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Senior Machine Learning Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

Protagonist is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer who builds production-ready systems for mission-critical work. You bring strong engineering discipline, systems thinking, and a bias ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Reston, VA ยท On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

Position Overview Pantheon Data is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to design, build, and operate production AI systems for federal clients - including hybrid retrieval-augmented generation ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Reston, VA ยท Hybrid

$108K - $149K/yr

Position Overview Pantheon Data is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to design, build, and operate production AI systems for federal clients - including hybrid retrieval-augmented generation ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Reston, VA ยท Remote

$140K - $200K/yr

Position OverviewPantheon Data is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to design, build, and operate production AI systems for federal clients - including hybrid retrieval-augmented generation ...

Showing results 21-40

Senior Machine Learning information

See Washington, DC salary details

$28.3K

$90.9K

$185.2K

How much do senior machine learning jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior machine learning in Washington, DC is $90,933.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47,000.00 and $116,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior machine learning engineer?

Senior Machine Learning engineers are experienced professionals who design, develop, and deploy advanced machine learning models and systems. They typically lead projects, mentor junior team members, and collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and stakeholders to solve complex problems using AI and data-driven techniques. Their responsibilities include researching new algorithms, optimizing model performance, and ensuring the scalability and reliability of machine learning solutions in production environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior machine learning engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer, you need a strong background in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and experience with designing and deploying machine learning models, typically supported by an advanced degree in a related field. Proficiency with programming languages such as Python or R, ML frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and experience with cloud platforms and version control systems are commonly required. Excellent problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and leadership in collaborating with cross-functional teams make candidates stand out. These skills ensure the effective development, scaling, and integration of ML solutions to drive business value and innovation.

What are some common challenges senior machine learning engineers face when deploying models to production, and how can they address them?

Senior Machine Learning Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring model scalability, maintaining model performance over time, and integrating models seamlessly with existing systems. Addressing these requires robust monitoring frameworks, collaboration with data engineering and DevOps teams, and implementing strategies like continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) for ML. Proactive communication with stakeholders and staying updated on the latest MLOps tools can also help ensure smooth deployment and ongoing reliability.

Is senior machine learning a high paying job?

Senior machine learning roles typically offer high salaries due to the specialized skills required, such as expertise in algorithms, programming, and data analysis. Compensation varies by industry, location, and experience, but these positions are generally among the higher-paying roles in tech and data science fields.

What are the most commonly searched types of Machine Learning jobs in Washington, DC?

The most popular types of Machine Learning jobs in Washington, DC are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Machine Learning jobs in Washington, DC?

For Senior Machine Learning jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Senior Machine Learning job openings in Washington, DC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 68% Full Time, 30% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 80% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $90,933 per year, or $43.7 per hour.

Senior Machine Learning Engineer Remote

Washington, DC โ€ข Remote

AHU Technologies Inc
IT Servicesย โ€ขย 11 - 50 employees

$115K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago


Job description

Location: United States - remote
Visa: US Citizens or Green Card Holders
Fluency in Chinese/Mandarin is required, so only reach out exclusively to candidates of Chinese ethnic background.
What you will own
  • Build recommendation and search across feed, discovery, search, and content continuation.
  • Own retrieval/ranking: candidate generation, embeddings, two-tower models, features, and serving quality.
  • Design, launch, and analyze recommendation/search experiments.
Requirements
  • 5+ years industry experience building production ML systems with senior ownership.
  • Bachelor's degree from a recognized university in China is required 
  • Hands-on recommendation, search, ranking, ads ranking, feed ranking, or content discovery systems.
  • Consumer apps, entertainment, social, gaming, creator, or engagement-driven products.
  • Two-tower models, embedding retrieval, candidate generation, ranking, and online/offline evaluation.
Hard filters
  • 5+ years industry experience building production ML systems with senior ownership.
  • Hands-on recommendation, search, ranking, ads ranking, feed ranking, or content discovery systems.
  • Consumer apps, entertainment, social, gaming, creator, or engagement-driven products.
  • Two-tower models, embedding retrieval, candidate generation, ranking, and online/offline evaluation.
Strong fit
  • Build recommendation and search across feed, discovery, search, and content continuation.
  • Own retrieval/ranking: candidate generation, embeddings, two-tower models, features, and serving quality.
  • Background in the entertainment or social media industry (e.g., TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram). 
  • Design, launch, and analyze recommendation/search experiments.
Bonus:
  • Bonus signal: 5+ years production ML
  • Bonus signal: recommendation systems
  • Bonus signal: search ranking
  • Bonus signal: embedding retrieval
Anti-signals
  • Cannot show core Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Recommendation experience
  • Not comfortable with the listed work mode
  • Low ownership, coordination-only, or no shipped examples

This is a remote position.