AI/ML Engineer - Production-Grade ML & Deployment Expert

Richard Chiou

Newark, CA ***** +1-408-***-**** **************@*****.*** LinkedIn

Summary

Experienced AI/ML engineer with 10+ years designing, developing, and deploying production- grade machine learning and deep learning solutions across computer vision, NLP, GenAI, and real-time analytics. Led the WildTrack project, achieving 95%+ accuracy in species and individual footprint identification and Healthcare Virtual Assistant, improving clinical workflow efficiency by 60%. Developed an AI-driven Traffic Intelligence System that enhanced evacuation management and supported the safe evacuation of residents during Hurricane Ian (2022). Strong background in Python development, API integration (Flask, FastAPI), and cloud-based AI model deployment and monitoring (AWS, GCP, Azure).

Technical Skills

• Programming Languages: Python, SQL

• Frameworks: Django, Flask, FastAPI, Pandas, NumPy, Seaborn

• ML & DL: PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face, SageMaker, LangChain, LangGraph, Databricks

• NLP & CV: RAG, Transformers, BERT, LLMs, CNN, RNN, LSTM, Chatbots, STT/TTS, OpenCV, Graph WaveNet

• Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, PostGIS, Spark

• Cloud & DevOps: Docker, Jenkins, AWS (SageMaker, Lambda, EC2, EKS), GCP, Azure

• Testing & Simulation: SUMO, A/B Testing, PyTest, UnitTest Work Experience

Outlier Newark, CA

AI/ML Engineer, Lead Developer 01.2024 – Present

• Fine-tuned computer vision and deep learning models (ResNet-50) using PyTorch to identify species, individual animals, sex, and age-class from wildlife footprint images, achieving over 95% accuracy.

• Integrated optimized ONNX models into WildTrackAI mobile app, reducing prediction time from 2s to 300ms, improving accessibility for 1000+ field users.

• Deployed a BioBERT-based Transformer model using RAG on SageMaker to handle 500+ patient conversations per month, providing personalized healthcare advice.

• Improved clinical workflow efficiency, reducing average doctor-patient meeting time by 30% by pre- summarizing patient information from virtual assistant conversations using a BART-based Transformer model.

• Led a cross-functional AI team of 4 members to implement reproducible MLOps workflows using MLflow, DVC, Docker, and AWS S3, reducing model deployment time by 40% and enabling scalable, cloud-based AI operations.

Technologies: PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, ResNet-50, OpenCV, RAG, BioBERT, BART, TTS/STT, LangChain, PostgreSQL, AWS (Lambda, S3, EC2), Databricks, SageMaker

StreetLight Data San Francisco, CA

Senior AI/ML Engineer 01.2022 – 12.2023

• Architected spatio-temporal forecasting models using Graph WaveNet to predict traffic flow one hour ahead, achieving 23% higher accuracy compared to ARIMA.

• Applied Transformer-based temporal encoders for multi-horizon congestion prediction across heterogeneous inputs, enabling early detection of evacuation bottlenecks and reducing congestion prediction error by 18%.

• Created real-time incident detection models combining loop detector data, GPS traces, and DOT event feeds to classify crashes and stalled vehicles with 91% precision and 87% recall, reducing operator detection latency by 35%.

• Built a reinforcement learning model for adaptive traffic signal timing and contraflow recommendations, validated in SUMO simulations with up to 18% improvement in throughput during peak evacuation load.

• Established real-time traffic AI pipelines on AWS, ingesting 500K+ daily GPS and sensor records through Kafka, preprocessing with Spark, and deploying models on SageMaker with 99.9% uptime for high availability.

Technologies: PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, Graph WaveNet, Transformer, RL, Kafka, Spark, EKS, Redis, Prometheus, SUMO, PostGIS, WhyLabs

Metis San Francisco, CA

Data Scientist, Instructor 08.2019 - 12.2021

• A Mentored learners in feature engineering, model evaluation, and deployment, resulting in measurable skill improvements and career placements for 70+ students in data science roles.

• Authored 50+ hands-on exercises and guided 20+ capstone projects, producing production-ready ML models and analytics solutions.

Technologies: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Matplotlib, Pandas, Seaborn, Flask, FastAPI, Docker, Git/GitHub, AWS, GCP, Azure Signifyd San Joe, CA

AI/ML Engineer 08.2018 – 07.2019

• Engineered machine learning models to detect fraudulent e-commerce transactions, processing 100K+ daily transactions and reducing chargebacks by 15%.

• Optimized adaptive fraud thresholds and conducted A/B tests, improving legitimate transaction approval rates by 10% while maintaining high fraud detection accuracy. Technologies: XGBoost, scikit-learn, Pandas, NumPy, SQL, A/B tests, FastAPI, AWS Brain Technologies San Mateo, CA

Senior Data Scientist 07.2017 - 07.2018

• Formulated data generation guidelines and managed data generation workflows, creating and annotating 50,000+ examples to support the NLP team and ensure high- quality training data.

• Operationalized general and domain-specific entity recognition systems using spaCy and SENNA, improving the virtual assistant’s entity extraction accuracy by 25%. Technologies: spaCy, NumPy, Pandas, NER, Stranford SENNA, NLP xAd Mountain View, CA

Mid-level Data Scientist 08.2016 - 06.2017

• Executed a patent-pending statistical algorithm using hierarchical and Bayesian modeling on 10M observations to improve ad campaign-driven store visits by 25%.

• Developed a model to rank mobile user id quality leveraging 30+ behavioral and demographic features, increasing targeting precision by 20% across campaigns. Technologies: Python, SQL, PyMC3, Matplotlib, Hierarchical Modeling, Bayesian Modeling PayPal San Joe, CA

Mobile Tools Development Intern 08.2014 - 04.2015

• Constructed the PPUtils tool using QIJaws API to automate the creation of 10K+ test user accounts, supporting continuous integration for PayPal iOS and Android apps.

• Performed root cause analysis on Android test failures and built a login performance dashboard with automated alerts, improving testing efficiency by 45%. Technologies: Python, QIJaws REST API, CI/CD, Watchtower, iOS & Android Education

University of California Berkeley, CA — Master’s Degree, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 05.2015 – 12.2016 Columbia University New York — Bachelor’s Degree, Computer Science 09.2011 – 04.2015

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