AI Scientist (Senior/Principal)

Founded and based in Richmond, BC, Ideon Technologies uses the energy from supernova explosions in space to image deep beneath the Earth’s surface. The world pioneer in cosmic-ray muon tomography, Ideon has developed the REVEAL Subsurface Intelligence Platform, comprising an advanced suite of proprietary data-generation hardware, software, AI-powered services, and multi-physics fusion that provide x-ray-like visibility deep underground and unlock the exponential power of integrated spatial data.

By transforming muon data into reliable 3D density maps, Ideon helps geologists identify, map, characterize, and monitor mineral deposits with confidence. This reduces risk and cost of traditional methods, while saving time, optimizing return, and minimizing environmental impact across the mining value chain. In turn, this is helping accelerate the world’s transition to low-impact mining and transform how companies recover the critical minerals required to power the global shift to clean energy – improving peoples’ lives and enhancing economic prosperity. Learn even more at ideon.ai.

We are a dynamic tech scale-up and a team that is entrepreneurial by nature and focused on doing things right to deliver great customer outcomes. We are committed to seeking out the best brains and the most exceptional humans, wherever they come from and however they happen to be packaged.

The Role

As we continue to grow, we are building out a small but mighty new AI team! We are seeking a driven Senior or Principal AI Scientist to drive the development of AI/ML-driven solutions for geoscience, with a focus on integrating multi-physics data, LLMs, and neural network models.

You will report to the Director, AI and work in a team setting with software developers, applied scientists, physicists, and IT professionals.

This role requires a deep understanding of and experience in AI/ML advancements. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design workflows that leverage generative AI, process diverse geoscience datasets, and deliver impactful solutions.

In addition, you will impact and drive Ideon’s objectives forward by focusing on the following activities:

• Develop and deploy AI/ML models tailored to geoscience applications, including geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and multi-physics data integration.
• Design and implement large language models (LLMs) and generative AI (GenAI) solutions to enhance data processing, analysis, and decision-making workflows in geoscience.
• Create advanced neural network architectures for tasks such as predictive modeling, anomaly detection, and data synthesis.
• Integrate multi-physics datasets, including muon tomography along with other geophysical, geochemical and geological data, into cohesive and scalable solutions.
• Collaborate with geoscientists, engineers, and stakeholders to address domain-specific challenges and innovate solutions.
• Guide the implementation of generative AI and neural network models into geoscience platforms and tools.
• Communicate technical findings, methodologies, and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay up-to-date with advancements in AI/ML, neural networks, LLMs, GenAI, and geoscience research to drive continuous innovation.
• Mentor other data science individuals, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.

Success in the role looks like:

• Accelerated Deployment of AI/ML Innovations: Demonstrating success through the rapid development and deployment of AI/ML technologies that significantly enhance Ideon’s product offerings.
• Leadership in Project Lifecycle: Exhibiting an exemplary ability to lead and manage the full lifecycle of AI/ML projects—from initial concept through to successful implementation and evaluation.

Priorities in the first few months will include:

1. Familiarization and Integration: Quickly get up-to-speed with current AI/ML projects and data workflows at Ideon. This involves understanding ongoing projects, key personnel, and the specific geoscience challenges currently being addressed.
2. Strategic Planning: Start defining the roadmap for upcoming AI/ML initiatives.
3. Early Wins: Identify opportunities for quick wins that demonstrate the value of integrating AI/ML with existing geoscience data and workflows.

Must-haves – You’ll need the following to move forward in the hiring process (and be successful in the role).

• 8+ (Senior) or 10+ (Principal) years experience in AI, data science, machine learning, and/or related fields
• Deep understanding of machine learning and AI technologies, including neural networks, generative AI, and large language models (e.g., OpenAI GPT, BERT, or similar)
• Proficiency in frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch (at least one), and scikit-learn
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, or Julia
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, or GCP) for large-scale data processing and modeling
• Proven ability to drive cross-functional projects from a technical leadership perspective
• Demonstrated success in delivering impactful AI/ML solutions, ideally for geoscience contexts
• Master’s or Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science, Geoscience, Geophysics, or a related field
• Well-developed communication skills in English at a fluent or professional level; able to be assertive and respectful
• Legally able and currently documented to work full time hours in Canada

Nice-to-haves

• Understanding of geoscience, including subsurface exploration and geological modeling
• Some experience in geoscience, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, or multi-physics integration
• Experience with geospatial analysis and tools like QGIS or ArcGIS, and 3D platforms like Leapfrog, Geoscience Analyst, or other
• Knowledge of time-series analysis and anomaly detection in multi-physics data
• Understanding of uncertainty quantification and statistical modeling in geoscience workflows
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines for machine learning models

We also look for the following from all new Ideon team members: 

• Experience or excitement for working in a tech scale-up; happy to wear a few hats and learn on the fly. 
• An ambitious, can-do attitude; you get that we’re doing challenging work and are excited to dive in.
• Enthusiastic and confident to take initiative and be adaptable in an agile, fast-paced environment.
• Solid teamwork skills; you’re accountable to yourself and your team and will jump in to help where you can.
• Creative solutioning mindset with great problem-solving skills.
• Insatiable curiosity paired with a drive to deliver.
• Able to work well under pressure and to meet committed deadlines.
• Great interpersonal skills; able to build relationships with colleagues, customers, and external stakeholders.
• Able to contribute something “extra” to our culture beyond the work that you do, like wowing people with your home-baked goods, sharing improv comedy skills, or organizing sports games.

More Details

Location: Our office is located at #150 - 4611 Viking Way, just off the No. 6 Road exit on the east-west connector in Richmond, BC, Canada. Lots of free parking is available and a bus stop is one block away.

This is a hybrid role. We love seeing folks in the office 2+ times a week; you’re welcome to work from home the remainder of the week or come into the office all 5 days if you prefer. Our “be an adult” approach means you have the flexibility to determine your in-office schedule while factoring in the positive impact of face-to-face connection and communication with your leader and teammates.

Hours of work: 8 hrs/day, M-F. Typical working hours are 9AM-5PM-ish pacific time; some employees shift slightly earlier or later based on business and personal needs. As Ideon is a high technology company, you may be asked to be flexible with your hours due to business requirements.

Travel: Limited; there may be occasional travel to conferences and/or customer discovery sessions.

What We Offer

Salary: The annual salary range for this role, in Canadian dollars, is $140,000 - $200,000.

• Equity option allocations upon hire plus the opportunity to earn performance-based option allocations annually.
• Accreditation and tuition support.
• Extended health and dental benefits, an employee assistance program, and a health/personal spending account to cover things that may not fall into other categories (i.e. exercise classes, transit, daycare, pet insurance).
• An annual paid closure between the Christmas and New Year’s stat holidays, in addition to vacation time.
• 5 paid sick days annually, in addition to other leaves per employment standards legislation.
• Parental leave top-up.
• Employee referral bonus.
• Casual dress – we like our jeans and hoodies.
• Free parking and tasty snacks at the office!
• While we work hard we also sprinkle social events and learning opportunities into our days.

Ideon’s salary ranges are determined by role and level and are benchmarked against companies of similar size and stage in the Vancouver, BC, Canada market. The range reflects the minimum and maximum new employee salary. It is not typical for a new employee to be hired at the top of the range; as experienced as someone may be they likely won’t have the directly related experience unique to working at Ideon. In exceptional circumstances, though, where a person has the knowledge, skills, and experience to exceed those needed for the position, we may consider compensating at the top of the range. In the application process you will be asked to provide your salary expectations.