Principal Applied Researcher (San Jose)

Applied Researcher, AI Foundations- Adobe ExpressThe OpportunityAdobe Express empowers users to seamlessly construct striking designs, whether they are novices or experienced engineers, on a user-friendly platform improved by groundbreaking AI capabilities. The AI Foundations team sits at the core of this vision, driving innovation to make Adobe Express smarter, faster, and more adaptive! By developing modular, reusable AI systems and crafting a robust Horizon AI Stack, this team will play a pivotal role in transforming creative workflows. Joining this team means crafting the future of creativity, solving complex engineering challenges, and delivering scalable AI solutions that redefine what is possible in design!What You'll DoBuild innovative machine learning models that drive Agentic and other Generative AI scenarios for Adobe Express.Develop and deploy advanced ML models in areas such as computer vision, NLP, and multimodal learning.Contribute to foundational AI systems for intelligent assistance, layout automation, image generation, and motion storytelling.Design and build modular ML components that integrate into Adobe’s Horizon AI Stack and serve multiple creative workflows.Drive the end-to-end ML lifecycle—from experimentation to evaluation, optimization, and production deployment.Collaborate closely with Adobe Research, engineering, and product teams to bring AI-powered features to life.Design evaluation strategies using a combination of automated metrics, LLM based judges, and user feedback.Basic QualificationsMasters, or PhD (preferred) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field with equivalent experience.Strong programming skills and proficiency in ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX.Experience with modern ML architectures including transformers / visual transformers, diffusion models, or GANs.Experience with cloud platforms, MLOps and deploying ML systems in production at scale.Be able to quickly read, understand and prototype relevant research papers.Preferred QualificationsExperience with Large Language Models and model adaptation techniques (Ex: PEFT, SFT, RL etc.)Familiarity with agent-based systems, intelligent assistants, or planner-based AI.Experience in creative, imaging, or multimedia domains.Publications in renowned ML/CV/AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, CVPR, ICML, SIGGRAPH).What You Need to SucceedPassion for creativity and learning with a drive to improve solutions.Be up to date with the latest and greatest in AI Research.Comfortable working in a fast, iterative and ambiguous environment.Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical ideas and experiment results clearly.Collaborative spirit with a focus on product impact, AI / ML innovation and engineering excellence.About AdobeAdobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe’s industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We’re on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours. Let’s Adobe togetherAt Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture, focus on people, purpose and community, Adobe for All, comprehensive benefits programs, the stories we tell, the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email View email address on apply.placed-app.com or call View phone number on apply.placed-app.com. AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI — and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it’s restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.Expected Pay Range:Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several  U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $206,300 -- $388,000 annually. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.

In California, the pay range for this position is $268,000 - $388,000
In Washington, the pay range for this position is $247,200 - $357,900
At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.State-Specific Notices:California:Fair Chance OrdinancesAdobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.Colorado:Application Window NoticeIf this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.Massachusetts:Massachusetts Legal NoticeIt is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.SummaryLocation: San Jose; SeattleType: Full time