POSITION OVERVIEWThe work we do at Autodesk touches nearly every person on the planet. By creating software tools for making buildings, machines, and even the latest movies, we influence and empower some of the most creative people in the world to solve problems that matter.Autodesk is looking for a Principal ML Engineer, ML Platform and Systems Architecture to lead the design and evolution of large-scale machine learning platforms. In this role, you will own high-impact technical initiatives that span ML infrastructure, data systems, model lifecycle tooling, and production architecture. You will work closely with researchers, product teams, and engineering leadership to build the systems that bring advanced machine learning into reliable, scalable product experiences. This is a senior technical leadership role for an engineer who excels at system architecture, distributed computing, and end-to-end platform thinking. You will help define the technical direction for ML systems and drive execution across ambiguous, cross-functional, high-value initiatives. This role is fully remote-friendly, with team members distributed across the US and Canada.Location: US or Canada RemoteRESPONSIBILITIESLead architecture and delivery for major ML platform capabilities across training, evaluation, deployment, and observabilityDesign scalable systems for distributed training, data processing, feature and model lifecycle management, and production inferenceOwn platform-level technical outcomes from design through deployment, operations, and continuous improvementDrive the design and scaling of data pipelines for large-scale structured and semi-structured technical datasetsLead architecture for distributed data processing and orchestration systems such as Ray, Airflow, Spark, or similar platformsEstablish strong practices for data lineage, provenance, governance, and responsible data usage in ML systemsGuide the design of model deployment, inference services, monitoring, and observability for production ML workloadsContribute to the development of ML-ready representations for geometry, graph, hierarchical, or multimodal dataClarify ambiguous problem spaces, define solution approaches, and lead execution across multiple engineers and teamsEstablish and improve engineering standards, operational practices, and architectural patterns for ML systemsLead incident response for critical platform issues and drive lasting improvements across system health and supportabilityMentor engineers and act as a force multiplier through design leadership, coaching, and technical reviewsCommunicate technical strategy, tradeoffs, and execution plans clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholdersMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONSBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industry experienceTypically 6 to 8 years of industry experience in software engineering, ML infrastructure, distributed systems, or platform engineering, including experience leading design and delivery of complex technical systemsDeep experience in software architecture, distributed systems, large-scale data platforms, or ML infrastructureStrong proficiency in Python and strong command of production software engineering practicesExperience leading complex technical initiatives that span multiple engineers or cross-functional teamsStrong experience with large-scale data pipelines, distributed data processing, and cloud-native platform architecturesExperience with model deployment, inference systems, and production observabilityDemonstrated ability to make architecture decisions that balance performance, scalability, reliability, and costStrong communication and stakeholder management skillsPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSExperience building data governance, lineage, and provenance capabilities for ML platformsExperience building ML-ready representations for geometry, graph, hierarchical, or multimodal dataDeep experience with distributed ML frameworks and large-scale training infrastructureExperience with Kubernetes, workflow orchestration systems, and modern ML platform toolingExperience with production incident leadership, service reviews, resiliency practices, and operational readinessFamiliarity with AEC data, computational design workflows, BIM/CAD ecosystems, or Autodesk productsTHE IDEAL CANDIDATEIs a strong architect and hands-on engineerDrives clarity and momentum in ambiguous spacesThinks at platform level and acts with strong product and business awarenessRaises the engineering bar for system design, quality, and operational excellenceBuilds trust through technical depth, calm judgment, and execution leadershipBenefitsFrom health and financial benefits to time away and everyday wellness, we give Autodeskers the best, so they can do their best work. Learn more about our benefits in the U.S. by visiting transparencySalary is one part of Autodesk's competitive compensation package. For U.S.-based roles, we expect a starting base salary between $152,000 and $272,250. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and geographic location, and may exceed this range. In addition to base salaries, our compensation package may include annual cash bonuses, commissions for sales roles, stock grants, and a comprehensive benefits package.Equal Employment OpportunityAt Autodesk, we're building a diverse workplace and an inclusive culture to give more people the chance to imagine, design, and make a better world. Autodesk is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. We also consider for employment all qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.Diversity & BelongingWe take pride in cultivating a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive. Learn more here: