Principal Engineer – AI & Technology Systems

Principal Engineer – AI & Technology Systems

Function: R&D

Location: Gurgaon

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: 7+ years

About the Role

Lenskart’s R&D function is building the next generation of technology-led vision care systems, including AI-assisted eye testing, intelligent retail workflows, connected devices, automation systems, and software-led diagnostic experiences.

We are looking for a Principal Engineer – AI & Technology Systems to join the R&D function as a senior technical builder and systems leader. This role is meant for someone who has built real products, platforms, tools, or technology solutions and can take ambiguous R&D problems from concept to working prototype, pilot, and scalable implementation.

This is not a product management role. We are looking for a hands-on technical leader with strong software engineering depth, AI exposure, system architecture capability, and the ability to lead multidisciplinary execution across software, AI, data, devices, and real-world workflows.

Role Objective

The person will act as a senior technical owner within the R&D function, helping convert high-potential ideas into robust, testable, and deployable technology systems.

The ideal candidate should be able to:
• Understand complex real-world problems
• Define the technical architecture of solutions
• Build and guide software/AI systems
• Lead engineers and external partners
• Validate prototypes in real operating environments
• Convert successful experiments into scalable systems

Key Responsibilities

AI & Technology Systems Architecture
• Define system architecture for AI-native and software-led R&D projects.
• Design scalable solutions involving backend systems, frontend interfaces, APIs, databases, AI/ML models, cloud/local deployment, and device integrations.
• Evaluate technical trade-offs across performance, reliability, latency, scalability, security, usability, and maintainability.
• Build systems that can work reliably in real-world retail, optometry, diagnostic, and consumer environments.
• Create architecture documentation, technical specifications, integration flows, and validation plans.

Applied AI and Intelligent Workflow Development
• Lead the development of AI-assisted workflows involving decision engines, conversational systems, speech-to-text, NLP, computer vision, recommendation systems, and human-in-the-loop intelligence.
• Work with AI/ML teams, software engineers, and domain experts to convert AI capabilities into usable products.
• Evaluate AI models and systems not only for accuracy, but also for latency, reliability, user experience, failure handling, and deployment feasibility.
• Build feedback loops for continuous improvement of AI-enabled systems.
• Ensure AI systems are practical, explainable where required, and aligned with real user workflows.

R&D Execution and Prototyping
• Convert ambiguous R&D goals into clear technical milestones, experiments, prototypes, and implementation plans.
• Build proof-of-concepts quickly while maintaining sound engineering judgment.
• Identify technical risks early and create mitigation plans.
• Lead rapid prototyping, technical validation, pilot deployment, and iteration.
• Work closely with the R&D Lead to prioritize ideas based on technical feasibility, business impact, scalability, and speed of execution.
• Ensure that successful prototypes are designed with a clear path toward productionization.

Software, Data, and Device Integration
• Guide development across backend, frontend, data pipelines, AI services, dashboards, control systems, and integration layers.
• Support integration with external devices, instruments, sensors, APIs, control interfaces, and third-party software systems.
• Create robust communication between software systems and physical-world workflows.
• Define data capture, storage, processing, and analytics requirements for R&D systems.
• Ensure systems are testable, observable, maintainable, and secure.

Technical Leadership
• Mentor and guide software engineers, AI/ML engineers, data engineers, and integration teams.
• Review technical designs, architecture decisions, code quality, and implementation approaches.
• Help build a high-performance engineering culture inside the R&D function.
• Bring clarity to complex technical discussions and drive decisions under ambiguity.
• Support hiring, evaluation, onboarding, and development of technical talent.
• Work with internal teams and external vendors to ensure strong execution quality.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Collaborate with R&D, product, business, retail operations, optometry, design, data science, and engineering teams.
• Translate business and operational needs into robust technical solutions.
• Communicate complex technical topics clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Work closely with leadership to evaluate new technology opportunities and build strategic R&D capabilities.
• Support partnerships, vendor evaluations, technology scouting, and external development collaborations where needed.

Required Qualifications
• 7+ years of experience building software, AI-enabled, or technology-driven solutions.
• Strong background in software engineering, system architecture, and technical problem-solving.
• Proven experience building and shipping multiple products, platforms, tools, or internal systems.
• Experience working in R&D, innovation, startup, platform engineering, AI product development, automation, health-tech, diagnostics, robotics, consumer technology, or similar environments.
• Experience leading engineering teams, technical workstreams, or zero-to-one technology initiatives.
• Ability to work in ambiguous environments and convert unclear problems into executable technical plans.
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate independently.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, Electronics, Robotics, or a related technical field.

Required Technical Skills

The candidate should have strong exposure to several of the following:
• Backend development using Python, Node.js, Java, Go, or similar technologies
• Frontend development using React, Next.js, or similar frameworks
• API design, databases, microservices, distributed systems, and cloud/local deployment
• AI/ML systems, LLM integrations, speech-to-text, NLP, computer vision, or intelligent automation
• Data pipelines, analytics systems, model evaluation, feedback loops, and experimentation frameworks
• System integration with hardware, instruments, devices, sensors, or third-party platforms
• Software architecture, reliability engineering, observability, security, and scalability
• Rapid prototyping and productionization of experimental systems

Preferred Experience
• Experience as a founder, founding engineer, early-stage startup leader, or zero-to-one product builder.
• Experience building AI-native products or platforms.
• Experience in health-tech, diagnostics, optometry, medical devices, retail technology, robotics, automation, or computer vision.
• Experience integrating software with physical devices or real-world operating environments.
• Experience building tools or systems used by non-technical users.
• Experience managing small technical teams or leading cross-functional engineering squads.
• Exposure to regulated, safety-critical, healthcare, or diagnostic environments would be a plus.

What We Are Not Looking For

This role is not suitable for someone who is only a product manager, project manager, scrum master, or coordination-focused leader.

We are not looking for someone who only manages timelines without owning technical decisions.

We are not looking for someone who has only worked on theoretical AI models without building usable systems.

We are not looking for someone who is disconnected from implementation, architecture, engineering trade-offs, and real-world deployment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a builder-leader who has:
• Built multiple technology solutions from scratch
• Led engineers through complex technical execution
• Worked with AI or AI-enabled systems in practical contexts
• Operated in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
• Solved real-world problems using software, data, AI, and systems thinking
• Taken prototypes or early concepts toward pilots or production
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial ownership
• Balanced technical depth with leadership maturity

Success in This Role

Within the first 6–12 months, success would mean:
• Taking technical ownership of key AI/software-led R&D initiatives.
• Establishing strong architecture and engineering standards for R&D technology systems.
• Accelerating prototype development and validation cycles.
• Improving software, AI, and data infrastructure within the R&D function.
• Helping build and mentor a strong technical R&D team.
• Converting at least one major R&D concept into a validated pilot or deployable system.
• Becoming a trusted technical counterpart to the R&D Lead.

One-Line Summary

We are looking for a senior technical builder to lead the creation of AI-native, software-led, and device-integrated technology systems within Lenskart’s R&D function.