Principal ML Ops Engineer

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:
Data Analytics & Computational Sciences

Job Sub Function:
Data Science

Job Category:
Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:
Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America

Job Description:

We are currently recruiting for Principal ML Ops Engineer based in Jacksonville FL, Raritan NJ, Spring House PA or any other J&J East Coast and Central US locations.

Come be part of a dynamic and global team!

About Vision

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we're developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.

Are you passionate about improving and expanding on the possibilities of vision treatments? Ready to join a team that's reimagining how vision is improved? Our Vision team solves the toughest health challenges. Help combine cutting-edge insights, science, technology, and people to encourage eye care professionals and patients to proactively protect, correct and enhance healthy sight for life. Our products and services address these needs - from the pediatric to aging eye - in a patient's lifetime.

Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at ;br>
About the Role

We are seeking an experienced ML Ops Engineer to oversee and enhance our machine learning operations and AI platform ecosystem. This key leadership role will drive best practices for ML lifecycle management, govern the use of LLM APIs for GenAI solutions, and manage the growth and adoption of our enterprise AI & analytics platform for Vision, Dataiku, supporting over 70 (and growing) active practitioners.

The ideal candidate will have both deep technical expertise in MLOps and AI systems architecture, and strong leadership skills to guide a cross-functional AI & analytics community.

The Principal ML Ops Engineer will:

• Define and implement MLOps strategies, workflows, and tooling to streamline model development, deployment, monitoring, and retraining.
• Build robust CI/CD pipelines for machine learning projects.
• Establish model governance and compliance standards, including documentation, monitoring, and auditability.
• Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and IT to ensure scalable, secure, and resilient ML infrastructure.
• Oversee the integration, optimization, and cost management of enterprise-approved LLM APIs
• Serve as the platform leader and administrator for Vision's Dataiku instance, scaling adoption and ensuring optimal performance.
• Develop and maintain governance frameworks, role-based access controls, and project management conventions for platform users.
• Organize training programs, office hours, and enablement sessions for new and advanced users.
• Partner with the Dataiku vendor and internal stakeholders to align platform roadmaps with organizational priorities.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned by management

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree / PhD + 4 years' experience, OR Bachelor's Degree + 6 years' experience.
• Educational degree in quantitative field, such as Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Economics, and/or related quantitative
• Proven track record deploying and managing machine learning models at scale, preferably in production enterprise environments.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with ML frameworks
• Strong understanding of cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Hands-on experience with end-to-end model registry and lifecycle tools (e.g., MLflow or Kubernetes).
• Ability to implement monitoring for both system metrics (CPU/GPU) and model metrics (Drift detection, F1 score, Bias monitoring).
• Advanced knowledge of building automated pipeline (GitHub Actions, Jenkins) specifically for ML workflows.
• Hands-on experience administering Dataiku or similar AI/analytics platforms such as Databricks, SageMaker, or Vertex AI.
• Experience interpreting and communicating analytic results to analytical and non-analytical business partners
• Ability to travel both domestically and internationally may be required (~5-10%).
• Ability to flex hours to accommodate multiple time zones when necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with LLM APIs, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines, and GenAI solution deployment.
• Familiarity with AI ethics, responsible AI frameworks, and compliance standards.
• Experience working in large matrixed organization, with Global footprint

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:
Advanced Analytics, Coaching, Critical Thinking, Data Analysis, Data Privacy Standards, Data Quality, Data Reporting, Data Savvy, Data Science, Data Visualization, Digital Fluency, Econometric Models, Organizing, Process Improvements, Strategic Thinking, Technical Credibility, Workflow Analysis

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :
$117,000.00 - $201,250.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency:
Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company's consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).

Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:

Vacation -120 hours per calendar year

Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado -48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington -56 hours per calendar year

Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays -13 days per calendar year

Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year

Parental Leave - 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child

Bereavement Leave - 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year

Caregiver Leave - 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days

Volunteer Leave - 32 hours per calendar year

Military Spouse Time-Off - 80 hours per calendar year