Principal Applied Scientist, Prime AI/ML Science

Amazon is hiring a Principal Applied Scientist, Prime AI/ML Science in Seattle, United States. It pays $199k-$269k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this applied scientist role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
The listed pay starts 17% above the typical applied scientist posting on Level.
Tools and skills the posting cites include Python, PyTorch and TensorFlow.
Level classifies it as a lead role.
Level lists 20,000+ other open roles at Amazon.

AI in this role

Lead applied scientist pioneering next-generation generative AI and LLM-based foundation models for Amazon Prime personalization.

PythonPyTorchTensorFlow

machine-learningdeep-learninggenerative-aillmspredictive-modelingpersonalization

Amazon Prime is building the future of AI-based personalization in driving long-term value out of the Prime subscription. Join our team of Scientists and Engineers developing AI/ML models to predict the Prime customer long-term behavior and optimize the customer experience with the Prime program. This includes identifying who our customers are, modeling customer behavior, and creating personalization systems to optimize the experience. As an AI/ML expert, you will partner directly with product owners to define the vision for this space and drive the roadmap for team execution.

This is a complex personalization and optimization challenge. We sit at the intersection of massive-scale subscription and behavioral data, real-time decision systems, hundreds of millions of customers, and intersection with other shopping and benefit data across Amazon. Our vision is to enable a data-driven intelligent foundation that powers the future of Prime through scalable personalization, generation, and decisioning capabilities that serve optimal, cohesive customer experiences across all touchpoints. We build the science and infrastructure that allows Prime to know each member deeply, decide what to show them and when, generate the right content in the right format, and measure whether it worked — all optimized toward long-term member value.

As a Principal Applied Scientist, you will be the intellectual engine behind this transformation. You will define the frontier, architect the science strategy for a large, cross-cutting organization, and drive breakthroughs that reshape how Prime thinks about customers and the membership program at the deepest level.

You will pioneer next-generation Gen AI / LLM-based foundation models that build rich, evolving models of customer intent. This will include building Gen AI/transformer architectures that abstract noisy behavioral signals into high-quality latent representations of human preference. It will require thinking about real-time, multi-objective, globally scalable ranking systems that address cold start problems at billions of decisions per day. You will do all of this as a force multiplier, building foundational technology that empowers scientists and engineers, and driving teams across Prime and Amazon to deliver the best science outcomes for customers.

Come define what the Prime membership program and experience looks like in the age of AI!

Basic qualifications

- 5+ years of hands-on work in predictive modeling and analysis experience
- PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field
- Experience working in predictive modeling and analysis
- Experience distilling informal customer requirements into problem definitions, dealing with ambiguity and competing objectives
- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- Experience with leading experienced scientists as well as having a record of developing junior members from academia or industry to a career track in a business environment

Preferred qualifications

- 10+ years of relevant work in industry or academia experience
- Knowledge of problem solving, algorithm design and complexity analysis
- Experience creating novel algorithms and advancing the state of the art
- Have peer-reviewed scientific contributions in premier journals and conferences

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, WA, Seattle - 198,900.00 - 269,000.00 USD annually

How we rate this

Principal Applied Scientist, Prime AI/ML Science at Amazon rates 95 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Principal Applied Scientist, Prime AI/ML Science is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $199k-$269k a year.
The role is based in US, WA, Seattle.
The job was posted on July 24, 2026.
Seniority: lead.
Applications are handled by Amazon. Apply on Amazon

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Machine learningDeep learningGenerative AILLMsPredictive ModelingPersonalizationPythonPyTorch

Also common in applied scientist jobs at this level

Machine learning Deep learning NLP Reinforcement learning TensorFlow Spark

Pay

This job starts at: $199k
Typical applied scientist job: $169k

This posting starts 17% above the typical applied scientist job. See applied scientist jobs

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where machine learning was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where deep learning was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where generative ai was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where llms was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where predictive modeling was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Machine learning, Deep learning, Generative AI, LLMs, and Predictive Modeling. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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