Lead Engineer AI/ML - Onsite

We are seeking a Machine Learning Engineer to join the Information Technology organization at our corporate office in Springfield, MO. The Machine Learning Engineer designs, builds, tests, and optimizes machine learning systems that support enterprise AI initiatives across the business. This role is responsible for developing production-ready model code, inference logic, and reusable ML components that convert approved enterprise data into reliable operational signals, recommendations, automations, or insights. This position works closely with AI leadership, Data Science, MLOps, Data Engineering, Product/Delivery, Security, Privacy, Store Operations, Merchandising, and other cross-functional partners to implement practical AI solutions. The role must balance model quality, latency, cost, privacy, maintainability, and operational usefulness. This position requires working onsite in our Springfield, MO headquarters. Occasional travel to field locations may be required. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Design, develop, and evaluate machine learning models and inference pipelines for enterprise AI use cases across retail, operations, merchandising, customer experience, supply chain, and corporate functions. Build production-quality Python code for model training, evaluation, preprocessing, postprocessing, inference services, and reusable model components. Partner with Data Scientists to define ground truth datasets, labeling requirements, evaluation metrics, confidence thresholds, and acceptable error tradeoffs. Partner with MLOps / Cloud ML Engineering to package, register, deploy, monitor, and optimize models in cloud, edge, or hybrid environments. Evaluate and select model architectures, pretrained models, fine-tuning approaches, and inference strategies appropriate for the business problem and operating environment. Prepare and transform approved structured and unstructured data for model development while following privacy, retention, and acceptable-use constraints. Build or integrate data labeling, sampling, augmentation, and validation workflows needed for model development and evaluation. Optimize inference performance for latency, cost, throughput, reliability, and deployment target. Implement model output schemas and event metadata structures in partnership with Data Engineering and API/application teams. Integrate model outputs with APIs, event streams, dashboards, reports, applications, or other approved enterprise presentation layers. Write automated tests for model code, preprocessing logic, inference services, schema contracts, and regression checks. Troubleshoot model failures caused by data quality, domain shift, operational changes, drift, or degraded source data. Document model assumptions, limitations, dependencies, reproducibility steps, evaluation results, and production readiness criteria. Support responsible AI practices, including PII minimization, privacy-aware design, model explainability where practical, and secure handling of approved enterprise data. Contribute to architecture decision records, model cards, technical runbooks, documentation, and reusable engineering standards. ALL OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience. 8+ years of experience in software engineering, machine learning engineering, applied AI engineering, or production ML systems. 5+ years of hands-on experience building, training, fine-tuning, or deploying machine learning models in applied business environments. Strong proficiency in Python and modern machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, OpenCV, or equivalent tools. Experience with one or more ML domains such as natural language processing, forecasting, classification, recommendation systems, optimization, anomaly detection, multimodal AI, or generative AI. Experience building production-quality APIs, services, or batch/streaming inference components. Experience with Git, automated testing, code review, containerization, and collaborative engineering practices. Familiarity with model optimization and deployment formats or tooling such as ONNX, TensorRT, OpenVINO, quantization, batching, or similar techniques preferred. Familiarity with Azure Machine Learning, Azure AI services, Databricks, MLflow, or equivalent cloud ML platforms preferred. Familiarity with event-driven architectures, REST APIs, message queues, data lakes, and metadata/event pipelines preferred. Experience with distributed inference, real-time AI systems, high-throughput event processing, or enterprise integration patterns preferred. Experience working with security, privacy, and governance requirements for sensitive operational data preferred. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY: Strong software engineering fundamentals and ability to build maintainable ML systems beyond notebooks. Strong understanding of the machine learning lifecycle, including data preparation, training, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and retraining. Strong understanding of model failure modes in real-world environments. Ability to make practical model tradeoffs across accuracy, latency, cost, privacy, reliability, and maintainability. Ability to translate business use cases into technical model requirements without over-scoping the solution. Ability to collaborate effectively with Data Scientists, MLOps Engineers, Data Engineers, platform teams, and business stakeholders. Ability to document model behavior and limitations clearly for both technical and nontechnical audiences. Proficiency with Git-based development workflows and Agile delivery practices. Commitment to responsible and ethical AI development aligned with company standards. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Occasional travel, up to 10%, may be required for field observation, technical validation, troubleshooting, or stakeholder workshops. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Regularly completes computer work and sits. Occasionally walks and stands. Seldomly or never lifts up to 50lbs. INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT : Performs duties within scope of general company policies, procedures, and objectives. Analyzes problems and performs needs assessments. Uses judgment in adapting broad guidelines to achieve desired result. Regular exercise of independent judgment within accepted practices. Makes recommendations that affect policies, procedures, and practices. Full Time Benefits Summary: Enjoy discounts on retail merchandise, our restaurants, world-class resorts and conservation attractions! Medical Dental Vision Health Savings Account Flexible Spending Account Voluntary benefits 401k Retirement Savings Paid holidays Paid vacation Paid sick time Bass Pro Cares Fund And more! Bass Pro Shops is an equal opportunity employer. Hiring decisions are administered without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law. Reasonable Accommodations Qualified individuals with known disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please visit your nearest location or contact us at . Bass Pro Shops