Principal Applied Scientist

Application window is expected to close on 6/14/2024

AI at Cisco

With Cisco, you're not just embracing the future - you're helping create it. We are focused on integrating AI into our solutions to transform collaboration, security, networking, observability, and more. We are innovating ethical AI products and infrastructure that enable our customers to stay ahead of cyberattacks, predict and prevent network outages, and make team meetings more productive. Our extensive data sets and broad customer reach means limitless possibilities for you to build impactful AI solutions that solve a wide array of real-world problems. Join us at Cisco where you will innovate with top AI experts and be a part of our mission to power an inclusive future for all.

AI in the Business Unit

Outshift by Cisco is a tech incubation group that specializes in developing new innovative businesses and products. We are at the forefront of technology, incubating ideas and turning them into real products that address critical needs from minimum viable product (MVP) to full commercialization. Outshift brings the spark and speed of a start up together with the scale and strength of a global tech giant.

As Outshifters, we build and deploy a full spectrum of AI ranging from smaller custom models to more general large models using natural language processing (NLP), multimodal, neural network architecture and more to solve ambitious customer problems. We are dedicated to applying and advancing powerful AI technologies in products and creating the latest AI-powered user experiences on various platforms. With multiple GenAI initiatives in flight, we are always incubating with business groups, partners, startups, and leading Universities. Ask yourself… where else will you get to do this?

Your Impact on the Team

Our Outshift group is building a core dedicated team specializing in applied deep learning in large language models (LLM) and Generative AI, with high visibility to senior leadership and influence on company-wide AI initiatives. We need your outstanding technical background in LLMs and deep learning, especially natural language processing and multimodal AI, to build innovative technologies to solve real world problems. Here are some of the ways you will help us achieve AI excellence and enhance our capabilities in the space…

• Drive the Generative AI strategy, adapt various GenAI models for quality and performance for new products.

• Analyze data to discover patterns, design, develop, evaluate, validate, and build scalable ML models for deep learning and generative AI products

• Develop, implement, and optimize LLMs and generative AI technologies, including training/finetuning and computation optimizations

• Conduct research and development into innovative AI/ML/GenAI models using pioneering tools and techniques, develop new algorithms and systems for reasoning using text, image, video, audio, and multimodal inputs.

• Collaborate with product managers to understand business requirements, and work with peer engineers and scientists to build prototypes

• Collaborate with software engineers to deploy LLM and other Generative AI models into production environments.

• Test and integrate successful models and algorithms into production systems that operate at very large scale

• Mentor applied scientists and engineers globally and holding Outshift to a high standard of technical rigor and excellence in AI

• Be a product evangelist - engage directly with customers and partners, participate, and present in external events and conferences

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD degree and 7+ years, or Master's degree and 10+ years in CS, CE, ML, or related fields

• Experience developing and delivering models for enterprise class products

• 7+ years of experience in Java, C++, Python (or related languages)

• Experience using deep learning frameworks to develop, implement, and optimize GenAI technologies, including training, fine-tuning and computation optimizations.

• Hands-on experience in natural language processing, computer vision, or multimodal interaction

• Experience designing and building PoCs and production deployments with GenAI and data science technologies

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience partnering with product management to provide consolidated learnings to improve their products and platforms

• Practical experience in system design, software development, and production deployment

• Excel in transforming ambiguous requirements into actionable plans with deep learning techniques for problem-solving

• Familiarity with the latest advancements in computer vision and multimodal modeling such as CLIP, DALL-E2, and diffusion models

• Publications in top-tier deep learning conferences or significant contributions to prominent deep learning repositories

• Top-tier performance in prestigious deep learning leaderboards or large model-related competitions

• Having an impressive set of GitHub projects or contributions to open-source technologies

• PhD in machine learning, data science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or highly quantitative field

Why Cisco?

Cisco has embarked on an AI journey with immense potential, powered by an innovative and diverse work environment that encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Our strategic AI acquisitions paired with our access to extensive data positions us to have a substantial influence in the AI space in the short term and beyond. At Cisco, we believe in "one company, many careers" and with investment in multiple key AI initiatives across our business, employees have unique opportunities to broaden their experience and skills. Our award-winning culture is proof that a diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives that drive better decision-making, more inclusive products, and a richer work environment for everyone.

If you are motivated about shaping the future with AI, are eager to work with the newest technologies, and are ready to grow on a team that values every individual, Cisco is where you can turn your aspirations into achievements!

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Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings. Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday, plus a day off for their birthday. Employees accrue up to 20 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) each year and have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues without tapping into their PTO. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community. Employees are also able to purchase company stock through our Employee Stock Purchase Program.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.