Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Ads Response Prediction @Instacart

Overview

As a Senior Machine Learning Engineer on the Ads Response Prediction team at Instacart, you will lead the development of ML models that power the ads ecosystem, focusing on theoretical problem formulation, training methodology, and model quality. This role involves tackling challenges in pCTR modeling and working on advanced retrieval systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and execute research and development of pCTR and conversion prediction models, focusing on model calibration and reducing training data biases.
• Design and implement debiasing techniques to address systematic prediction biases.
• Contribute to the next-generation Multi-Domain Multi-Task model architecture.
• Participate in sequence modeling initiatives, including the TIGER generative retrieval system.
• Collaborate with the broader ML community on Foundation Models.
• Formulate modeling problems and translate business observations into ML research directions.
• Publish and present findings internally, contributing to the team's culture of technical rigor.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in machine learning, statistics, computer science, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience applying ML to ranking, recommendation, or prediction problems.
• Deep understanding of CTR/conversion prediction modeling.
• Strong foundation in causal inference and training data bias mitigation.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, Tensorflow).
• Track record of formulating ambiguous problems into well-scoped ML research directions.
• Strong communication skills for explaining modeling decisions to stakeholders.

Benefits

Instacart offers competitive compensation and benefits, including a new hire equity grant and annual refresh grants.

Location

Remote within Canada (Only in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, or Nova Scotia).

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through the company career page.