AI Distinguished Engineer / Architect

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Description Summary:

We are seeking an experienced AI Architect to lead the design, development, and implementation of artificial intelligence solutions that will drive our company's innovation and digital transformation. The AI Architect will be responsible for defining the AI strategy, managing AI system architecture, ensuring high performance and scalability, and working with multidisciplinary teams to deliver AI-driven applications. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of machine learning, data science, and cloud-based architectures, along with excellent problem-solving skills and leadership experience.

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities:

• AI Strategy and Design:
  Lead the design and development of cutting-edge AI/ML architectures and solutions. Collaborate with business leaders to identify opportunities where AI can add value, from process optimization to new product development.

• Architecture Leadership:
  Design scalable, robust, and high-performance AI systems, ensuring seamless integration with existing platforms. Define AI architecture frameworks, tools, and methodologies used in building solutions.

• AI Model Development:
  Lead the design and optimization of machine learning models. Work on developing algorithms for predictive analytics, natural language processing, computer vision, and other AI subfields depending on business needs.

• Collaboration & Team Leadership:
  Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, engineers, business analysts, and product managers, to define requirements and deliver high-quality solutions. Mentor junior AI professionals and ensure that best practices are followed in AI development.

• Research & Innovation:
  Keep up with the latest trends and developments in AI technologies, such as deep learning, reinforcement learning, and neural networks, and implement state-of-the-art models and algorithms.

• AI Infrastructure & Deployment:
  Oversee the deployment and maintenance of AI systems, ensuring they are scalable, reliable, and cost-efficient. Lead the use of cloud technologies, distributed systems, and high-performance computing (HPC) for AI model training and deployment.

• Ethics & Compliance:
  Ensure that AI solutions comply with industry standards, regulations, and ethical guidelines. Advocate for the responsible and transparent use of AI, particularly in areas of data privacy and bias mitigation.

• Documentation & Reporting:
  Document the architecture, models, and algorithms used, and provide regular updates on project progress to senior leadership. Prepare technical reports and presentations for stakeholders to communicate the potential and performance of AI models.

Qualifications:

• Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related field. Ph.D. in AI/ML or related disciplines is a plus.

• Experience:

  • Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in AI, machine learning, or data science, with at least 3 years in an architectural or leadership role.

  • Hands-on experience with a wide range of AI technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision, and recommendation systems.

  • Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure) and distributed computing environments.

• Skills & Expertise:

  • Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, Java, or C++.

  • Expertise in AI/ML frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, or Scikit-learn.

  • Deep understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software engineering principles.

  • Strong knowledge of databases, big data tools (Hadoop, Spark), and AI/ML deployment techniques.

  • Familiarity with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).

  • Understanding of AI ethics, fairness, and interpretability of models.

• Soft Skills:

  • Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

  • Strong communication skills to explain complex AI concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

  • Ability to lead teams and work collaboratively across functions.

  • Strong business acumen and ability to align AI solutions with company goals and objectives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with real-time AI applications and big data analytics.

• Experience working with edge AI systems or IoT-based AI solutions.

• Familiarity with MLOps (Machine Learning Operations) to streamline model deployment, monitoring, and maintenance.

Additional Job Description:

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

-

PayPal is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.

Actual Compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to work location, and relevant skills and experience.

The total compensation for this practice may include an annual performance bonus (or other incentive compensation, as applicable), equity, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. For more information, visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

The U.S. national annual pay range for this role is

$144800 to $319000

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentaccommodations@paypal.com.

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.