Senior AI and Machine Learning Research Engineer

An all-encompassing global membership organization, dedicated to boldly pushing the wine, beer and spirits industry toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive era that supports business development and innovation, empowering all to thrive.

Senior AI and Machine Learning Research Engineer

What You Need To Know

Open the door to a groundbreaking tech career with an industry leader. Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits is North America's preeminent wine and spirits distributor, as well as a family-owned, privately held company with a 50+ year legacy of success. To create a new era in alcohol beverage sales and service, we're heavily invested in the most transformative new technologies - and the most brilliant tech professionals. Southern Glazer's was named by Newsweek as a Most Loved Workplace and is included on the Forbes lists for Largest Private Companies and Best Employers for Diversity.

As a full-time employee, you can choose from a full menu of our Top Shelf Benefits, including comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage, dental and vision plans, tax-saving Flexible Spending Accounts, disability coverage, life insurance plans, and a 401(k) plan. We also offer tuition reimbursement, a wellness program, parental leave, vacation accrual, paid sick leave, and more.

We offer continuous learning and career growth in a fast-paced environment where you are respected, your voice is heard, and technology is part of our strategy for success. If you're looking to fill your glass with opportunity, come join our FAMILY.

Overview

The Senior AI and Machine Learning Research Engineer will be a key member of our AI and ML team, focusing on developing and implementing generative AI initiatives such as sales coaching systems, chatbots for data insights, and interactive recommendation engines. This role will be instrumental in leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance our digital product experience and drive sales growth for SGWS.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement advanced generative AI models for applications including sales coaching, conversational AI, and recommendation systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for AI-driven solutions and translate business requirements into technical specifications.
• Build and optimize large language models (LLMs) and other generative AI architectures to suit specific business needs.
• Develop and maintain AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants to provide data insights and interactive recommendations.
• Implement and fine-tune natural language processing (NLP) models for various applications within the company.
• Ensure the scalability, reliability, and efficiency of AI systems in production environments.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in generative AI and propose innovative solutions to improve existing processes.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to the overall growth of the AI team.
• Prepare and present AI modeling results and analytical insights to stakeholders at various levels of the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field. OR 2+ years of hands-on experience in developing and deploying machine learning and AI models, with a focus on generative AI and NLP.
• Strong expertise in deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or JAX.
• Proficiency in Python and experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Demonstrated experience in building and deploying large language models and generative AI systems.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and MLOps practices.
• Strong understanding of NLP techniques, including transformer architectures, attention mechanisms, and transfer learning.
• Experience with conversational AI, chatbot development, and recommendation systems.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to translate complex business problems into AI solutions.
• Strong communication skills to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Physical Demands

• Physical demands include a considerable amount of time sitting and typing/keyboarding, using a computer (e.g., keyboard, mouse, and monitor), or adding machine.
• Physical demands with activity or condition may include walking, bending, reaching, standing, squatting, and stooping.
• May require occasional lifting/lowering, pushing, carrying, or pulling up to 20lbs.

EEO Statement

Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, an Affirmative Action/EEO employer, prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits provides competitive compensation based on estimated performance level consistent with the past relevant experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education of employees. Unless otherwise expressly stated, any pay ranges posted here are estimates from outside of Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits and do not reflect Southern Glazer's pay bands or ranges.