultimate Software was acquired by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman in a deal valued at $11 billion.
Learn more about Ultimate Software
Size
5,600 employees
Industry
Consumer Technology
Founded
1990
* Ladders Estimates

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