Principal Applied Scientist

Job Description

Job Title: Principal Applied Scientist. Locations: Boston, San Jose, Sunnyvale, New York City, Seattle, Bellevue, Santa Clara,  San Diego,  San Francisco, Palo Alto

The role involves leading large-scale scientific projects in fields such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, operations, quantum computing, computer vision, economics, and sustainability; The successful candidate will shape Amazon’s next-generation technology solutions through research and practical applications.

Responsibilities:

• Define and lead advanced research directions that impact real-world Amazon products and services.
• Invent and apply new machine learning and AI techniques to solve complex business and customer challenges.
• Conduct high-quality experiments and publish in top-tier journals and conferences.
• Translate research outcomes into production-level tools, products, or models;
• Mentor and guide scientists, engineers, and researchers, fostering a culture of technical excellence.
• Contribute to long-term planning, hiring, and leadership development.
• Collaborate across teams to develop scalable science and engineering solutions.
• Support Amazon’s inclusive, innovation-driven culture.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• At least 8 years of post-PhD research experience;
• Published work in top-tier machine learning or AI journals or conferences.
• Strong background in reinforcement learning, deep learning, or machine learning.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, or equivalent programming languages;
• Proven experience in algorithm design and implementation.
• Prior experience mentoring or managing scientists and engineers.

Preferred:

• Experience programming in Java, C++, or related languages.
• Experience building and deploying machine learning models for business applications.

Additional Information:

Job duties include working safely and cooperatively with teams, maintaining professionalism under stress, adhering to company and legal standards, and exercising good judgment. Amazon will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records as required by the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.

Compensation and Benefits: $179,000 – $309,400 per year (depending on location and experience), Comprehensive medical, financial, and wellness programs, along with additional benefits depending on the role and location.