Thoughtworks

Thoughtworks

Principal AI Architect

Chicago, Illinois, USA · Principal

No sponsorshipDetected 23 days ago
PythonVector DatabasesAWSGCPAzureCI/CDKafkaMachine LearningDeep LearningTensorFlowPyTorchscikit-learnSparkData EngineeringLLMsRAGAgentic AILLMOpsMLOpsAI OrchestrationA/B TestingResearchLeadershipCommunication

About the role

  • This is a hands-on, consulting-first role.
  • Our practice spans the full AI lifecycle: from data strategy and modern data platforms to machine learning engineering, generative AI, responsible AI, and MLOps.

Responsibilities

  • AI Architecture & Solution Design
  • Define and deliver end-to-end technical blueprints covering model development, data pipelines, serving infrastructure, monitoring, and governance
  • Lead the design of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems, fine-tuning pipelines, and model evaluation frameworks
  • Lead architecture discovery workshops, technical due diligence, and capability assessments
  • Shape and present compelling technical proposals, RFP responses, and point-of-view documents
  • Navigate complex client organisations, managing stakeholder expectations and building lasting trust
  • Lead and mentor cross-functional teams of engineers, data scientists, and ML practitioners on client engagements
  • Champion responsible AI practices including fairness, explainability, privacy, and security by design
  • Drive hands-on delivery - this is not a purely advisory role; you will write code, review designs, and unblock teams

Requirements

  • 8+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or ML engineering, with at least 3 years in a senior architecture or technical leadership role
  • Proficiency in Python and familiarity with ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face, scikit-learn)
  • Hands-on experience with cloud AI services across AWS (SageMaker, Bedrock), GCP (Vertex AI), or Azure (Azure ML, OpenAI Service)
  • Ability to communicate complex AI concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Proven track record of leading delivery teams in agile environments, with experience across the full software development lifecycle

Nice to have

  • Experience with autonomous AI agents, multi-agent systems, or AI orchestration frameworks
  • Contributions to open-source AI/ML projects or published research
  • Familiarity with AI governance frameworks, EU AI Act, or responsible AI toolkits (e.g. IBM AI Fairness 360, Microsoft Responsible AI)
  • Other things to know
  • But we also balance autonomy with the strength of our cultivation culture.
  • This means your career is supported by interactive tools, numerous development programs and teammates who want to help you grow.
  • We see value in helping each other be our best and that extends to empowering our employees in their career journeys.
  • Every application is reviewed by our team and all selection decisions are made exclusively by our interviewers and hiring managers.

Skills

  • Responsible Use of AI in Recruitment
  • Crucially, our AI tools do not screen, assess, rank or make hiring decisions.
  • For additional information, please see our full Thoughtworks AI Policy for Recruitment.

Compensation

  • This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, stermination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Benefits

  • Deep expertise in designing and deploying ML and AI systems at scale - spanning classical ML, deep learning, and generative AI

Equal opportunity

  • Thoughtworks is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, stermination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
  • Thoughtworks is also an affirmative action employer of veterans and individuals with disabilities.
  • For additional information, please see the Thoughtworks, Inc. Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action Policy Statement.
  • US - Work Authorization

Visa & Work Authorization

  • US - Work Authorization
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This listing is sourced directly from Thoughtworks's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.