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Principal Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site +1

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site +1

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site +1

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site +1

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site +1

$103K - $136K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to that will focus on researching, designing, training, and evaluating machine learning models to solve complex, real-world problems. We ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept As a Machine Learning Engineer, you will research, evaluate, and select appropriate machine Learning approaches and architectures based on the problem ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to that will focus on researching, designing, training, and evaluating machine learning models to solve complex, real-world problems. We ...

Sr. Machine Learning Engineer

Fort Belvoir, VA · On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

Role: Sr. Machine Learning Engineer Location: Ft. Belvoir, VA (On-site with Hybrid Option) Duration: Long Term Contract Clearance: DOD Top Secret Clearance (Must) As a consultant, will be working to ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Machine Learning Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$73.4K

$146K

$210.7K

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

As of Jul 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal machine learning engineer in Virginia is $145,957.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,500.00 and $171,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a Principal Machine Learning Engineer typically expect in this role?

Principal Machine Learning Engineers are often tasked with leading the design, development, and deployment of large-scale machine learning models and systems that address key business challenges. In this role, you will collaborate closely with data scientists, engineers, and product managers to define project requirements, architect solutions, and ensure high-quality delivery. You may also guide research initiatives, oversee code and model reviews, and mentor junior engineers, helping to shape the technical direction of the team. Typical responsibilities can range from prototyping and optimizing algorithms to ensuring models are scalable, reliable, and aligned with organizational goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Principal Machine Learning Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Machine Learning Engineer, you need advanced expertise in machine learning algorithms, statistical analysis, software engineering, and a strong background in computer science or related fields, often supported by a master's or PhD degree. Familiarity with tools such as Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), and relevant certifications strengthens technical capability. Leadership, strategic thinking, effective communication, and mentorship are vital soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These competencies are essential for driving innovation, ensuring technical excellence, and influencing organizational AI initiatives.

Will MLE be replaced by AI?

Principal Machine Learning Engineers design, develop, and oversee AI and machine learning systems, and their roles involve understanding complex algorithms, data management, and model deployment. While AI automates certain tasks, MLE roles focus on building and maintaining AI infrastructure, which requires human expertise, critical thinking, and ongoing innovation that AI cannot fully replace. The role is expected to evolve alongside advancements in AI technology but remains essential for guiding AI development and ensuring ethical, effective implementation.

What does a Principal Machine Learning Engineer do?

A Principal Machine Learning Engineer leads the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models and systems. They set technical strategy, mentor engineers, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex AI challenges. Their role often includes researching new algorithms, optimizing model performance, and ensuring scalability in production environments. Additionally, they work closely with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to align ML initiatives with business objectives.

How much do principal AI engineers make?

Principal AI engineers typically earn between $130,000 and $200,000 annually, with salaries varying based on experience, location, and industry. They often have advanced skills in machine learning, deep learning, and data science, and may receive bonuses or stock options as part of compensation packages.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Machine Learning Engineers and senior data scientists in the tech industry often earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in deep learning and AI, and working at large technology companies or startups with competitive compensation packages. High salaries may also include bonuses, stock options, and other benefits.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

A Principal Machine Learning Engineer can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in deep learning and data science, and working at large tech companies or in high-demand industries. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options, reflecting their seniority and expertise.
What job categories do people searching Principal Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
Infographic showing various Principal Machine Learning Engineer job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,957 per year, or $70.2 per hour.
Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Capital One

Mclean, VA • On-site

$103K - $136K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago


Capital One rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 143 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

72nd of 146 rated banks


Job description

Lead Machine Learning Engineer
As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You'll participate in the detailed technical design, development, and implementation of machine learning applications using existing and emerging technology platforms. You'll focus on machine learning architectural design, develop and review model and application code, and ensure high availability and performance of our machine learning applications. You'll have the opportunity to continuously learn and apply the latest innovations and best practices in machine learning engineering.
What you'll do in the role:
The MLE role overlaps with many disciplines, such as Ops, Modeling, and Data Engineering. In this role, you'll be expected to perform many ML engineering activities, including one or more of the following:
  • Design, build, and/or deliver ML models and components that solve real-world business problems, while working in collaboration with the Product and Data Science teams
  • Inform your ML infrastructure decisions using your understanding of ML modeling techniques and issues, including choice of model, data, and feature selection, model training, hyperparameter tuning, dimensionality, bias/variance, and validation)
  • Solve complex problems by writing and testing application code, developing and validating ML models, and automating tests and deployment
  • Collaborate as part of a cross-functional Agile team to create and enhance software that enables state-of-the-art big data and ML applications
  • Retrain, maintain, and monitor models in production
  • Leverage or build cloud-based architectures, technologies, and/or platforms to deliver optimized ML models at scale.
  • Construct optimized data pipelines to feed ML models
  • Leverage continuous integration and continuous deployment best practices, including test automation and monitoring, to ensure successful deployment of ML models and application code
  • Ensure all code is well-managed to reduce vulnerabilities, models are well-governed from a risk perspective, and the ML follows best practices in Responsible and Explainable AI
  • Use programming languages like Python, Scala, or Java

Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree
  • At least 6 years of experience designing and building data-intensive solutions using distributed computing (Internship experience does not apply)
  • At least 4 years of experience programming with Python, Scala, or Java
  • At least 2 years of experience building, scaling, and optimizing ML systems

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master's or Doctoral Degree in computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, or a similar field
  • 3+ years of experience building production-ready data pipelines that feed ML models
  • 3+ years of on-the-job experience with an industry recognized ML framework such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, Dask, Spark, or TensorFlow
  • 2+ years of experience developing performant, resilient, and maintainable code
  • 2+ years of experience with data gathering and preparation for ML models
  • 2+ years of people leader experience
  • 1+ years of experience leading teams developing ML solutions using industry best practices, patterns, and automation
  • Experience developing and deploying ML solutions in a public cloud such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
  • Experience designing, implementing, and scaling complex data pipelines for ML models and evaluating their performance
  • ML industry impact through conference presentations, papers, blog posts, open source contributions, or patents
  • Experience leveraging interactive AI tooling to accelerate productivity, utilizing capabilities beyond basic code completion

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization, or offer any immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
McLean, VA: $197,300 - $225,100 for Lead Machine Learning Engineer
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate's offer letter.
This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include cash bonus(es) and/or long term incentives (LTI). Incentives could be discretionary or non discretionary depending on the plan.
Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.
This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.
No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City's Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.
If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@capitalone.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to Careers@capitalone.com
Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.
Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).

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