Applied AI/ML Scientist

About The Company Sprout Social is a leading provider of social media management solutions dedicated to empowering businesses worldwide to harness the power of social media in today’s digital landscape. With a platform that processes over one billion social messages daily, Sprout Social offers essential insights and actionable data to over 30,000 brands, enabling them to make strategic decisions that foster growth, innovation, and authentic customer connections. The company’s comprehensive suite of products includes social publishing, engagement, customer care, influencer marketing, connected workflows, and business intelligence tools. As a forward-thinking organization, Sprout Social actively integrates artificial intelligence into its products and internal processes to enhance user experience, streamline operations, and drive business success.

About The Role Sprout Social is seeking an Applied AI/ML Scientist to join its AI Business Unit. This role involves designing, developing, and deploying customer-centric AI and machine learning features that leverage advanced data science, generative AI, and transformer architectures. The ideal candidate will contribute significantly to high-impact AI initiatives, directly influencing product enhancements and customer satisfaction. The role requires close collaboration with cross-functional teams—including product management, design, and engineering—to deliver innovative solutions efficiently. The Applied AI/ML Scientist will also develop evaluation frameworks to measure the impact of AI features, ensuring continuous improvement and demonstrable ROI. Effective communication of AI capabilities, limitations, and implications to both technical and non-technical stakeholders is essential, as is a passion for driving innovation and delivering value to customers.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 2+ years of applied experience in AI/ML and data science, with a proven track record of supporting customer-centric AI solutions that deliver measurable business impact.
• Proficiency in Python, including ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, XGBoost, LGBM, and data manipulation libraries like NumPy and pandas.
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with RESTful APIs for querying, transforming, and analyzing large datasets.
• Expertise in statistical, analytical, and AI/ML methods, with a focus on deploying solutions that improve products, resolve customer pain points, and enhance user experience.
• Experience building transformer architectures and leveraging embeddings in AI models.
• Preferred: Experience prototyping with emerging AI/ML technologies, designing A/B tests, developing deep learning and NLP models, and working with large language models, including fine-tuning and prompt-engineering.
• Experience creating APIs and utilizing cloud services such as AWS, Azure, GCP, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
• Knowledge of AI/ML model security, bias mitigation, and ethical AI practices.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered features that are customer-centric and aligned with business goals.
• Contribute to high-priority AI initiatives, ensuring tangible and measurable impacts on product performance and customer satisfaction.
• Establish and maintain evaluation frameworks to assess AI feature performance, quality, and ROI.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product management, design, and engineering to deliver innovative AI solutions efficiently.
• Communicate AI capabilities, limitations, and product implications clearly to stakeholders at all levels.
• Research and experiment with new AI/ML technologies to explore their potential for business impact.
• Develop and optimize deep learning, NLP, and large language models, including prompt engineering and performance tuning.
• Ensure AI/ML models adhere to security, bias mitigation, and ethical standards.
• Contribute to the development of AI/ML best practices and technical excellence within the team.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents.
• Premium mental health support via Modern Health, offering coaching, therapy, and digital wellness resources.
• Retirement savings plan with a 50% company match on the first 6% of contributions.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance for financial security.
• Flexible paid time off policies, supplemented with company-wide Rest & Recharge days.
• Paid parental leave of up to 16 weeks to support new parents.
• Annual Lifestyle Stipend of $1,000 USD for personal well-being and development.
• Support for remote work setup, including a one-time stipend and monthly internet allowance.
• Paid volunteer hours and charitable donation matching to encourage community engagement.
• Additional perks such as pre-tax commuter benefits, subsidized childcare, pet insurance discounts, and personalized financial wellness support.

Equal Opportunity

Sprout Social is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic. As a federal contractor, we actively recruit individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute to our collective success. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at the provided email, and we will support your needs accordingly.