IBM

Senior Principal Software Engineer

IBM • $145K — $175K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field.
  • 5+ years of software development experience focused on machine learning applications or platforms.
  • Exceptional software engineering skills for creating maintainable data solutions.
  • Proficiency in a programming language like Python, Go, Java, or Rust.
  • Experience in building enterprise data platforms with governance and compliance standards.

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and improve ML pipelines for data management processes.
  • Develop ML models and applications to enhance business operations.
  • Translate research prototypes into production-grade software.
  • Select algorithms, perform tuning, and conduct model evaluations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate ML services into larger systems.
  • Monitor and troubleshoot production ML systems and models.
  • Mentor junior engineers and participate in code reviews.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare benefits including vision and mental health support.
  • Financial programs such as 401(k) plans and life insurance options.
  • Generous paid time off including holidays and parental leave.
  • Access to training and educational resources for skill development.
  • Diverse employee resource groups and community involvement opportunities.
Full Job Description
Your role and responsibilities

The Data And AI team is a highly focused effort to lead digital-first execution and transformation at Red Hat leveraging data & AI strategically for our customers, partners, and associates. The engineering team is focused on building and delivering strategic AI Factory platform for building Skills and Agents, designed to augment human capabilities, accelerate business workflows, and scale operations across the enterprise.

In this role, you'll take ownership of end-to-end AI/ML systems, champion best practices, and deliver impactful, production-grade models. You'll work autonomously, mentor others, and collaborate with data, engineering, and product teams to bring AI features into production.

What you will do?
  • Design, build, and evolve ML pipelines that cover data ingestion, preprocessing, feature engineering, training, validation, deployment, and monitoring.
  • Design, build, and evolve MCP server, Skills and Agents that enable and empower Red Hatters to do business efficiently.
  • Translate research prototypes and models into production-quality code, ensuring robustness, scalability, and maintainability.
  • Select appropriate algorithms and modeling techniques, perform hyperparameter tuning, and conduct comparative experimentation.
  • Evaluate and validate model performance using advanced metrics (e.g. ROC-AUC, precision/recall curves, calibration, fairness, drift) and set up continuous validation/regression checks.
  • Collaborate with software engineers, data engineers, and SRE/DevOps to integrate ML services into broader systems.
  • Instrument models and systems with monitoring, logging, alerting, and automated healing or scaling mechanisms.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve production incidents, root-cause errors, data drifts, performance regressions, or infrastructure issues.
  • Mentor more junior engineers, lead code reviews, and help establish ML lifecycle and quality standards.
  • Stay current with emerging ML research, frameworks, and tooling, and proactively propose improvements or experiments.


Required education

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred education

Bachelor's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
  • 5+ years of software development experience with a focus on machine learning pipelines or machine learning applications or building ML platforms
  • Exceptional software engineering skills that lead to elegant and maintainable data platform
  • Proficiency in at least one general purpose programming language, eg. Python, Go, Java, Rust, etc.
  • Loosely held strong opinions and perspectives that you kindly debate, defend, or change to ensure that the entire team moves as one
  • Sets and resets the bar on all things quality, from code through to data, and everything in between
  • Deep empathy for your users of your platform, leading to a constant focus on removing friction, increasing adoption, and delivering business results
  • Prunes and prioritizes work in order to maximize your contributions and impact
  • Bias for action and leading by example
  • Past experience in building enterprise data platforms that have a high level of governance and compliance requirements


Preferred technical and professional experience

  • Familiarity with open source or inner source development and processes
  • Familiarity of data mesh architectural principles
  • Experience with Snowflake, Fivetran, dbt, Airflow / Astronomer
  • Deep hands on knowledge of Vector Databases, RAG Pipelines is a huge plus.


Personal qualities and communication
  • Communication skills and experience in interacting with cross functional business and engineering teams
  • Capability in undertaking business needs analysis in direct consultation
  • Motivated with a passion for quality, learning and contributing to collective goals
  • Excellent communication, presentation, and writing skills


OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

- Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being

- Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs

- Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law

- Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals

- Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

About IBM

Sequent Computer Systems designs and manufactures multiprocessing computer systems based on Cache Coherent Non-Uniform Memory Access architecture, which are used primarily as application and database servers for commercial applications. Through a partnership with Oracle Corporation, Sequent became a dominant high-end UNIX platform in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Later it introduced a next-generation high-end platform for UNIX and Windows NT based on non-uniform memory access architecture, NUMA-Q. Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is based in Beaverton, Oregon. In July 1999 Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. was acquired by International Business Machines Corp.

IBM Careers

Joining IBM presents a prime opportunity to be part of our global team of professionals, leading the way in technological innovation and business solutions. At IBM, we offer more than just job opportunities; we provide a platform for growth, leadership development, and a chance to be at the forefront of industry innovation. Work You’ll Do At IBM, your work impacts global markets and helps reshape industries. As part of our team, you will contribute to projects that harness the power of cloud computing, AI, and blockchain technologies. With IBM, you are positioned to lead in the marketplace, leveraging our deep industry expertise and commitment to digital innovation. Transform Your Career IBM is not just a company; it's a culture of innovation and leadership. We are committed to diversity and providing an inclusive environment where all professionals can thrive. Joining IBM means being part of a team that values your unique skills and perspectives. IBM offers a variety of career paths, including full-time positions and internships, that allow you to explore your interests and develop new skills. Our professional development programs are designed to help you grow at every stage of your career, featuring robust training, certification support, and opportunities for advancement. Innovate with Us Engage in work that matters with a team of over 350,000 IBMers worldwide, driving progress in over 170 countries. At IBM, innovation isn’t just about technology, it’s about transforming how businesses operate and compete. Your work will deliver solutions that anticipate and fulfill the needs of our clients in an ever-evolving landscape. Be Part of a Great Team IBMers are diverse, talented, and globally connected. You’ll collaborate with thought leaders and industry experts who are shaping the future of technology. Our culture fosters creativity, teamwork, and the continuous pursuit of excellence. Networking and Professional Growth IBM is deeply invested in the professional growth of its employees. We encourage networking within the company to foster connections that can lead to greater innovation and career advancement. Our leadership is committed to providing every employee with the tools they need to succeed, from mentorship programs to diversity training. Explore Job Opportunities Whether you’re looking for an internship, a graduate role, or a leadership position, IBM offers a range of career opportunities. Our hiring process is designed to be transparent and fair, providing you with all the resources you need to succeed in your interview and resume preparation. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the various positions available that match your skills and interests. At IBM, we look for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. Explore our open positions and find where you can make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay informed 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. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await at IBM. Join IBM and be part of a legacy of leadership and innovation. Shape your future and build a career designed to last.
Learn more about IBM
Size
307,600 employees
Market Cap
$128 billion
Industry
Net Income
$5.5 billion
Founded
1911
5 Year Trend
-6.4%
Revenue
$73.6 billion
NASDAQ

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