Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineers rank among the most visa-sponsored roles in U.S. tech. Employers filing H-1B visa petitions for this level consistently cite Computer Science or related engineering degrees, and many qualify for O-1A or EB-1 expedited pathways given the seniority. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
As a machine learning engineer within the Attributes team in the Perception department, you will take ownership of developing and enhancing sophisticated behavioral models for various road users, including vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Your work will focus on creating and maintaining robust perception attribute models that generate critical signals for our autonomous driving stack. These signals are essential inputs that enable our Prediction and Planning teams to make intelligent, safe driving decisions for our autonomous vehicles.
The Attributes team is fundamental to Zoox's autonomous driving capabilities. The models you develop will serve as the foundation for how our vehicles understand and interact with other road users, directly contributing to the safety and effectiveness of our autonomous driving system. By creating reliable and accurate behavioral models, you enable Zoox's vehicles to make smart, safe decisions in complex urban environments, bringing us closer to our goal of revolutionizing urban mobility.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the development of sophisticated behavioral models for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists as a key member of the Attributes team within Zoox's Perception department.
- Create and maintain perception attribute models that generate essential signals, enabling our autonomous vehicles to understand and predict the behavior of various road users.
- Collaborate closely with Prediction and Planning teams to optimize your models' outputs, directly influencing how our autonomous vehicles make real-time driving decisions.
- Work with data labeling and ontology teams on data labeling and ontology definitions of the road users in different attributes and generate auto-labeling or data mining strategies for different attributes.
- Help shape the future of autonomous mobility by bridging the critical gap between raw perception data and autonomous decision-making.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- MS/PhD in computer science or related fields with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
- Experience with training and deploying Deep Learning models
- Experience with knowledge distillations from large foundation models
- Experience with production Machine Learning pipelines: dataset creation, training frameworks, metrics pipelines
- Fluency programming in Python and extensive experience with algorithm design
- Strong mathematics skills
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity of VLMs/VLAs/ViTs
- Experience with large model distillation in a production environment
- Familiarity with C++
COMPENSATION
There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.
Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.
ABOUT ZOOX
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com or your assigned recruiter.
A Final Note: You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
INTRODUCTION
As a machine learning engineer within the Attributes team in the Perception department, you will take ownership of developing and enhancing sophisticated behavioral models for various road users, including vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Your work will focus on creating and maintaining robust perception attribute models that generate critical signals for our autonomous driving stack. These signals are essential inputs that enable our Prediction and Planning teams to make intelligent, safe driving decisions for our autonomous vehicles.
The Attributes team is fundamental to Zoox's autonomous driving capabilities. The models you develop will serve as the foundation for how our vehicles understand and interact with other road users, directly contributing to the safety and effectiveness of our autonomous driving system. By creating reliable and accurate behavioral models, you enable Zoox's vehicles to make smart, safe decisions in complex urban environments, bringing us closer to our goal of revolutionizing urban mobility.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the development of sophisticated behavioral models for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists as a key member of the Attributes team within Zoox's Perception department.
- Create and maintain perception attribute models that generate essential signals, enabling our autonomous vehicles to understand and predict the behavior of various road users.
- Collaborate closely with Prediction and Planning teams to optimize your models' outputs, directly influencing how our autonomous vehicles make real-time driving decisions.
- Work with data labeling and ontology teams on data labeling and ontology definitions of the road users in different attributes and generate auto-labeling or data mining strategies for different attributes.
- Help shape the future of autonomous mobility by bridging the critical gap between raw perception data and autonomous decision-making.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- MS/PhD in computer science or related fields with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
- Experience with training and deploying Deep Learning models
- Experience with knowledge distillations from large foundation models
- Experience with production Machine Learning pipelines: dataset creation, training frameworks, metrics pipelines
- Fluency programming in Python and extensive experience with algorithm design
- Strong mathematics skills
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity of VLMs/VLAs/ViTs
- Experience with large model distillation in a production environment
- Familiarity with C++
COMPENSATION
There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.
Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.
ABOUT ZOOX
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com or your assigned recruiter.
A Final Note: You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See all 207+ Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer
Target companies with established ML infrastructure
Large tech firms and AI-first startups with dedicated ML platforms teams sponsor this role most reliably. They have immigration counsel on retainer and treat H-1B sponsorship as a standard hiring cost, not an exception requiring executive approval.
Frame your degree field precisely on applications
H-1B specialty occupation requires a degree in a directly related field. Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Statistics are strong matches. A degree in a loosely related field increases RFE risk, so frame your coursework and transcripts carefully with your employer's counsel.
Highlight publications, patents, or model deployments at scale
Staff and Sr Staff roles sit at or near the principal level. Evidence of industry-recognized contributions, open-source projects, or peer-reviewed work strengthens both your H-1B petition and opens the door to O-1A or EB-1A self-petition options.
Ask about the company's I-140 filing timeline upfront
At this seniority, many employers will file an I-140 immigrant petition concurrently or shortly after H-1B approval. Knowing whether EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship is on offer matters significantly for long-term planning, especially for Indian or Chinese nationals facing backlogs.
Understand cap-exempt employer options if you miss the H-1B lottery
Universities, nonprofit research labs, and government-affiliated institutions are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning they can file year-round without lottery risk. Senior ML roles exist at places like national labs and research universities, and sponsorship there sidesteps the annual cap entirely.
Use Migrate Mate to filter roles by verified sponsorship history
Not every job posting that mentions visa sponsorship follows through at the offer stage. Migrate Mate surfaces employers with documented sponsorship activity for ML engineering roles, reducing time spent on applications that stall once immigration costs enter the conversation.
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Find Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Do employers typically sponsor H-1B visas for Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer roles?
Yes, sponsorship rates for this title are high relative to the broader tech job market. Sr Staff ML Engineers command enough strategic value that most large tech employers absorb H-1B costs without hesitation. You're most likely to encounter resistance at early-stage startups without dedicated HR or legal infrastructure for immigration filings. Migrate Mate lets you filter specifically for employers with verified sponsorship history at this seniority level.
What degree qualifies for H-1B sponsorship as a Machine Learning Engineer?
A bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or Statistics is the standard qualifying credential for this role under H-1B specialty occupation rules. USCIS looks for a direct relationship between the degree field and the job duties. A general engineering or business degree without strong quantitative coursework can trigger a Request for Evidence. Relevant graduate degrees, especially in ML or AI, significantly strengthen the petition.
Can a Sr Staff ML Engineer qualify for an O-1A visa instead of H-1B?
Potentially yes, and it's worth evaluating seriously at this level. The O-1A requires evidence of extraordinary ability, typically demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, patents, significant open-source contributions, or a high salary relative to peers. Sr Staff engineers who have published research, led breakthrough model deployments, or received industry awards often meet multiple O-1A criteria. Unlike H-1B, the O-1A has no lottery and can be filed year-round.
How does Indian or Chinese nationality affect sponsorship timelines for this role?
H-1B approval and work authorization are unaffected by nationality, but employer-sponsored green card timelines are heavily impacted. Indian and Chinese nationals face employment-based visa backlogs measured in decades for EB-2 and EB-3 categories. At the Sr Staff level, it's worth asking employers whether they support EB-1A or EB-1B (Outstanding Researcher) pathways, which currently have no backlog for any nationality and offer a substantially faster route to permanent residence.
What is the H-1B approval rate for Machine Learning Engineer petitions?
USCIS doesn't publish approval rates broken down to this specific title, but ML engineering petitions filed under Computer Occupations SOC codes consistently see approval rates above 90% when the petition is well-documented and filed by experienced immigration counsel. The main risk factor is a Request for Evidence challenging specialty occupation status, which is more common for roles where the degree requirement isn't explicitly stated in the job description. Clear job duty language in the LCA and offer letter reduces this risk substantially.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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