Senior Level Principal Machine Learning Engineer Jobs
Senior level principal machine learning engineer jobs call for professionals who set technical direction, own end-to-end model development, and lead the cross-functional teams that bring production systems to scale. Openings are concentrated across Technology & Software, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Devices, with a strong mix of remote and on-site roles, and employers like Lila Sciences, Zillow, and Riot Games hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 16+ Senior Level Principal Machine Learning Engineer jobs
The Opportunity
Unity Vector represents the next generation of our AI-powered advertising ecosystem, a forward-looking evolution of our machine learning infrastructure and models.
We are seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to join our Vector Ads Modeling team. In this role, you will work with a high-performing high-impact team to advance ads recommendation algorithms to deliver personalized ads experience.
What you’ll be doing
- Identity opportunities and design modeling roadmap that addresses customer needs.
- Drive foundational research for new models and paradigms.
- Leverage rich user data and large-scale compute to validate models rapidly.
- Collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to productionalize research.
What we’re looking for
- Expertise: Hands-on experience applying state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning models to complex real-world problems, specifically in the domains of user behavior modeling. Proficiency in Python, Pytorch and deep learning frameworks.
- Data & Analytics: Solid understanding of metric design, large-scale data analysis, and distributed computing frameworks.
- Strategic Impact: Proven ability to drive projects end-to-end, solving critical cross-team problems and delivering measurable business results.
Additional information
Gross Annual Salary: $197,400 - $325,400 USD
This range reflects the anticipated base salary for this position. Beyond base salary, this role may be eligible for equity awards and participation in our company incentive plans (such as annual discretionary bonuses or sales commissions). The final offer amount will depend on several factors, including geographic location and the candidate’s relevant experience, professional background, and skill set.
Benefits
At Unity, we want our team members to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support well-being and work-life balance.
Please note: Benefits eligibility, specific offerings, and coverage vary based on the country and employment status.
While specific benefits vary, here are some of the ways we strive to take care of our eligible team members globally: Comprehensive health, life, and disability insurance | Commute subsidy | Employee stock ownership | Competitive retirement/pension plans | Generous vacation and personal days | Support for new parents through leave and family-care programs | Office food snacks | Mental Health and Wellbeing programs and support | Employee Resource Groups | Global Employee Assistance Program | Training and development programs | Volunteering and donation matching program
Life at Unity
Unity [NYSE: U] is the world’s leading game engine, powering play for more than 3 billion consumers each month. The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console games, and virtually all of the top XR and Web Games are developed, deployed, and grown in Unity. Unity also enables teams across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare to design, simulate, and collaborate in 3D — closing the gap between ideas and reality. For more information, please visit www.unity.com.
Unity is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment and celebrate our employees across age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Our differences are strengths that enable us to support the growing and evolving needs of our customers, partners, and collaborators. If you have a disability that means there are preparations or accommodations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please fill out this form to let us know.
This position requires the incumbent to have a sufficient knowledge of English to have professional verbal and written exchanges in this language since the performance of the duties related to this position requires frequent and regular communication with colleagues and partners located worldwide and whose common language is English.
This posting is intended to fill an existing vacancy, and we are committed to providing applicants with updates throughout the hiring process in accordance with applicable law.
Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. Unity does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Unity will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Unity.
Your privacy is important to us. Please take a moment to review our Prospect and Applicant Privacy Policies. Should you have any concerns about your privacy, please contact us at DPO@unity.com.
The Opportunity
Unity Vector represents the next generation of our AI-powered advertising ecosystem, a forward-looking evolution of our machine learning infrastructure and models.
We are seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to join our Vector Ads Modeling team. In this role, you will work with a high-performing high-impact team to advance ads recommendation algorithms to deliver personalized ads experience.
What you’ll be doing
- Identity opportunities and design modeling roadmap that addresses customer needs.
- Drive foundational research for new models and paradigms.
- Leverage rich user data and large-scale compute to validate models rapidly.
- Collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to productionalize research.
What we’re looking for
- Expertise: Hands-on experience applying state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning models to complex real-world problems, specifically in the domains of user behavior modeling. Proficiency in Python, Pytorch and deep learning frameworks.
- Data & Analytics: Solid understanding of metric design, large-scale data analysis, and distributed computing frameworks.
- Strategic Impact: Proven ability to drive projects end-to-end, solving critical cross-team problems and delivering measurable business results.
Additional information
Gross Annual Salary: $197,400 - $325,400 USD
This range reflects the anticipated base salary for this position. Beyond base salary, this role may be eligible for equity awards and participation in our company incentive plans (such as annual discretionary bonuses or sales commissions). The final offer amount will depend on several factors, including geographic location and the candidate’s relevant experience, professional background, and skill set.
Benefits
At Unity, we want our team members to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support well-being and work-life balance.
Please note: Benefits eligibility, specific offerings, and coverage vary based on the country and employment status.
While specific benefits vary, here are some of the ways we strive to take care of our eligible team members globally: Comprehensive health, life, and disability insurance | Commute subsidy | Employee stock ownership | Competitive retirement/pension plans | Generous vacation and personal days | Support for new parents through leave and family-care programs | Office food snacks | Mental Health and Wellbeing programs and support | Employee Resource Groups | Global Employee Assistance Program | Training and development programs | Volunteering and donation matching program
Life at Unity
Unity [NYSE: U] is the world’s leading game engine, powering play for more than 3 billion consumers each month. The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console games, and virtually all of the top XR and Web Games are developed, deployed, and grown in Unity. Unity also enables teams across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare to design, simulate, and collaborate in 3D — closing the gap between ideas and reality. For more information, please visit www.unity.com.
Unity is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment and celebrate our employees across age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Our differences are strengths that enable us to support the growing and evolving needs of our customers, partners, and collaborators. If you have a disability that means there are preparations or accommodations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please fill out this form to let us know.
This position requires the incumbent to have a sufficient knowledge of English to have professional verbal and written exchanges in this language since the performance of the duties related to this position requires frequent and regular communication with colleagues and partners located worldwide and whose common language is English.
This posting is intended to fill an existing vacancy, and we are committed to providing applicants with updates throughout the hiring process in accordance with applicable law.
Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. Unity does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Unity will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Unity.
Your privacy is important to us. Please take a moment to review our Prospect and Applicant Privacy Policies. Should you have any concerns about your privacy, please contact us at DPO@unity.com.
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Medical Devices
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces
- Consulting & Professional Services
Senior Level Principal Machine Learning Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior level principal machine learning engineer job?
Employers at this level look for a portfolio of shipped production ML systems, not just research or prototypes. Demonstrating that you have driven model design decisions independently, mentored engineers, and translated ambiguous business problems into scalable solutions gives you a clear edge. Publishing work, contributing to open-source projects, and showing measurable business impact in your resume all strengthen your candidacy significantly.
Which companies hire senior level principal machine learning engineers?
Companies hiring senior level principal machine learning engineers right now include Lila Sciences, Zillow, and Riot Games, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hiring at this level comes from a wide range of organizations, including large technology platforms, enterprise software companies, and data-intensive firms in finance, healthcare, and logistics that rely on ML to drive core product decisions.
Are there remote senior level principal machine learning engineer jobs?
Yes, remote work is well established at this level given the seniority and autonomy these roles carry. About 23% of senior level principal machine learning engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting strong employer flexibility for candidates who can demonstrate independent execution and distributed team leadership. On-site roles tend to cluster at companies with regulated data environments or hardware-adjacent ML work.
What makes a principal machine learning engineer role senior level?
Senior level principal machine learning engineer roles are defined by scope and ownership. You are expected to set the technical roadmap for ML systems, make high-stakes architectural decisions without close supervision, and mentor mid-level and junior engineers across the team. The work typically touches multiple products or business units, and your influence extends to research prioritization, tooling standards, and cross-functional collaboration with product and leadership.
Which industries hire the most senior level principal machine learning engineers?
Senior Level principal machine learning engineer roles concentrate in Technology & Software, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Devices, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors invest heavily at this level because they depend on custom, production-grade ML systems to power core products, manage risk, personalize user experiences, or process large volumes of proprietary data where off-the-shelf solutions fall short.