Senior Staff AI Engineer

Senior Staff AI Engineer at BNSF Railway

Be part of a team that values safety, inclusion, and excellence. BNSF Railway is one of the largest U.S. railroads, transporting the nation’s freight across 28 western states and 3 Canadian provinces. As a member of our team, you will play a role in supporting the movement of essential products and materials that help feed, clothe, supply, and power communities throughout America and the world.

BNSF | Tech is the technology division making BNSF the preeminent freight and mobility company in North America. We are innovating and transforming the future of freight rail.

Are you ready to drive change? If you are passionate about making a difference and eager to advance your career in a dynamic and supportive environment, we want you on our team! Join us in reshaping the future of freight rail and discover a fulfilling career where your contributions matter. We are committed to a culture where all employees are included, belong, and have equal opportunity to achieve their full potential. Come make a difference with us!

This is a full-time remote position. Employees may work from anywhere within the contiguous 48 states of the United States. Travel is up to 20%, requiring occasional travel to our corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, TX for in-person meetings. Travel expenses for business needs will be covered by BNSF. This position is open to candidates currently authorized to work in the United States. We are also open to sponsoring H-1B transfers, TN nonimmigrant status, and STEM OPT candidates with at least 2 years of remaining eligibility.

Key Responsibilities

• AI Development and Implementation: Assist in designing, developing, and implementing AI models and algorithms tailored to railroad operations, including predictive maintenance, scheduling, and safety monitoring. Build scalable AI systems to analyze real-time data from rail infrastructure, rolling stock, and IoT devices.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Collect, preprocess, and clean data from various sources (e.g., sensors, GPS, maintenance logs) for training AI models. Conduct exploratory data analysis to identify trends and patterns relevant to rail operations. Build and Maintain Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) pipelines for AI applications.
• Optimization and Automation: Fine tune and optimize algorithms to streamline train scheduling, route planning, and fuel efficiency. Support the automation of operational processes and decision-making using AI-powered tools.
• System Integration and Deployment: Collaborate with software engineers and DevOps teams to integrate AI solutions into production environments. Ensure AI systems are robust, reliable, and compliant with railroad industry standards.
• Performance Monitoring and Improvement: Monitor deployed models and systems for performance, scalability, and accuracy, ensuring continuous improvement and reliability. Troubleshoot issues, retrain models, and implement necessary updates.
• Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, software engineers, business analysts, to understand their needs and enable AI-driven solutions. Communicate technical concepts and project updates to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Research and Innovation: Stay updated on emerging AI technologies and trends to identify opportunities for innovation in rail transportation. Conduct research and propose new methodologies for solving complex railroad challenges.

Basic Qualifications

• Authorized to work in the US.
• Minimum 6 years experience in AI/ML development, data science, software engineering, or relevant experience.
• Technical Skills: Strong in programming languages such as Python, R, or Java. Experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn) and deep learning architectures. Familiarity with data engineering tools and platforms (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, EMS, AWS S3, PySpark, RDS, JupyterLab) and cloud services (AWS, Azure, Databricks) and open source environments. Strong knowledge of databases (SQL and NoSQL). Strong knowledge of MLOps ecosystem. Strong understanding of generative AI models. Strong in Data Pipelines for GenAI (e.g., cleaning, chunking embeddings). Strong in GenAI tools and frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph). Strong in Vector Databases and embeddings. Familiar with Agentic architecture.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to interpret complex datasets and derive actionable insights.
• Problem-Solving: Proven ability to tackle real-world challenges using AI and machine learning techniques.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for working with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Able to work now and in the future without BNSF’s assistance (whether monetary, through sponsorship, or otherwise) in obtaining, maintaining, or extending employment authorization.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, or industrial IoT applications.
• Knowledge of railroad operations, transportation systems, or logistics.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices and tools for model lifecycle management.
• Experience deploying AI systems in production environments with a focus on scalability and reliability.
• Previous experience in transportation, supply chain, or infrastructure industries.

Benefits

At BNSF, you will have access to a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including:

• An industry-leading 401(k) and renowned Railroad Retirement program.
• A range of robust health care options for you and your dependents (including domestic partners), including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, mental health, cancer support, and high-quality care network options.
• Health care spending accounts (HSA) with employer contributions, as well as life and disability insurance, provided at no cost.
• Family benefits including parental, pediatric and family building support, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, and dependent care spending account (with employer match).
• Access to discounts on travel, gym memberships, counseling services and wellness support.
• Annual bonus (Incentive Compensation Program).
• Generous leave / time off policies.

Key Skills/Competency

• AI/ML Development
• Data Science
• Software Engineering
• Predictive Maintenance
• Python Programming
• TensorFlow/PyTorch
• Data Engineering (Hadoop, Spark)
• AWS Cloud Services
• Generative AI
• MLOps Practices