AI Architect vs ML Engineer: what energy employers ask for
As of 29 October 2026, Plutarch tracked 75 open AI Architect postings and 77 open ML Engineer postings at energy employers.
Skills and tools
Share of the postings we could read in full that name each skill: 57 for AI Architect, 71 for ML Engineer.
| Skill or tool | AI Architect | ML Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Machine learning | 33% | 87% |
| Python | 42% | 86% |
| AI agents | 61% | 28% |
| Azure | 61% | 35% |
| PyTorch | not listed | 55% |
| Generative AI | 49% | not listed |
| MLOps | 33% | 49% |
| AWS | 35% | 46% |
| LLMs | 44% | 46% |
| RAG | 46% | not listed |
| CI/CD | 23% | 34% |
| SQL | 30% | 34% |
| Deep learning | not listed | 30% |
| Docker | not listed | 30% |
| Statistics | not listed | 30% |
| Git | not listed | 28% |
| TensorFlow | not listed | 27% |
| Cybersecurity | 26% | not listed |
| Google Cloud | 26% | not listed |
| Agile / Scrum | 19% | not listed |
| DevOps | 18% | not listed |
Where the postings are
| Country | AI Architect | ML Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 40% | 43% |
| India | 15% | 12% |
| United Kingdom | not listed | 10% |
| Canada | 8% | not listed |
| China | not listed | 5% |
| Australia | not listed | 4% |
| Germany | 4% | not listed |
| Norway | 4% | not listed |
How many postings state pay
- AI Architect: 11 of 43 postings whose pay we could read (26%)
- ML Engineer: 24 of 53 postings whose pay we could read (45%)
Pay levels are not compared here: each role's figures come from different countries and currencies. They are on each role's own page. Pay disclosure tracks local pay-transparency law more closely than employer policy, so the two rates partly reflect where each role is advertised.
“Not listed” means the skill, credential or country is not among those shown on that role's own page, not that no posting names it. This compares what employers ask for in the two roles; it does not count how many people hold those skills or say that one role can do the other.
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