Senior Applied Data Science

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients Min Experience: 13 years Location: Bengaluru JobType: full-time We are seeking an experienced and visionary Principal Applied Data Scientist to lead the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge AI and Machine Learning solutions. This role is ideal for a highly accomplished professional with deep expertise in Machine Learning, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) , along with a proven track record of translating research into scalable, production-grade applications. As a technical leader, you will work closely with cross-functional teams to solve complex business problems, define AI strategy, and mentor high-performing data science teams. You will drive innovation across the AI lifecycle—from problem formulation and model development to deployment, monitoring, and continuous optimization. Requirements Key Responsibilities - Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of advanced Machine Learning and AI solutions for enterprise-scale applications. - Build, fine-tune, and optimize Large Language Models (LLMs) for domain-specific use cases, including conversational AI, information retrieval, summarization, and intelligent automation. - Develop and enhance NLP pipelines for text classification, semantic search, entity recognition, sentiment analysis, document understanding, and knowledge extraction. - Design scalable ML systems using modern MLOps practices, ensuring reliability, reproducibility, and operational excellence. - Collaborate with engineering, product, and business stakeholders to identify AI opportunities and translate requirements into impactful solutions. - Evaluate emerging AI technologies, foundation models, and research trends to drive continuous innovation. - Establish best practices for experimentation, model evaluation, responsible AI, and performance optimization. - Mentor senior data scientists and engineers, providing technical leadership and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. - Drive end-to-end deployment of AI models while ensuring scalability, security, and compliance with organizational standards. - Communicate technical concepts and strategic recommendations effectively to executive leadership and business stakeholders. Required Skills & Qualifications - 13–21 years of professional experience in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or Machine Learning, with significant experience leading complex AI initiatives. - Strong expertise in Machine Learning , including supervised, unsupervised, deep learning, and reinforcement learning techniques. - Extensive hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) , prompt engineering, fine-tuning, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), model evaluation, and AI agents. - Deep understanding of Natural Language Processing (NLP) concepts, transformer architectures, embeddings, and language understanding techniques. - Strong proficiency in Python and experience with frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face Transformers, LangChain, or similar ecosystems. - Experience with vector databases, model serving, distributed computing, and cloud-native AI platforms. - Solid understanding of MLOps, model lifecycle management, CI/CD for ML, and production deployment strategies. - Experience working with large-scale structured and unstructured datasets and modern data engineering practices. - Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills with the ability to influence technical and business decisions. Preferred Qualifications - PhD or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related quantitative discipline. - Contributions to AI research, patents, publications, or open-source initiatives are highly valued. - Experience leading enterprise AI transformation programs and mentoring large technical teams. - Familiarity with responsible AI frameworks, governance, explainability, and ethical AI practices.