Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Engineer

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Engineer

The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) Engineer.

Position Details

Location

Marine Research Center

1030 West Pier, Port of Gulfport

Gulfport, Mississippi, 39501

United States

Division

Ocean Enterprise

Position Type

Staff

Employment Status

Full Time

Grant Funded

Yes

Salary Range

85,349.00 - 115,000.00

Pay Grade

E16

Posting Close Date

February 1, 2026

Special Instructions to ApplicantsApplicants must be currently authorized to work in theUnited States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. TheUniversity will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

Job SummaryThis is an early to mid-career role that will require the incumbent to design, build and maintain machine learning (ML) models focusing on making AI models practical and scalable for real-world applications, often bridging the gap between data science and software engineering. The position is located at the USM Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise.Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize machine learning models for diverse business and research applications.
• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and product teams to integrate ML models into production systems and ensure scalability.
• Lead data preparation efforts, including preprocessing, feature engineering, and exploratory data analysis to support model development.
• Evaluate and refine models using appropriate metrics, improving accuracy, efficiency, and robustness against real-world data challenges.
• Maintain and enhance ML pipelines and infrastructure, ensuring reliability, reproducibility, and continuous improvement.
• Stay current with AI/ML research and apply emerging methods to solve complex practical problems.
• Translate research into practice by collaborating with principal investigators and research teams, and assisting in preparing technical reports, visualizations, and academic publications.
• Document models, processes, and codebases to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and effective knowledge sharing across teams.

Minimum QualificationsBachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering or a related field and 6 years of experience or a Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering or a related field and 4 years of experience. Demonstrated experience working in the full lifecycle of an ML Model. U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain a Government clearance. A valid driver's license and eligibility to receive a Trusted Worker Identification Card (TWIC)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Proficiency in Python and ML libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and XGBoost.
• Experience with data manipulation tools like Pandas, NumPy, and SQL.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud (especially services like SageMaker, Vertex AI, etc.).
• Experience with model deployment tools and frameworks (e.g., Docker, FastAPI, Flask, MLflow).
• Strong understanding of supervised and unsupervised learning, neural networks, NLP, and computer vision.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work independently and in teams.

Preferred QualificationsExperience with MLOps practices and tools.

Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).

Knowledge of data visualization tools (e.g., Matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly).

Contributions to open-source projects or published research in AI/ML

Proficiency in programming languages like C, Java, C++ and Python

About The University of Southern Mississippi

Since our founding in 1910, The University of SouthernMississippi has remained dedicated to preparingstudents for success. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 studentsin Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across theMississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Weare a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one ofthe nation's leading research institutions.

Southern Miss is known for pioneering work inpolymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringinglanguage to children with communication disorders. We are also a nationalleader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography,nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others.

We produce graduates ready to enterfields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs suchas computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We're developing the next generation ofbusiness leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages byproducing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition ofexcellence in the arts, we are one of only 36 public institutions in the nationaccredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, ourstudent-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion andpersistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life. For more information, visit www.usm.edu.

The University of Southern Mississippi is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. EOE/VETS/DISABILITY.