Demo

Director, Applied Science, Amazon Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus)

Amazon
Palo Alto, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 11/27/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 12/27/2025
Description

Join Amazon's Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus) organization as an Applied Science Director to revolutionize the e-commerce customer experience using AI. We're seeking an exceptional leader to reimagine the next-generation search experiences that serve hundreds of millions of customers globally. In this role, you'll combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership to pioneer advances in natural language processing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Key job responsibilities

  • Define and execute the scientific vision for Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus), developing breakthrough AI technologies that transform e-commerce customer experience
  • Lead a world-class team of applied scientists and software development engineers in developing state-of-the-art search and conversational AI solutions
  • Design and implement advanced machine learning models for: Natural language understanding, Conversational AI, and generative search interfaces
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Drive research and development of large language models and generative AI capabilities that enhance search relevance, accuracy, and user interaction
  • Establish research priorities, technical roadmaps, and innovation strategies for next-generation search experience
  • Mentor and develop scientific talent, fostering a culture of technical excellence and bold innovation
  • Collaborate across Amazon to maximize the impact of scientific innovation
  • Publish research, present at top-tier conferences, and contribute to the broader scientific community

About The Team

The Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus) team at Amazon represents the state of the art of AI-driven product discovery. We operate at an unprecedented scale, serving billions of search queries daily worldwide. Our team combines deep scientific expertise with a relentless focus on customer experience, developing technologies that make finding products more natural, intuitive, and engaging.

We work across multiple domains, from e-commerce and cloud services to entertainment and devices, creating search experience that adapt to diverse user needs. Our team collaborates closely with other Amazon AI organizations, including AWS AI Services, Alexa, and Artificial General Intelligence, creating a rich ecosystem of technological innovation.

We pride ourselves on a culture of customer obsession, continuous learning, and technical excellence. Team members have the opportunity to publish innovative research, contribute to open-source projects, and develop technologies that impact millions of users worldwide.

Basic Qualifications

  • PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or related technical field
  • 15 years applied research experience with demonstrated expertise in search, e-commerce, conversational AI, or related consumer technology domains
  • 8 years of technical leadership experience managing scientific teams
  • Proven track record of developing and deploying large-scale machine learning models in production environments
  • Deep expertise in AI and reinforcement learning technologies
  • Exceptional communication skills with ability to translate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
  • Demonstrated ability to drive technical strategy and execution

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with multimodal AI systems combining text, voice, and visual search capabilities
  • Strong publication record in top-tier conferences and journals

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $262,500/year in our lowest geographic market up to $350,000/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.aboutamazon.com/workplace/employee-benefits. This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.


Company - Amazon.com Services LLC

Job ID: A3041288

Salary : $262,500 - $350,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Director, Applied Science, Amazon Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Director, Applied Science, Amazon Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$49,459 - $84,210
Income Estimation: 
$80,391 - $116,527
Income Estimation: 
$119,030 - $151,900
Income Estimation: 
$149,493 - $192,976
Income Estimation: 
$77,900 - $95,589
Income Estimation: 
$101,387 - $124,118
Income Estimation: 
$101,387 - $124,118
Income Estimation: 
$119,030 - $151,900
Income Estimation: 
$184,796 - $233,226
Income Estimation: 
$179,606 - $233,815
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Amazon

Amazon
Hired Organization Address Annapolis, MD Full Time
Description Our Senior Transportation Managers play a crucial role in exceeding expectations and providing a superb cust...
Amazon
Hired Organization Address Kenosha, WI Full Time
Description At Amazon, we prioritize health, safety, and well-being above all else. There is nothing more important. To ...
Amazon
Hired Organization Address Redmond, WA Full Time
Description Project Kuiper is an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of 3,236 satelli...
Amazon
Hired Organization Address Arlington, VA Full Time
Description Amazon's advertising business is experiencing rapid growth, creating unique challenges in managing high-volu...

Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Director, Applied Science, Amazon Search and Conversational Shopping (Rufus) jobs in the Palo Alto, CA area that may be a better fit.

DS, Applied Science , Amazon

Amazon, Palo Alto, CA

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!