# Machine Learning Engineer, Relevance and Personalization

**Company:** [Airbnb](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/airbnb)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** ML Engineering
**Salary:** $166k – $195k/yr
**Experience:** 2+ years
**Skills:** Machine Learning, Python, Scala, Java, C++, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Kubernetes, Spark, Airflow, Kafka, Hive, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision
**Posted:** 2026-07-13

> Build and productionize cutting-edge ML models and ranking algorithms for Airbnb's search, recommendation, and personalization systems at scale. Requires PhD (new grad) or 2+ years applied ML experience with strong programming and ML systems skills.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Work with large scale structured and unstructured data, build and continuously improve cutting edge Machine Learning models for Airbnb product, business and operational use cases.
- Work collaboratively with cross-functional partners including software engineers, product managers, operations and data scientists, identify opportunities for business impact, understand, refine, and prioritize requirements for machine learning models, drive engineering decisions, and quantify impact.
- Hands-on develop, productionize, and operate Machine Learning models and pipelines at scale, including both batch and real-time use cases.
- Leverage third-party and in-house Machine Learning tools & infrastructure to develop reusable, highly differentiating and high-performing Machine Learning systems, enable fast model development, low-latency serving and ease of model quality upkeep.
- Be a leader in the team working on critical, impactful projects with focus on developing end-to-end ranking algorithms and ecosystems for optimizing multiple critical business objectives.
- Build cutting-edge AI technologies across the end-to-end search ranking product stack w.r.t. data pipelines, feature and model innovations, serving and experimentation efficiency, leveraging rich signals from various types of data (structured, sequential, image, text, etc).

## Requirements
- New grad Ph.D in ML/AI or 2+ years of industry experience in applied ML/AI with a M.S. or B.S degree.
- Strong programming (Scala / Python / Java / C++ or equivalent) and data engineering skills.
- Deep understanding of Machine Learning best practices (e.g. training/serving skew minimization, A/B test, feature engineering, feature/model selection), algorithms (e.g. neural networks/deep learning, optimization) and domains (eg. natural language processing, computer vision, personalization, search and recommendation, marketplace optimization, anomaly detection).
- Exposure to 3 or more of these technologies: Tensorflow, PyTorch, Kubernetes, Spark, Airflow (or equivalent), Kafka (or equivalent), data warehouse (eg. Hive).
- Exposure to architectural patterns of large, high-scale software applications (e.g., well-designed APIs, high volume data pipelines, efficient algorithms, models).
- Proven ability to choose the right ML method to solve the problem within current constraints while having a clear vision of the next iterations and a good balance between exploration and exploitation of different techniques.
- Ability to go deep and build the most impactful solutions while also leading multiple directions across multiple teams and organizations to ensure the success of our mission.

## Nice-to-Haves
- Past publications in relevant areas (team has published work on search and recommendation).

## Compensation
- Base pay range: $166,000 - $195,000 USD. This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.

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