At NiCE, we don’t limit our challenges. We challenge our limits. Always. We’re ambitious. We’re game changers. And we play to win. We set the highest standards and execute beyond them. And if you’re like us, we can offer you the ultimate career opportunity that will light a fire within you.
So, what's the role all about?
NiCE is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to join NiCE Labs Research (NLR), a team dedicated to model expertise and agent architecture for the Cognigy platform. As Senior Machine Learning Engineer, you will own the evaluation and optimization of speech-oriented AI models — covering real-time transcription and speech-to-speech systems across dozens of languages.
This role is primarily concerned with rigorous measurement: designing test suites, running comparative evaluations, and producing actionable recommendations on model selection and configuration.
The Senior Machine Learning Engineer monitors the rapidly evolving speech AI landscape to identify state-of-the-art transcription and speech-to-speech models for evaluation. You will design and maintain a speech-oriented test suite that covers quality, cost, and latency, and develop techniques to optimize model usage for operational deployment.
This role requires deep expertise in speech AI systems, strong quantitative skills, and the discipline to produce reliable, reproducible evaluation results.
How will you make an impact?
- Design and maintain a speech-oriented test suite covering quality, cost, and latency across dozens of languages.
- Monitor the industry for new state-of-the-art transcription and speech-to-speech models to evaluate.
- Design and evaluate techniques to optimize speech model usage for operational deployment.
- Produce clear, quantitative evaluation reports and model recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Contribute to the broader model evaluation framework maintained by the NLR team.
- Stay informed of advances in speech AI, including transcription, text-to-speech, and speech-to-speech technologies.
Have you got what it takes?
- MS in computer science, electrical engineering, computational linguistics, or a related field with a focus on speech or audio processing.
- Three or more years of hands-on experience with speech AI systems, including ASR, TTS, or speech-to-speech models.
- Experience designing evaluation methodologies or test suites for AI systems.
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with experience producing rigorous benchmark results.
- LoRA/PEFT for speech models, inference optimization (quantization, SGLang/vLLM serving for audio, distillation), experience with at least one open-source TTS family
- GPU cost modeling
- Proficiency in Python and familiarity with speech processing libraries and tools.
- Experience with cloud-based infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
- Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with cross-functional teams.
- Ability to clearly communicate and present to internal and external stakeholders.
You will have an advantage if you have:
- Experience evaluating speech models across multiple languages.
- Familiarity with multi-cloud deployment across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
- Experience with model optimization techniques for speech systems, such as latency reduction or cost optimization.
- Exposure to contact center or conversational AI platforms.
- Experience working on international, globe-spanning teams.
What’s in it for you?
Join an ever-growing, market disrupting, global company where the teams – comprised of the best of the best – work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and creative environment! As the market leader, every day at NiCE is a chance to learn and grow, and there are endless internal career opportunities across multiple roles, disciplines, domains, and locations. If you are passionate, innovative, and excited to constantly raise the bar, you may just be our next NICEr!
Enjoy NiCE-FLEX!
At NiCE, we work according to the NiCE-FLEX hybrid model, which enables maximum flexibility: 2 days working from the office and 3 days of remote work, each week. Naturally, office days focus on face-to-face meetings, where teamwork and collaborative thinking generate innovation, new ideas, and a vibrant, interactive atmosphere.
Requisition ID: 11422
Reporting into: Director, Engineering, AI Research, NiCE Labs
Role Type: Individual Contributor
About NiCE
NICE Ltd. (NASDAQ: NICE) software products are used by 25,000+ global businesses, including 85 of the Fortune 100 corporations, to deliver extraordinary customer experiences, fight financial crime and ensure public safety. Every day, NiCE software manages more than 120 million customer interactions and monitors 3+ billion financial transactions.
Known as an innovation powerhouse that excels in AI, cloud and digital, NiCE is consistently recognized as the market leader in its domains, with over 8,500 employees across 30+ countries.
NiCE is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, neurotype, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other category protected by law.
Skills Required
- MS in computer science, electrical engineering, computational linguistics, or related field focused on speech or audio processing.
- Three or more years of hands-on experience with speech AI systems (ASR, TTS, or speech-to-speech).
- Experience designing evaluation methodologies or test suites for AI systems.
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills with experience producing rigorous benchmark results.
- Experience with LoRA/PEFT for speech models.
- Experience with inference optimization (quantization, distillation, SGLang/vLLM serving for audio).
- Experience with at least one open-source TTS family.
- GPU cost modeling experience.
- Proficiency in Python.
- Familiarity with speech processing libraries and tools.
- Experience with cloud-based infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
- Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with cross-functional teams.
- Ability to clearly communicate and present to internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience evaluating speech models across multiple languages.
- Familiarity with multi-cloud deployment across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
- Experience with model optimization techniques for speech systems (latency reduction, cost optimization).
- Exposure to contact center or conversational AI platforms.
- Experience working on international, globe-spanning teams.
NICE Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about NICE and has not been reviewed or approved by NICE.
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Healthcare Strength — Benefits are described as broad and comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and mental-health support. Added programs like FSA options and fitness stipends contribute to a well-rounded health and wellness offering.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) is part of the package, sometimes paired with match details that are described as typical to stronger depending on role and time period. Employee stock participation is also positioned as an additional long-term wealth-building component for eligible roles.
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Flexible Benefits — Flexible work arrangements are emphasized, including hybrid setups and remote options for some roles. Flex scheduling, paid holidays, and paid sick time add to the perceived flexibility of the overall rewards package.
NICE Insights
What We Do
NICE (Nasdaq: NICE) is the worldwide leading provider of both cloud and on-premises enterprise software solutions that empower organizations to make smarter decisions based on advanced analytics of structured and unstructured data. NICE helps organizations of all sizes deliver better customer service, ensure compliance, combat fraud and safeguard citizens. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, are using NICE solutions. www.nice.com.
