AI/ML Engineer

About Ascendion

Ascendion is a full-service digital engineering solutions company. We make and manage software platforms and products that power growth and deliver captivating experiences to consumers and employees. Our engineering, cloud, data, experience design, and talent solution capabilities accelerate transformation and impact for enterprise clients. Headquartered in New Jersey, our workforce of 6,000 Ascenders delivers solutions from around the globe. Ascendion is built differently to engineer the next.

Ascendion | Engineering to elevate life

We have a culture built on opportunity, inclusion, and a spirit of partnership. Come, change the world with us:

• Build the coolest tech for the world’s leading brands
• Solve complex problems - and learn new skills
• Experience the power of transforming digital engineering for Fortune 500 clients
• Master your craft with leading training programs and hands-on experience

Experience a community of change makers!

Join a culture of high-performing innovators with endless ideas and a passion for tech. Our culture is the fabric of our company, and it is what makes us unique and diverse. The way we share ideas, learning, experiences, successes, and joy allows everyone to be their best at Ascendion.

About the Role

Serves as a senior technical leader responsible for driving the design, development, and deployment of advanced AI solutions to solve complex business challenges. Brings deep expertise across domains, including computer vision, natural language processing, recommendation systems, and predictive analytics, while shaping strategic direction, establishing best practices, and influencing cross-functional teams to maximize the impact of AI initiatives.

This is a hybrid role, requiring candidates to be within a commutable distance of Irvine, CA, or Plano, TX

Job Title

AI/Machine learning Engineer

Key Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, and delivers solutions that meet business line and enterprise requirements.
• Serves as a recognized authority and internal expert in applied AI, shaping the organization’s technical direction and strategy.
• Oversees large, complex, and transformative initiatives directly influencing functional and/or enterprise initiatives. Works under consultative direction to achieve objectives.
• Partners with cross-functional leaders to identify high-impact opportunities for AI integration and defines solution approaches to achieve measurable results.
• Guides the development and deployment of machine learning models into production, ensuring alignment with business and product requirements.
• Optimizes model performance, scalability, and reliability to meet enterprise-grade standards.
• Translates cutting-edge AI research and experimental methods into deployable, value-driven solutions.
• Establishes robust pipelines for data preparation, training, evaluation, deployment, and ongoing monitoring.
• Champions responsible AI practices by embedding fairness, transparency, and security into all solutions.
• Monitors emerging AI trends, frameworks, and tools to inform strategy and maintain a competitive edge.
• Performs other duties and projects assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 years of software engineering experience (C#, Python, Java, or similar; C# preferred)
• 2 years working with Python and machine learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.)
• Hands-on experience with LLMs, Generative AI, or agent-based frameworks
• Proven delivery of scalable machine learning/AI solutions on Azure, AWS, or GCP
• Strong foundation in machine learning, deep learning, data structures, and optimization
• Experience with MLOps tools (Docker, Kubernetes, MLflow)
• Ability to translate AI research into enterprise-grade solutions
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Banking mortgage experience is highly preferred
• Bachelor’s in CS/AI/machine learning required; advanced degree preferred
• Nice to have: transformers, edge AI, federated learning, or open-source contributions

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with transformers, edge AI, federated learning, or real-time inference systems.
• Track record of contributions to open-source AI projects, patents, or published research.
• Proficiency with productivity tools such as MS Office and collaboration platforms (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

Location

Irvine, CA - 92618

Salary and Other Compensation: The annual salary for this position is between $150,000 - $200,000 annually. Factors that may affect pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Benefits: The company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: [medical insurance], [dental insurance], [vision insurance], [401(k) retirement plan], [long-term disability insurance], [short-term disability insurance] [5 personal days accrued each calendar year]. The paid time off benefits meet the paid sick and safe time laws that pertain to the city/state. [10-15 days of paid vacation time] [6 paid holidays and 1 floating holiday per calendar year]

Want to change the world? Let us know.

Tell us about your experiences, education, and ambitions. Bring your knowledge, unique viewpoint, and creativity to the table. Let’s talk!