At Nike, our mission is to leverage the power of advanced data and innovative technology to inspire and serve athletes* worldwide. You will be part of the Data & AI (DAI) team, a dynamic group at the heart of digital transformation. This team designs, builds, and maintains scalable, intelligent, and secure platforms that drive critical decision-making, personalized consumer experiences, and operational excellence throughout the global Nike ecosystem. Collaboration is key—expect to interact with talented engineers, data scientists, product managers, and global stakeholders who share a passion for excellence and innovation.
Who We Are Looking ForWe are searching for a visionary and accomplished Principal Software Engineer to join our Tech Center in India. You are not only an expert in software architecture and engineering, AIML framework, but also a strategic thinker who can see the long-term impact of technology decisions. Your experience allows you to guide teams through ambiguity, set clear technical standards, and shape the future of Nike’s data-driven platforms. You thrive in a fast-paced environment where cross-functional collaboration, creativity, and agility are essential. You have a demonstrated history of successfully leading engineering teams, delivering innovative solutions, and driving organizational change at scale.
Skillsets and Required QualificationsBachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Machine Learning or AI systems or a related field. Masters degree in Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Generative AI is highly desired
12+ years of progressive experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or principal engineer capacity.
Extensive expertise in building, deploying, and scaling sophisticated AI platforms, distributed systems, and AI cloud-native architectures (Atleast one or more with AWS SageMaker, DataBricks, Azure ML, or GCP / Google Vertex AI).
Advanced proficiency in one or more programming languages: Python, Java, Scala or Go
Proven track record of deploying large-scale ML models into production environments.
Experience with modern ML stacks (e.g., LLMs, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Spark, and cloud-native MLOps tools)
Strong track record with modern DevOps methodologies, automation, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure as code (IaC).
A strong familiarity and development experiences with agentic workflow and AI/LLM powered enterprise applications.
Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and inspire at all levels of the organization.
Experience driving and managing complex, high-impact technology projects in a fast-paced, agile environment.
Deep understanding of security and compliance best practices in large-scale enterprise environments.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in engineering teams.
Lead the architectural vision, technical design, and implementation of complex, large-scale data and AI platforms, ensuring they are robust, secure, and highly performant.
Champion best practices in software development, Agentic AI systems, and ML cloud infrastructure, setting high standards for code quality, reliability, and maintainability across multiple engineering teams.
Mentor and coach senior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and continuous growth. Provide thought leadership to enable teams to solve challenging engineering problems.
Collaborate extensively with global product and business stakeholders to translate strategic goals into actionable technology roadmaps, align engineering efforts with business priorities, and deliver exceptional value to Nike’s customers and partners.
Drive adoption of modern engineering methodologies, including automation, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), MLOps/DevOps practices, test-driven development, and agile frameworks to accelerate innovation and delivery.
Evaluate, recommend, and integrate emerging technologies, frameworks, and tools to strengthen Nike’s technology ecosystem and maintain our position as an industry leader.
Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of critical projects, from requirements gathering and solution design, to implementation, monitoring, and optimization.
Ensure all platforms and services meet stringent security, privacy, and compliance standards, proactively identifying and mitigating risks.
Represent the Tech Center in India as a senior technical ambassador, collaborating with global teams, sharing expertise, and contributing to Nike’s worldwide engineering community.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Machine Learning, AI systems, or related field.
- Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Generative AI (highly desired)
- 12+ years progressive experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in senior leadership or principal engineer capacity.
- Extensive expertise in building, deploying, and scaling AI platforms, distributed systems, and cloud-native AI architectures (experience with AWS SageMaker, Databricks, Azure ML, or Google Vertex AI).
- Advanced proficiency in one or more programming languages: Python, Java, Scala, or Go.
- Proven track record of deploying large-scale ML models into production environments.
- Experience with modern ML stacks (LLMs, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Spark, and cloud-native MLOps tools).
- Strong track record with DevOps methodologies, automation, CI/CD pipelines, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
- Familiarity and development experience with agentic workflow and AI/LLM-powered enterprise applications.
- Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience driving and managing complex, high-impact technology projects in fast-paced, agile environments.
- Deep understanding of security and compliance best practices in large-scale enterprise environments.
- Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in engineering teams.
Nike Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nike and has not been reviewed or approved by Nike.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with a company match is complemented by options such as a Mega Backdoor Roth and deferred compensation for eligible earners. Financial coaching and structured savings programs support long-term financial security.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a stock discount sits alongside broad-based equity vehicles like RSUs and non-qualified stock options. These avenues expand wealth-building opportunities beyond base pay.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave includes maternity and paternity time, recently expanded in the U.S. to 16 weeks and extended to part-time retail teammates. Additional supports include childcare assistance at select locations and family-building benefits such as fertility, surrogacy, and adoption.
Nike Insights
What We Do
At NIKE, Inc., we innovate to serve athletes*. Every teammate - from coder to creator - plays a role in making these athletes’ dreams real. Our tech, data, and digital teams push limits every day, building the future of sport and the tools that drive it. Here, curiosity is fuel. Innovation is the game plan. Different perspectives keep us on the offense. You’ll solve challenges worth tackling, grow fast and belong to a team that backs you to do the right thing. Bring your drive. Bring your bold. Let’s move the world, together. Take your first step at nike.com/careers * If you have a body, you’re an athlete.
Why Work With Us
At NIKE, Inc., your dedication fuels the future of sport. There is a sense of pride that comes from representing an iconic brand and shaping its future. Here, we treat every day as a new opportunity to push boundaries, ask tough questions and share whole-hearted convictions. We are a team – united by the belief that anything is possible.
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