Principle AI & Data Scientist

Alignment Health is breaking the mold in conventional health care, committed to serving seniors and those who need it most: the chronically ill and frail. It takes an entire team of passionate and caring people, united in our mission to put the senior first.We have built a team of talented and experienced people who are passionate about transforming the lives of the seniors we serve. In this fast-growing company, you will find ample room for growth and innovation alongside the Alignment Health community. Working at Alignment Health provides an opportunity to do work that really matters, not only changing lives but saving them. Together.The AI Scientist will play a key role in designing, developing, and deploying advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions to support Alignment Healthcare’s business and operational goals. This position reports to an AI Science leader within the AI organization and works closely with cross-functional partners across engineering, product, and business teams. We are seeking highly skilled AI scientists at the Principal level who are passionate about applying state-of-the-art AI and machine learning techniques to complex, real-world healthcare problems. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and a proven ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into scalable, production-ready AI solutions. This role requires a results-oriented mindset, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative approach to innovation. This is a remote position within the US.Job Duties/ResponsibilitiesDefine technical strategy and architect enterprise AI capabilities (35%): Partner with VP of Data Science & AI to establish technical roadmap and vision for organizational AI/ML capabilities. Architect enterprise-wide AI platforms, frameworks, and systems that enable scalable AI adoption. Drive strategic AI initiatives with enterprise-level impact such as autonomous clinical workflows, predictive member intervention engines, and AI-powered risk adjustment optimization.Lead innovation and advance the state of healthcare AI (25%): Research, prototype, and validate novel ML approaches that create competitive advantages. Drive proof-of-concept initiatives for cutting-edge AI technologies including LLM agents, causal inference for intervention effectiveness, and vision models for autonomous chart review. Create intellectual property through novel algorithms, proprietary methodologies, or technical frameworks.Influence organizational direction and technology decisions (20%): Advise executive leadership on AI strategy, technical feasibility, and risk. Shape organizational capability by influencing build-vs-buy decisions, technology stack choices, and platform investments. Partner with Engineering, Product, Clinical, and Operations leaders to embed AI into core business processes and drive enterprise alignment on technical initiatives.Establish technical excellence standards across the organization (10%): Set standards for code quality, MLOps maturity, model governance, and ethical AI. Own the most complex technical challenges where solutions are undefined and require significant innovation. Create reusable platforms, libraries, and tools that accelerate team productivity and raise the technical bar.Build external recognition and strategic partnerships (10%): Represent Alignment's technical capabilities to external stakeholders including CMS, payers, technology partners, and academic institutions. Publish research, present at conferences, and build Alignment's reputation as a leader in healthcare AI. Develop partnerships with research labs, universities, or technology vendors to advance organizational capabilities.Job RequirementsExperienceRequired:8-12+ years in data science, machine learning, or AI research with a track record of high-impact contributionsDemonstrated experience in architecting and delivering AI systems with enterprise-wide or industry-wide impactProven ability to translate research into production systems that drive measurable business outcomesHistory of technical leadership: defining strategy, influencing architecture, shaping technical cultureTrack record of innovation through patents, publications, open-source contributions, or novel ML applicationsPreferred:Healthcare AI expertise with demonstrated impact on clinical, operational, or financial outcomesMedicare Advantage domain knowledge: risk adjustment, Stars, utilization management, care managementExperience with regulatory environments: CMS, FDA, HIPAA, or AI governancePrior experience at leading AI-native companies or research institutionsTrack record of thought leadership: conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, industry recognitionEducationRequired: PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or related fieldTrainingRequired: Active engagement with ML research community and continuous learning in state-of-the-art AI methods; deep knowled