Senior AI/ML Research Engineer

Vanguard is one of the world's largest and most respected investment management companies, known for its client-centric approach, low-cost investment products, and commitment to long-term, data-driven investment strategies. Our Enterprise AI and Research (EAiR) team is actively working on advancing AI innovation by integrating cutting-edge concepts into the Vanguard AI ecosystem, establishing strategic AI partnerships, and building enterprise-level AI capabilities to empower Vanguard clients with advanced AI research and technology. The team aims to ultimately accelerate critical business solutions with AI capabilities. Some of the team’s areas of research include areas around Agentic AI, Responsible AI, and Cognitive AI Architecture

Role Overview:

Push the boundaries of AI innovation while contributing to impactful research and guiding the next generation of publications. We are seeking a Senior Research Engineer to join our AI research team. In this role, you will work on cutting-edge AI technologies, contribute to the development of transformative solutions, and lead research initiatives that result in high impact publications. This role is perfect for someone passionate about applying advanced AI concepts to solve real-world challenges, publishing their work in top-tier venues, and mentoring others in the pursuit of groundbreaking research. You’ll collaborate with scientists, engineers, and cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions while contributing to the broader AI research community. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Conduct advanced research in AI domains, such as Generative AI, Agentic AI, Cognitive AI architectures, call transcription, and large language models; Drive the development of new algorithms, models and techniques that push the boundaries of AI technology.

• Work closely with engineering teams to transition research findings into scalable, production-ready solutions; Develop prototypes and proof of concept systems that demonstrate the applicability of research findings to business problems.

• Publish research in top-tier AI conferenes and journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, ACL); Present findings at conferences, workshops, and internal forums to showcase advancements and foster knowledge sharing.

• Mentor junior scientists and engineers in conducting high-quality research and writing impactful publications; Provide technical guidance and support to ensure research aligns with both academic and business goals.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to align research priorities with business needs; Work closely with product and engineering teams to design AI solutions that are both innovative and practical

• Ensure all research and solutions adhere to responsible AI principles, prioritizing safety.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Post Doctorate or PhD in Computer Science, AI, Data Science or related field

• PhD or Master’s degree  in a relevant field of study such as Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Electrical & Computer Engineering.

• At least 5+ years of experience in AI/ML research in industry or academic setting.

• Experience with machine learning development lifecycle and AI/ML methods such as Transformers, Diffusion Models, SHAP, LLM and GenAI etc.

• Deep understanding of cutting-edge AI research topics, such as multi-agent systems, generative models, or cognitive architectures

• Strong software engineering capabilities and hands-on experience with various machine learning and deep learning frameworks including numpy, scikit-learn, keras, PyTorch and Tensorflow

• A strong understanding of the real-world advantages and drawbacks of various algorithms and the ability to measure success

• Ability to write clean, understandable code that follows leading industry standards and practices and is well-documented, and to build easily reproducible models

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.