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Principal Data Scientist, Agentic AI Technical Lead

Robots and PencilsCA RemoteAI
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Salary
Not listed
Job type
Full-time
Work mode
Remote
Experience
Senior · 12+ yrs
Posted
7 Oct 2026
Status
Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

Robots and Pencils is hiring a Principal Data Scientist to act as the technical lead for an entire agentic AI program based in CA Remote. This senior opportunity is designed for an experienced data science and AI leader capable of directing multiple workstreams, defining technical vision, and guiding large teams through complex enterprise delivery challenges.

Role Overview

Robots and Pencils seeks a Principal Data Scientist to serve as the senior technical authority across all agentic AI workstreams within a large delivery organization. The person in this role will partner with executive leadership to establish AI roadmaps, set architecture standards, and make critical technical decisions that ensure production-ready systems scale efficiently. This position suits a seasoned professional who values craftsmanship, velocity, and hands-on technical ownership.

Key Responsibilities

Provide technical oversight of all agentic AI workstreams from problem framing through deployment and ongoing operation.
Define technical strategy and reference architecture for agentic systems including multi-agent orchestration, RAG patterns, vector databases, embeddings, and streaming responses.
Manage technical delivery across streams, resolve technical blockers, and maintain quality and velocity.
Establish rigorous evaluation frameworks for LLM and agent performance covering quality, safety, hallucination, cost, and latency.
Serve as the technical face of the program to senior client stakeholders and co-define the AI roadmap with executive leadership.
Lead and influence a large, multi-team delivery organization while mentoring technical leads and senior practitioners.

Requirements

Twelve or more years of experience in data science and AI/ML with a record of taking AI systems from research to production at enterprise scale.
Proven track record leading technical delivery across multiple concurrent workstreams or teams.
Hands-on experience with LLM and agentic systems including prompt engineering, tool calling, multi-agent orchestration, RAG architectures, vector databases, and embeddings.
Deep expertise in model evaluation, experimentation design, applied statistics, MLOps, and AI infrastructure.
Strong proficiency in Python, the modern data science stack, software engineering fundamentals, distributed systems, and AWS including Amazon Bedrock.
Familiarity with SQL and NoSQL databases along with AI governance and compliance considerations.

Nice to Have

Experience supporting AI programs in regulated industries such as life sciences, healthcare, or financial services.
Experience in a consulting or client-facing technical leadership role.
Background in fine-tuning, evaluation automation, or agent safety and guardrails.

Skills and Tools

Python
AWS (Amazon Bedrock)
LLMs and Agentic Systems
RAG Architectures
Vector Databases and Embeddings
MLOps and AI Infrastructure
SQL and NoSQL Databases
Claude and Cursor

About the Company

Robots and Pencils designs AI systems for a human world, combining engineering with creativity to ensure every deployed agent works for real people in real workflows. The company focuses on shipping production-ready AI in thirty to forty-five days and employs teams that average over fifteen years of experience.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply on the official company careers page.

Skills and tech stack

PythonAWSAmazon BedrockSQLNoSQLClaudeCursorVector DatabasesLLMRAGMLOpsFine-tuningPrompt EngineeringDistributed Systems

Questions candidates ask

What is the primary focus of the Principal Data Scientist role?

The role serves as the technical lead across an entire agentic AI program, owning technical vision, guiding large teams, setting architecture standards, and managing technical delivery across multiple streams.

How many years of experience are required for this position?

Candidates must have 12+ years of experience in data science and AI/ML, with a proven record of taking AI systems from research to production at enterprise scale.

What cloud platforms and tools are mentioned in the tech stack?

The role utilizes Python, AWS (specifically Amazon Bedrock), vector databases, SQL and NoSQL databases, and modern AI assistants like Claude and Cursor.

Is this a remote position?

Yes, the position is located in CA Remote.

What are some preferred or nice-to-have backgrounds for applicants?

Helpful extras include experience in regulated industries like life sciences, healthcare, or financial services, consulting or client-facing technical leadership, and a background in fine-tuning or agent safety.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Robots and Pencils careers page.

Apply on company site