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Founding Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in Houston, TX

Dow

Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

As a Machine Learning Engineer in our Data & Analytics Platforms team specializing in data and analytics solutions , you will work with a cross-functional team whose objective is to deliver solutions ...

Vitol

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$117K - $154K/yr

The Machine Learning Engineer at Vitol has visibility and impact across the full project workflow: from working with business stakeholders to help define the project, to data collation and processing ...

Vitol

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$117K - $154K/yr

The Machine Learning Engineer at Vitol has visibility and impact across the full project workflow: from working with business stakeholders to help define the project, to data collation and processing ...

bp

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$99K - $137K/yr

Role Summary We are looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer who combines deep machine learning expertise with strong software engineering discipline to design, build, and deploy production ...

Vitol

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$117K - $154K/yr

The Machine Learning Engineer at Vitol has visibility and impact across the full project workflow: from working with business stakeholders to help define the project, to data collation and processing ...

Bespoke Labs

Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Bespoke Labs

Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Vitol

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$116K - $154K/yr

They are seeking an experienced Machine Learning Engineer to join their data science and machine learning team, responsible for delivering machine learning models and applications across various ...

Beth Page tech

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$99K - $137K/yr

Senior Machine Learning Engineer Location: Houston, TX Environment: Standard, 5-days onsite : Must-Have (Technical Expertise & Core Responsibilities) * Deep Neural Networks (DNN): * Hands-on ...

NobleAI

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site +1

$97K - $128K/yr

As a Lead Machine Learning Engineer specializing in conversational and agentic systems at NobleAI, you will be responsible for architecting, building, and deploying intelligent features to our VIP ...

NobleAI

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Houston, TX · Remote

$104K - $138K/yr

As a Lead Machine Learning Engineer specializing in conversational and agentic systems at NobleAI, you will be responsible for architecting, building, and deploying intelligent features to our VIP ...

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All JobsFounding Machine Learning Engineer JobsFounding Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in Houston, TX

Founding Machine Learning Engineer information

See Houston, TX salary details

$30.1K

$123K

$184.8K

How much do founding machine learning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding machine learning engineer in Houston, TX is $122,971.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $96,900.00 and $148,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a founding machine learning engineer?

A Founding Machine Learning Engineer is one of the first technical team members at a startup who specializes in designing, building, and deploying machine learning systems. This role involves working closely with the founders to set the technical direction, build core AI products, and establish best practices for data and model development. In addition to hands-on coding and experimentation, a Founding Machine Learning Engineer often influences product decisions and helps shape the company's engineering culture. The role typically requires a blend of deep technical expertise, startup agility, and a willingness to tackle both high-level strategy and low-level engineering tasks.

How much does a founding machine learning engineer make?

A founding machine learning engineer typically earns between $120,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. Equity and bonuses are also common components of compensation, especially in startup environments where they play a significant role in total earnings.

What are some unique challenges and expectations for a founding machine learning engineer in an early-stage startup?

As a Founding Machine Learning Engineer, you'll face the unique challenge of building the company's machine learning infrastructure from the ground up, often with limited resources and rapidly evolving requirements. You'll be expected to wear many hats, from designing and deploying models to setting up data pipelines and collaborating closely with product and engineering teams. Your role will also involve making critical decisions about technology stacks and best practices that will shape the company's technical direction. Additionally, you'll have significant influence on the company's culture and have ample opportunities for growth as the team expands.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a founding machine learning engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Founding Machine Learning Engineer, you need deep expertise in machine learning algorithms, software engineering, and data science, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as Python, TensorFlow or PyTorch, cloud platforms, and experience deploying ML models in production are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, entrepreneurial mindset, and excellent communication skills set standout candidates apart. These skills and qualities are vital for driving innovation, building scalable solutions from scratch, and collaborating within a fast-paced startup environment.
What are popular job titles related to Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Houston, TX? For Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Houston, TX, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Houston, TX look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Houston, TX are:
What cities near Houston, TX are hiring for Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs? Cities near Houston, TX with the most Founding Machine Learning Engineer job openings:
Founding Machine Learning Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Machine Learning Engineer job openings in Houston, TX as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,971 per year, or $59.1 per hour.

Machine Learning Engineer

Dow

Houston, TX • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 6 days ago

Dow rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 88 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

11th of 100 rated chemical manufacturers

Job description

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we're passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.
Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We're a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you're looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you're in the right place.
About you and this role
Dow has an exciting and challenging opportunity for a Machine Learning Engineer within our Enterprise Data & Analytics organization located in Houston, TX; Midland, MI; or Champaign, IL.
As a Machine Learning Engineer in our Data & Analytics Platforms team specializing in data and analytics solutions, you will work with a cross-functional team whose objective is to deliver solutions that drive business value for Dow. In this role, you will work closely with data engineers, data scientists, domain experts, and software engineers to design, develop, and deploy machine learning systems, including training and inference pipelines on the Azure Databricks platform. You will also help drive a culture around setting standards and adopting best practices for machine learning and MLOps across the organization.
Responsibilities
  • Designs and implements pipelines and other workflow infrastructure to meet the requirements for new AI/ML solutions that involve online, batch, or real-time inference
  • Deploys and monitors machine learning models in production using Databricks Model Registry, Jobs, and Workspace
  • Frequently collaborates with data engineers, DevOps/platform engineers, data scientists, and domain experts as part of a comprehensive MLOps framework to ensure AI/ML solutions are performant, reliable, and maintainable
  • Works frequently with application development teams to ensure seamless integrations
  • Works proficiently with various ML frameworks, such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, as well as distributed frameworks like Spark MLlib and Ray
  • Performs data analysis, feature engineering, model selection, hyperparameter optimization, and model evaluation using Databricks MLFlow, Delta Lake, and SQL Analytics and other tools as part of the end-to-end ML lifecycle
  • Researches and implements new machine learning techniques and methods using Databricks, staying abreast of the latest trends and technologies
  • Documents and communicates machine learning results and insights to stakeholders using Databricks notebooks and dashboards
  • Understands IT security policies and implements them as part of new solution designs
  • Follows and promotes the best practices and standards for machine learning and MLOps across the organization using Databricks and Azure DevOps

Your Skills
  • Solutions Delivery: End-to-end ownership of Azure data solutions-translating ambiguous business needs into robust architectural blueprints, then delivering through design, build, test, deployment, and post-launch monitoring with a focus on reliability, performance, and cost efficiency.
  • Cloud Computing: Designing and operating cloud-native architectures on Azure (e.g., Databricks Lakehouse, ADF/Workflows, Functions, Logic Apps, Azure SQL) with CI/CD and IaC to scale securely and economically for ML, BI, streaming, and web applications.
  • Integration Services: Building secure, high-throughput integrations-REST APIs and event/stream pipelines (e.g., Event Hubs/Kafka)-to connect polyglot data stores (SQL Server, Cosmos DB, Neo4j) and enable real-time and batch data products.
  • Security Awareness: Embedding governance, identity, and compliance into the architecture (OAuth/RBAC, data governance, re-authorization/ownership verification), enforcing code reviews and automated controls across pipelines and deployments.
  • Strategic Planning: Aligning platform roadmaps and technology choices with enterprise strategy, mentoring engineers on best practices, defining standards and KPIs, and prioritizing modernization and cost-optimization initiatives that maximize business impact.

Qualifications
  • A minimum of a Bachelor's degree, or 8 years relevant experience, or relevant military experience at an E6 rank/Petty Officer 2nd Class or higher is required
  • A minimum of 3 years of experience developing solutions in machine learning, data science, or related field
  • A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States. No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process

Preferred qualifications
  • A degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, data science or related field
  • Proficient in Python and one or more machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, etc
  • Experience in developing and deploying machine learning models and pipelines on the Databricks platform using Databricks MLflow, Delta Lake, SQL Analytics, Model Registry, Jobs, and Workspace
  • Strong knowledge of machine learning concepts, techniques, and algorithms
  • Ability to perform data analysis, feature engineering, model selection, optimization, and evaluation using Databricks
  • Ability to communicate complex machine learning concepts and results to technical and non-technical audiences using Databricks notebooks and dashboards
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
  • Curiosity and passion for learning new machine learning skills and technologies using Databricks
  • Strong knowledge of data modeling, data warehousing, and ETL processes
  • Experience designing and deploying into production both traditional and generative AI systems
  • Proficiency in SQL and experience with big data technologies such as Apache Spark and Hive
  • Experience working within Azure Machine Learning
  • Experience containerizing and deploying ML models to Azure Kubernetes Service
  • Experience with Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, and other Azure services
  • Multi-application and cross-platform design experience
  • Understanding of data lakehouse platform design and associated workflows
  • Ability to thrive in challenging situations and solve complex problems
  • Ability to manage own work effort in multiple projects with little supervision
  • Interested in emerging technologies with the ability to quickly learn and exploit cutting edge offerings to achieve business objectives

Additional notes
  • This position does not offer relocation assistance
  • This position does not have people leadership responsibility. This position is an Independent Contributor; however, you may act as coach and mentor to junior resources

Benefits - What Dow offers you
We invest in you.
Dow invests in total rewards programs to help you manage all aspects of you: your pay, your health, your life, your future, and your career. You bring your background, talent, and perspective to work every day. Dow rewards that commitment by investing in your total wellbeing.
Here are just a few highlights of what you would be offered as a Dow employee:
  • Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives.
  • Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it.
  • Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals.
    • Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
  • Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
    • Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees' Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
  • Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs. Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
  • Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building.
  • Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs.
  • Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
  • Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).
  • Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.
  • Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group's (ERG) participation.
  • Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
  • On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
  • Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
  • Additionally, some of our locations might offer:
    • Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location)
    • Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location)
    • Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location)

Join our team, we can make a difference together.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world's leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.
As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.
Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to providing opportunities without regard for race, color, religion, sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, national origin, age, disability and genetic information, including family medical history. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may call us at 1-833-My Dow HR (833-693-6947) and select option 8.

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