Principal Research Engineer

CloudZero is searching for a Sr. Research Engineer with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI). In this role you will be partnering closely with our CTO to explore cutting-edge AI technologies and their applications to solve complex business challenges. Your work will have a direct impact on the company’s success, enabling us to maintain our competitive edge in the market. You will lead high-impact research initiatives, develop prototypes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate your findings into actionable solutions that align with our business goals and growth. 

This role requires a deep understanding of AI and machine learning, as well as a strategic mindset to identify opportunities where AI can drive value in our marketing and business. Your ability to bridge the gap between technical research and business needs will be crucial in delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving demands of our customers and the cloud cost market. 

If you are passionate about AI research and eager to work on projects that have a tangible impact on our company’s future, this is the role for you.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research and development of advanced AI models and algorithms tailored to cloud cost management, forecasting, and optimization.
• Help lead and shape the broader strategic direction of CloudZero by identifying new AI opportunities that can enhance the platform’s value proposition and address emerging challenges in cloud cost management.
• Explore and prototype new AI-driven solutions, continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible in cloud cost analysis and FinOps.
• Collaborate with the CloudZero team to collect, process, and analyze large datasets from cloud environments, ensuring that AI models are trained on high-quality, relevant data.
• Develop prototypes and proof-of-concepts to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of AI-driven solutions.
• Partner with business leaders and product teams to translate research findings into actionable, mission-critical solutions that drive the company’s competitive edge.
• Conduct rigorous experimentation, testing different approaches to achieve the best possible outcomes in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.

• 5+ years of experience in AI research, machine learning engineering, or a similar role, with a proven track record of delivering impactful AI-driven projects.
• Deep experience working in cloud computing environments (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and understanding of cloud architecture and services.
• Experience in designing, implementing, and optimizing large-scale machine learning models and systems.
• Strong background in data processing, analysis, and visualization, including experience with big data technologies (e.g., Kafka, Flink, Delta Lake).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and execute complex AI research projects from ideation to deployment, with a focus on driving business value.
• Strong collaboration skills, with experience working cross-functionally with product management, engineering, and business stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating complex AI concepts and research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contributions to open-source AI projects or active participation in AI research communities.
• Experience in a startup or fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

About CloudZero

Cloud cost management is one of the biggest challenges organizations face today. As cloud adoption continues to accelerate, so do the complexities and costs associated with it — and macroeconomic conditions only increase pressure to prove cloud efficiency. That’s why we built CloudZero: a SaaS platform at the intersection of next-generation cloud cost management and FinOps. CloudZero ingests billing and usage data from all cloud, SaaS, and PaaS providers, organizes it in real time according to our customers’ business structures, lets customers view it at any level of time or resource granularity, and ultimately empowers them to make more informed business decisions.

Since our founding in 2016, our mission has been to make efficient innovation a reality for every cloud-driven organization. At CloudZero, we believe every engineering decision is a buying decision, yet the cost conversation often bypasses the engineers who drive those determinations. To solve this, we’ve built a dynamic, single-page application that answers the complex, data-heavy questions every cloud-based organization needs to ask if they want to grow their company profitably.

To date, we’ve raised over $52 million from leading venture capital firms across the country. We’re solving problems of massive scale, business importance, and complexity in a space that needs it more than ever. We’re growing rapidly and would love for you to be a part of it!

Equal Opportunity Employer
CloudZero is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks.