Machine Learning Engineer, Specialist

Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced research in AI domains including Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Develop new algorithms, models, and techniques to push the boundaries of AI technology.
• Transition research findings into scalable, production-ready solutions by working closely with engineering teams.
• Develop prototypes and proof-of-concept systems to demonstrate research applicability to business problems.
• Publish research in top-tier AI conferences and journals such as NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, or ACL.
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers in conducting high-quality research and writing impactful publications.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to align research priorities with business needs and design practical AI solutions.
• Ensure all research and solutions adhere to responsible AI principles and safety standards.

Requirements

• 8-10+ years of experience in machine learning engineering or data science roles.
• Advanced degree (PhD or Master's) in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or a related field.
• Expert-level Python skills and proficiency in deep learning frameworks (PyTorch strongly preferred).
• Hands-on experience with LLM fine-tuning techniques including SFT, LoRA/PEFT, and RLHF/DPO.
• Deep understanding of transformer architectures, attention mechanisms, and training dynamics.
• Experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and agentic frameworks (tool use, planning, multi-agent orchestration).
• Experience with distributed/multi-GPU training and scaling (DeepSpeed, FSDP, or equivalent).
• Proficiency with MLOps tooling such as experiment tracking (W&B/MLflow) and model serving (vLLM, TGI).

Preferred Qualifications

• Consistent publication record in top-tier AI conferences and journals.
• Experience with prompt engineering and production model monitoring (latency, cost, and failure modes).
• Knowledge of cognitive architectures, world models, or multimodal ML.
• Experience with Responsible AI practices, including red teaming and interpretability.

Benefits

• Financial wellness programs and competitive compensation.
• Physical wellness support including medical coverage and fitness resources.
• Personal wellness resources and generous paid time off.
• Continuous learning and development opportunities, including mentorship and professional coaching.

About the Company

Founded in 1975, Vanguard is one of the world's leading investment management companies. The firm offers investments, advice, and retirement services to tens of millions of individual investors around the globe. Our India office in Hyderabad is a key technology center focusing on AI, mobile, and cloud-based technologies to deliver world-class client experiences.