Whatnot is hiring a Machine Learning Engineer for our Ads Quality team to ensure relevant, high-performing ads and promotions reach users effectively. You will be responsible for designing and evolving ML models for ads retrieval, ranking, and auction systems, owning end-to-end ML systems, and providing technical leadership.
What You'll Do
- Lead the design and evolution of machine learning models that power ads retrieval, ranking, and auction systems at scale.
- Own end to end ML systems, including training pipelines, feature infrastructure, and low latency online inference for real time and batch use cases.
- Apply advanced statistical and ML techniques to improve ads relevance, marketplace efficiency, and Seller outcomes.
- Define experimentation strategies, success metrics, and evaluation frameworks, and drive iteration through rigorous offline and online testing.
- Establish model and system observability through metrics, dashboards, and reliability best practices.
- Provide technical leadership through mentorship, design reviews, and raising engineering standards across the Ads+Promos org and Engineering at Whatnot.
- Stay current on advances in machine learning and ads auction systems, and drive adoption where they deliver clear impact.
What We're Looking For
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Economics, Statistics, or equivalent professional experience.
- 8+ years of industry experience building software and ML pipelines/systems, including technical leadership (project/tech lead or equivalent).
- Experience in applied statistical and machine learning fields e.g. Ads, search, recommendations, content understanding, natural language processing, and large language models.
- Strong proficiency in Python and at least one ML stack (e.g. scikit-learn, PyTorch, LightGBM), plus solid software engineering fundamentals.
- Capability of building scalable systems (we primarily use Python, Elixir, JavaScript).
- Solid backend development skills and experience deploying ML models to production (batch or real-time).
- Experience with data orchestration frameworks (Dagster, Kubeflow) and feature store design.
- Experience with data analysis and capable of conducting deep behavioral data analysis to uncover trends within the complex advertising marketplace.
- Excellent product instincts. You think first about users rather than the best technical solution. Ability to translate business/product needs into measurable ML solutions and collaborate across diverse cross-functional teams/stakeholders.
- A collaborative mindset — especially with other Senior ML ICs on team, product, data science, and cross-functional ML counterparts — to drive measurable business outcomes.
Nice to Have
- Experience in leadership positions (e.g. Technical Lead or Management). Strategic and technical leadership that raises the bar for engineering excellence.
Technical Stack
- Primary Languages: Python, Elixir, JavaScript
- ML Stack: scikit-learn, PyTorch, LightGBM
- Orchestration: Dagster, Kubeflow
Team & Environment
Part of the Ads+Promos engineering org, specifically the Ads Quality team.
Benefits & Compensation
- Generous Holiday and Time off Policy
- Health Insurance options including Medical, Dental, Vision
- Work From Home Support: Home office setup allowance, Monthly allowance for cell phone and internet
- Care benefits: Monthly allowance for wellness, Annual allowance towards Childcare, Lifetime benefit for family planning, such as adoption or fertility expenses
- Retirement; Pension plans internationally
- Monthly allowance to dogfood the app
- Parental Leave: 16 weeks of paid parental leave + one month gradual return to work
Work Mode
This is a global role open to candidates in the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Australia.
Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by local law.
