National Basketball Association

Senior GenAI Engineer

National Basketball Association • $180K — $220K *
Enterprise Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, or related discipline.
  • Minimum 3 years in applied AI/ML roles, ideally in enterprise contexts.
  • Experience integrating ML solutions with platforms such as ServiceNow, GitHub, or cloud-based environments.
  • Deep understanding of Generative AI, LLMs, NLP, Transformers, and model fine-tuning techniques.
  • Strong knowledge of cloud AI infrastructure (AWS/GCP/Azure), containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and ML pipelines.

Responsibilities

  • Architect and implement robust, scalable Generative AI systems using LLMs for enterprise challenges.
  • Fine-tune LLMs and foundational models to optimize for performance and relevance.
  • Integrate AI tools into existing systems like ServiceNow and Tableau.
  • Define and maintain scalable MLOps for efficient model deployment and management.
  • Develop automated AI-driven tools to improve internal support and operational efficiency.
  • Lead the transition of proof-of-concept AI features into production-grade solutions.
  • Promote ethical AI practices and compliance across development.

Benefits

  • Eligible for an annual discretionary performance bonus.
  • Participation in Company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision programs.
  • Access to life/AD&D insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage.
  • Fertility and family-forming assistance available.
  • Educational assistance and wellbeing allowance provided.
  • Mental health coaching/therapy resources offered.
  • Participation in a 401(k) retirement plan and various time off benefits.
Full Job Description
WORK OPTION: The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

Position Summary

The NBA's Enterprise Generative AI team is seeking a highly skilled and visionary Software Engineer to lead the development, deployment, and scaling of cutting-edge Generative AI applications that reimagine how our internal IT systems and business operations function. This role offers a unique opportunity to build foundational AI infrastructure and products that directly impact the way the NBA operates across departments-ranging from IT automation and support to business intelligence and productivity enhancement.

As a technical thought leader, you'll drive forward the use of large language models (LLMs) and foundational models (FMs), designing and fine-tuning bespoke AI solutions tailored to enterprise challenges. You'll collaborate across IT, business, and product teams to identify transformative use cases and implement scalable AI-first workflows that unlock new value.

Major Responsibilities
  • Design and Develop: Architect and implement robust, scalable Generative AI systems using LLMs to solve enterprise-wide challenges in automation, knowledge discovery, and workflow acceleration.
  • Model Development & Optimization: Fine-tune LLMs and foundational models to enterprise-specific data, optimizing for performance, latency, and relevance.
  • Enterprise Integration: Seamlessly integrate AI tools into existing systems such as ServiceNow, GitHub, Tableau, SharePoint, and other platforms.
  • Infrastructure Leadership: Define, build, and maintain scalable MLOps and LLMOps infrastructure for efficient model deployment, monitoring, and lifecycle management.
  • Operational Efficiency: Develop automated AI-driven tools for internal support, IT ticketing systems, and operational efficiency improvements.
  • AI Productization: Lead the creation of proof-of-concepts and transition them into production-grade AI features with cross-functional adoption plans.
  • Best Practices & Governance: Champion ethical AI practices, security compliance, and responsible AI principles across the development lifecycle.
  • AI Evangelism: Collaborate with internal stakeholders to promote AI literacy and adoption through demos, training sessions, documentation, and strategic influence.
  • Innovation Watch: Stay up-to-date on industry trends, research papers, and emerging models to continuously improve and innovate NBA's internal AI capabilities.
  • Impact: Work closely with business and technology leaders to identify high-impact AI use cases and develop plans to address them.


Required Education/Professional Experience:
  • Educational Background: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, or related discipline.
  • Enterprise Engineering Experience: Minimum 3 years in applied AI/ML roles, ideally in enterprise contexts. Experience integrating ML solutions with platforms such as ServiceNow, GitHub, or cloud-based environments.


Required Skills/Knowledge Attributes
  • AI/ML Expertise: Deep understanding of Generative AI, LLMs, NLP, Transformers, and model fine-tuning techniques. Practical experience building and deploying models using frameworks like Hugging Face, PyTorch, or TensorFlow.
  • Infrastructure & MLOps: Strong knowledge of cloud AI infrastructure (AWS/GCP/Azure), containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and ML pipelines. Hands-on with tools like MLflow, Weights & Biases, or SageMaker.
  • Software Engineering: Strong full-stack engineering skills (Python, JavaScript, Node.js, React, etc.) and background in building APIs and microservices.
  • Data Fluency: Proficient in building ETL pipelines, managing structured/unstructured datasets, and using SQL and NoSQL systems. R experience is a bonus.
  • Communication & Strategy: Exceptional communication skills to present technical topics clearly to executives, and a strategic mindset to align AI concepts and projects with business objectives.


Full Time Benefits:
Employees currently are eligible to receive an annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company. Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs: medical; dental; vision; life/AD&D insurance; short- and long-term disability; fertility and family-forming assistance; wellbeing allowance; educational assistance; mental health coaching/therapy; tax advantaged accounts such as HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs; a 401(k) retirement plan; and time off benefits that include vacation, sick time, and personal days.

Salary Range:

$180,000 - $220,000

Job Posting Title:
Senior Manager

About National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a men's professional basketball league in North America, composed of 30 teams. It is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, and is widely considered to be the premier men's professional basketball league in the world. The NBA was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in New York City. The league's revenue comes from ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorships, and media rights. The NBA has a global following and is broadcast in over 215 countries and territories.
Learn more about National Basketball Association
Size
1,100 employees
Industry
Founded
1946

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