Principal AI Scientist at Cerence

At Cerence AI, we are the global industry leader in creating unique, moving experiences for the automotive world. Spun out from Nuance in October 2019, we work with all of the world’s leading automakers to transform how a car feels, responds, and learns. Our track record is built on more than 20 years of industry experience and leadership, with more than 500 million cars on the road today across more than 70 languages.

About the role

As an AI Research Scientist, you will architect, design, and implement state-of-the-art Generative AI models (auto-regressive, diffusion, Discrete Diffusion, Hybrid SSM, etc.) and advance the state-of-the-art in very small LLMs. You will leverage your expertise to train, fine-tune, and optimize models that impact LLMs (Multimodal & Multilingual), shaping them for optimal accuracy, naturalness, and performance.

You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams comprising agentic AI scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to develop customized solutions that leverage the power of LLMs/MLLMs. Additionally, you will innovate and enhance existing applications by integrating LLMs/MLLMs, ensuring optimal performance and speed even on resource-constrained platforms.

Staying abreast of the latest advancements, trends, and research in Generative AI, Conversational AI, and language modeling, you will actively incorporate new techniques, technologies, and best practices to continually enhance our systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement state-of-the-art Generative AI models (auto-regressive, diffusion, Discrete Diffusion, Hybrid SSM, etc.) to advance the state-of-the-art in very small LLMs.
• Train, fine-tune, and optimize models for LLMs (Multimodal & Multilingual) to achieve optimal accuracy, naturalness, and performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including agentic AI scientists, software engineers, and domain experts, to understand requirements and develop customized solutions.
• Innovate and enhance existing applications by integrating LLMs/MLLMs, ensuring high performance and speed on resource-constrained platforms.
• Stay current with the latest advancements, trends, and research in Generative AI, Conversational AI, and language modeling, incorporating new techniques and best practices.
• Support commercial deployments, including post-deployment support, model profiling, and optimization for production environments, with experience in multilingual deployments preferred.

Requirements

• Extensive experience and demonstrated mastery in developing LLM/MLLMs.
• Advanced degree (Ph.D. preferred) in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• Exceptional programming skills in Python and a strong ability to implement complex machine learning algorithms.
• Proven track record in developing conversational AI systems, including experience with acoustic models, language models, and pronunciation models.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and a collaborative mindset.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off
• Choice-based medical coverage plus Dental and Vision plans
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Paid parental leave and adoption assistance
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program and wellbeing platform
• Volunteer hours and broad employee discount marketplace
• Tuition reimbursement and global rewards and recognition program

Pay

The expected salary range for this position is $123,500 - $197,600 USD. The actual salary will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors. Annual bonus opportunity included.