Applied AI Scientist

About the role

Join the Foundational Modeling team at Splunk, where we advance the state of AI for high-volume, real-time, multi-modal machine-generated data. This role involves contributing to the research, design, and development of large-scale foundation models for machine-generated data, with a focus on graph data and additional support for logs, time series, traces, and events.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the research, design, and development of large-scale foundation models for machine-generated data, with a primary focus on graph data and additional support for logs, time series, traces, and event modalities.
• Develop and enhance distributed training and inference workflows, leveraging data-driven approaches to improve model quality, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and data science teams to understand requirements, incorporate stakeholder feedback, and deliver AI/ML solutions that address business and technical needs.
• Share emerging ideas, technical insights, and best practices with teammates, contributing to technical discussions and helping advance team capabilities and project outcomes.
• Explore and evaluate new AI/ML techniques, tools, and methodologies, applying relevant innovations to improve workflows, solve technical challenges, and support the team’s roadmap and objectives.
• Take ownership of assigned projects and deliver high-quality results with urgency, while proactively identifying obstacles, driving resolution of technical issues, and continuously improving development processes.

Requirements

• Master Degree in Computer Science, or related quantitative field, plus 2+ years of industry research experience.
• Proven track record in at least one of the following areas: Large-scale graph representation learning and Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), large language modeling for structured and unstructured data, multi-modal fusion of graph, text, log, and time-series data.
• Solid proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience translating research ideas into production systems.

Qualifications

• Deep experience with graph representation learning, graph transformers, spatio-temporal GNNs, heterogeneous graphs, and knowledge-graph-augmented modeling.
• Expertise in constructing and operating on large-scale graphs, including entity graphs, service dependency graphs, topology graphs, causal graphs, or log-event graphs.
• Hands-on experience with frameworks such as PyTorch Geometric, DGL, GraphGym, GraphML systems, or custom GNN runtimes.
• Advanced Anomaly Detection with Graph: track record developing hybrid graph-temporal approaches for detecting anomalies in high-volume operational data.
• Hands-on experience developing, fine-tuning, or adapting foundation models for domain-specific data such as logs, time-series, graphs, operational telemetry, or enterprise knowledge, including representation learning across structured and unstructured modalities.
• Large-Scale Training & Optimization: experience optimizing model architectures, distributed training pipelines, and inference efficiency to minimize cost and latency while preserving accuracy.
• MLOps & Continuous Learning: fluency in automated retraining, drift detection, incremental updates, and production monitoring of ML models.
• Strong Research Track Record: publications in top AI/ML conferences or journals demonstrating contributions to state-of-the-art methods and real-world applications.

Skills

• Python programming skills.
• Knowledge of deep learning frameworks like PyTorch, TensorFlow.
• Experience with large-scale graph processing and machine learning.
• Ability to translate research into practical applications.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

Benefits

At Cisco, we offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment. The starting salary range for this position is $165,300.00 to $209,200.00, reflecting the projected salary range for new hires in U.S. and Canadian locations. Additional benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• A 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• Volunteer time off.
• Flexible vacation time off.
• Annual bonuses for quota-based sales roles.

Pay

The starting salary range for this position is $165,300.00 to $209,200.00, reflecting the projected salary range for new hires in U.S. and Canadian locations. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.

Schedule

This role offers a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the team and the individual.