Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Retrieval
LaddersAbout the role
For our client, we are seeking a Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Retrieval to join the team of a leader in the Media space.
This role will shape the technical direction for retrieval and candidate-generation systems that help power key product experiences. You will work on large-scale machine learning problems with a strong focus on relevance, experimentation, and measurable business impact. The position partners closely with product, engineering, and data teams to bring models into production and improve the effectiveness of the retrieval stack. You will also help raise the team’s technical bar by mentoring engineers and guiding best practices in model development and evaluation.
Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available
Compensation: $230,000 – $322,000 annually
Responsibilities
Define the technical direction and roadmap for retrieval modeling.
Design and launch candidate-generation and retrieval models.
Implement modern ML techniques that add product value.
Improve the retrieval stack through key modeling decisions.
Work with vector retrieval systems and evaluate trade-offs.
Establish evaluation practices that connect metrics to outcomes.
Lead experiments, interpret results, and guide future iterations.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate models into the product funnel.
Mentor ML engineers and strengthen team expertise.
Qualifications
7+ years of industry experience in applied ML products.
Deep expertise in information retrieval and relevance problems.
Strong grasp of retrieval modeling concepts and techniques.
Experience with deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
Proven track record of leading ML projects from start to finish.
Strong skills in experimental design and evaluation metrics.
Experience with large-scale datasets and complex feature pipelines.
Solid software engineering fundamentals for production code.
Benefits
100% remote work option with hybrid office locations.
Comprehensive healthcare and income replacement programs.
401k plan with employer match.
Global benefits tailored to lifestyle needs.
Family planning and gender-affirming care support.
Mental health coaching and benefits available.
Flexible vacation and paid volunteer time off.
Generous parental leave policy.
Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.
Responsibilities
- Define the technical direction and roadmap for retrieval modeling
- Design and launch candidate-generation and retrieval models
- Implement modern ML techniques that add product value
- Improve the retrieval stack through key modeling decisions
- Work with vector retrieval systems and evaluate trade-offs
- Establish evaluation practices that connect metrics to outcomes
- Lead experiments, interpret results, and guide future iterations
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate models into the product funnel
Qualifications
- 7+ years of industry experience in applied ML products
- Deep expertise in information retrieval and relevance problems
- Strong grasp of retrieval modeling concepts and techniques
- Experience with deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch
- Proven track record of leading ML projects from start to finish
- Strong skills in experimental design and evaluation metrics
- Experience with large-scale datasets and complex feature pipelines
- Solid software engineering fundamentals for production code
Benefits
- 100% remote work option with hybrid office locations
- Comprehensive healthcare and income replacement programs
- 401k plan with employer match
- Global benefits tailored to lifestyle needs
- Family planning and gender-affirming care support
- Mental health coaching and benefits available
- Flexible vacation and paid volunteer time off
- Generous parental leave policy
Skills mentioned
About Ladders
We lead the leaders. Ladder’s community of 10 mm leading professionals come to us to be inspired, grow in their careers, and get ahead in their professional lives. We focus on the $100K+ job market, representing 25% of all jobs and about 50% of income in the US & Canada. We build data-driven tools, marketplaces, news and entertainment products for our growing audience, and the companies, recruiters, and advertisers that want to reach them. We work best with people who enjoy using their talents, commitment and hard work to achieve great successes for millions of real life users through products that impact their careers. We are deeply technology-driven -- about half the company are engineers, technical product people or product designers -- but we never build technology for technology’s sake. We’re always trying to connect our efforts to the good it can do in people’s lives.
H-1B sponsorship history
Historical employer filing data was found for Ladders. The employer record includes 8 historical certified applications. This is employer-level history, not a guarantee that this role currently offers sponsorship.