Machine Learning Scientist

SUMMARY

We are looking for a Machine Learning Scientist who is passionate about applying AI and ML to solve high-impact societal challenges. The ideal candidate will have a strong research and/or applied background with 6+ years of relevant experience or a PhD, and expertise in designing and implementing machine learning models, data analysis, and simulations. Candidates with experience in Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) are preferred for this role. They should be skilled in mentoring junior researchers, working in cross-functional teams, and contributing to both practical deployments and academic research. A demonstrated commitment to social good, strong communication skills, and the ability to translate complex problems into deployable ML solutions are essential.

Preferred Location - Delhi

ABOUT US  - 

Wadhwani AI is a nonprofit institute building and deploying applied AI solutions to solve critical issues in public health, agriculture, education, and urban development in underserved communities in the global south. We collaborate with governments, social sector organizations, academic and research institutions, and domain experts to identify real-world problems and develop practical AI solutions to tackle these issues with the aim of making a substantial positive impact.

We have over 30+ AI projects supported by leading philanthropies such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Google. With a team of over 200 professionals, our expertise encompasses AI/ML research and innovation, software engineering, domain knowledge, design and user research.

In the Press:

• Our Founder Donors are among the Top 100 AI Influencers

• G20 India's Presidency: AI Healthcare, Agriculture, & Education Solutions Showcased Globally. 

• Unlocking the potentials of AI in Public Health 

• Wadhwani AI Takes an Impact-First Approach to Applying Artificial Intelligence -

• Winner of the H&M Foundation Global Change Award 2022

• Indian Winners of the 2019 Google AI Impact Challenge, and the first in the Asia Pacific to host Google Fellows

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• As an ML Scientist, you will be responsible for building machine learning solutions to problems of societal importance, and mentoring other team members in this effort. You will participate in problem definition and the development and execution of algorithms and solutions to the problems.

• As an ASR expert, you will also be assisting in the design of evaluations for ASR solutions submitted for funding to the India AI mission at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy). You will play an advisory role in the execution of these evaluations.

• In order to apply machine learning and related technologies for social good, you will need to understand user challenges and their context, curate and transform data, train and validate models, run simulations, and broadly derive insights from data. In doing so, you will work in cross-functional teams spanning engineering, solutions, domain experts, and designers. You will also work closely with social sector organisations, and are encouraged to collaborate with researchers across the world.

• You will be encouraged to drive fundamental advances to the technology domains themselves as part of the efforts towards their application, present your work in technical and other forums of interest, and publish in leading conferences and journals.

• At Wadhwani AI, excellence as an individual contributor goes hand-in-hand with good teamwork and collaboration. You will mentor junior researchers and interns, and participate in recruiting and hiring activities. You will also be expected to interact with external partners of Wadhwani AI when required, and to make periodic visits to the communities from where challenges are derived and where the solutions will be deployed.

REQUIREMENTS

• M.Tech./M.E./M.S./M.Sc. or equivalent in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Economics, or a relevant quantitative field with work experience of 6+ years or a PhD from a reputed institute. Experience and expertise in ASR are preferred. Experience and expertise with LLMs are nice-to-have.

• We are looking for ML Scientists with experience applying AI, machine learning, and data science to real-world problems. Ideal candidates should have a strong research background, have experience in mentoring junior researchers through strong code practices and ideation, and be adept at a variety of data mining/analysis methods and tools, building and implementing models, visualising data, creating/using algorithms, and running simulations. Familiarity with popular deep learning algorithms is a strong plus; however, demonstrated willingness and ability to learn will also be considered.

• Candidates should be comfortable working with cross-functional teams and must have excellent oral and written communication skills and a track record of driving projects to completion. Evidence of written skills through high-quality research publications is a plus.

• Candidates should be passionate about using their technical skills to solve large, societally important problems.