Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Model Efficiency & Optimization

Dice is the leading career destination for tech experts at every stage of their careers. Our client, Apex Systems, is seeking the following. Apply via Dice today! Job#: 3036752 Job Description: Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Model Efficiency & Optimization Location: Austin, Texas (Onsite) Role Overview We are seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer for Model Efficiency & Optimization to serve as the technical anchor for our model optimization strategy. This is a senior individual contributor role for a domain expert who will define how our organization builds efficient, high-performing, production-ready models for document AI at scale. You will set technical direction from research exploration through production deployment, combining theoretical expertise with hands-on implementation. Key Responsibilities • Own the end-to-end technical direction for model efficiency and optimization, from research agenda to production deployment. • Define approaches for building efficient, production-ready models optimized for document AI use cases. • Establish frameworks for evaluating quality vs. efficiency trade-offs, such as accuracy, latency, and memory footprint. • Set standards for what constitutes a successful optimized model across document understanding benchmarks. • Evaluate and adopt emerging techniques in model optimization and compression. • Influence modeling strategy across teams by integrating efficiency-first thinking into model development. • Lead design and implementation of optimization pipelines, training objectives, and compression techniques. • Run large-scale experiments and analyze training dynamics, instabilities, and capability gaps. • Develop novel optimization approaches tailored to document understanding tasks, including layout and multimodal challenges. • Diagnose and resolve failure modes such as quality degradation and generalization gaps. • Prototype and validate new techniques before scaling to production training runs. • Partner with data teams to define training data requirements for optimized models. • Collaborate with platform teams on distributed training infrastructure, experiment tracking, and compute strategy. • Work with modeling teams to ensure optimized models meet quality and performance standards. • Communicate technical trade-offs, findings, and recommendations to engineering, product, and leadership stakeholders. Required Qualifications Education: MS or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field. Experience: 10+ years of experience in Machine Learning or AI, with a focus on model optimization, efficient deep learning, and large-scale model deployment. Preferred Qualifications • A PhD is preferred. Everforth Apex is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Everforth Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Everforth Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details. By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Everforth Apex and its affiliates, and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy at Everforth Apex Benefits Overview: Everforth Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Everforth Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Everforth Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Everforth Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our 'Welcome Packet' as well, which an Everforth Apex team member can provide. Everforth Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Everforth Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law. If you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in an interview with a virtual recruiter or to use our website for a search or application, please contact our Benefits Department at or . Please note that this contact information is strictly to be used for medical ADA accommodations and that no other inquiries will be answered. 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