Chief Machine Learning Engineer

Upwork ($UPWK) is the global marketplace for work. We cater to everyone from single-person startups to sizable Fortune 100 companies with a robust, trust-based platform that empowers businesses and talents to collaborate in novel ways that unlock their potential. Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was conducted through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they love and developing their careers. We are in search of an extraordinary Principal ML Engineer to join our Machine Learning team. In this capacity, you will construct state-of-the-art machine learning models that enhance our AI strategies to drive significant business growth. As a Principal ML Engineer, you will have the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the sector and contribute to revolutionary projects that define the future of work. If you are passionate about advancing the limits of machine learning, thrive in a collaborative, results-driven culture, and are enthused about our mission, we invite you to join us. Your Responsibilities: Lead the implementation of interdepartmental and multi-quarter ML initiatives that deliver measurable technical, organizational, or business impacts. Work in a quick-paced team to create and deliver ML products leading and driving industry technology evolution and transforming the Upwork business and user experience. Assume broader alignment, handle risks by delving deeply into projects with high uncertainty and complexity, and ensure high-level execution that balances speed with quality. Identify reusable patterns and technology investments that help us move faster. Constantly engage with the business, analytics, and engineering counterparts to clarify requirements, offer feedback, share the discovered data narratives with stats, charts, and formal presentations, and ultimately suggest recommendations to optimize business impact. What it Takes to Catch our Eye: 8+ years of industry experience as ML engineer with expert-level knowledge of machine learning practices, techniques, and state-of-the-art algorithms and methodologies. Expertise in operationalizing, monitoring, and scaling machine learning models and pipelines in cloud ecosystems. Excellent programming skills with one or more of the following languages: python, scala, java. Specialize in one or more areas: Information Retrieval, Language Models, NLP & NLU, Computer Vision or similar. Experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow, Large Language Models, Generative AI, Langchain, Transformer models or related. Understanding of end-to-end machine learning services, tooling/systems and deployment pipelines including feature stores, CI/CD, testing, monitoring, and drifting. Strong collaborator with product and engineers to deliver solutions with complex requirements in a swift-paced team. Strong communication skills and the ability to drive the initiative-level technical vision for ML and AI. The annual base salary for this position in California and Washington ranges from $192,000 - $322,000. This range reflects the minimum and maximum salary for this position in California and Washington, and individual base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. In addition, this position is eligible for the annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan and eligibility to participate in our long-term equity incentive program. Come change how the world works. At Upwork, you'll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, we also support hiring of corporate full-time employees in 19 states in the United States. Please speak with a member of our recruitment team to determine whether you are located in a state in which we are hiring corporate full-time employees. At the heart of our vibrant culture are shared values that lay the foundation of our organization. These values revolve around trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence. Our overarching mission is to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster an atmosphere where individuals are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and participation in Upwork Belonging Communities. We take pride in offering outstanding benefits to our employees. These include comprehensive medical insurance coverage for both you and your family, unlimited paid time off, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. To explore these benefits in detail, as well as gain insights into our company values, working principles, and the overall employee experience, we invite you to visit our Life at Upwork page. Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 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