Machine Learning Scientist

About The Company At RPI/Blurb, we are revolutionizing the way products are created, produced, and delivered on a global scale. Our cloud-based platform enables the on-demand production of millions of personalized items, ensuring speed, quality, and sustainability. We collaborate with leading brands, publishers, and creative platforms, including our consumer-facing self-publishing brand, Blurb.com, to bring innovative ideas to life. By integrating cutting-edge technology with a distributed manufacturing network, RPI/Blurb is redefining the future of personalized production, offering scalable solutions that meet the demands of a dynamic marketplace.

About The Role Reporting to the Vice President of Product & Design, the Principal Machine Learning Scientist will be a key driver in architecting, researching, and deploying advanced machine learning models to enhance creative user experiences and optimize operational efficiency across our manufacturing and production platforms. This role offers a unique opportunity to take full ownership of projects within an agile, startup environment, working directly with executive leadership, senior technical experts, and cross-functional teams. You will be responsible for guiding the technical vision, from initial prototyping to large-scale deployment, influencing the platform’s core architecture and strategic direction. Your expertise will help shape innovative solutions in creative automation, personalization, quality inspection, predictive maintenance, and process optimization, ultimately impacting the company’s growth and technological leadership in the industry.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience in developing and deploying ML models at scale.
• Extensive experience (typically 8 years) in advancing machine learning applications within manufacturing, creative automation, supply chain, or digital publishing sectors.
• Deep understanding of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for visual inspection, defect detection, and creative generation.
• Proficiency with Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) for sensor, time-series, and operational data, including predictive maintenance and anomaly detection.
• Proven ability to lead the adoption of supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning, AutoML, and large-scale model deployment as an individual contributor.
• Strong expertise in Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, OpenCV, and data engineering for IoT/sensor environments.
• Track record of integrating ML models into complex software and industrial systems.
• Recognition through published research, patents, or open-source contributions in ML/AI communities.
• Excellent communication, influence, and collaboration skills, capable of working across diverse teams and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical roadmap for machine learning initiatives across Blurb/RPI’s creation tools and manufacturing systems, ensuring adaptability to evolving challenges.
• Own end-to-end projects, including researching, designing, and implementing advanced ML models for creative automation, personalization, quality inspection, predictive maintenance, and process optimization.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and leadership to influence strategy and foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
• Rapidly prototype and iterate on ML solutions that bridge creative and industrial applications, establishing best practices for future scaling.
• Architect scalable, sustainable ML pipelines, integrating AutoML, reinforcement learning, and MLOps to ensure robust deployment and impact.
• Conduct pioneering research in generative AI, computer vision, and predictive analytics, publishing findings and contributing to the broader ML community when possible.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members, empowering others through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Represent the company at external AI forums, conferences, and industry partnerships, articulating our mission and technological innovations.
• Monitor, evaluate, and optimize deployed models, leveraging data-driven insights to deliver continuous improvements across the organization.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Flexible work arrangements with hybrid work options.
• Generous paid time off and holiday leave policies.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and industry conference participation.
• Collaborative and innovative work environment with cutting-edge projects.
• Employee wellness programs and resources.

Equal Opportunity

RPI/Blurb is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable laws.