Lead Machine Learning Engineer/Scientist

Summary

Join Upwork's Algorithms and Research Team as a Lead Machine Learning Engineer/Scientist to design, develop, and deploy cutting-edge reinforcement learning (RL) systems. You will build scalable decision-making and information retrieval systems, integrate knowledge graphs and vector databases, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. The role involves transitioning RL models from research prototypes into production-ready solutions, staying at the forefront of RL advancements, and mentoring junior engineers. You will contribute to enhancing the performance and reliability of Upwork's platform and deliver high-quality, measurable outcomes. Upwork offers a remote-first work environment and comprehensive benefits.

Requirements

• Proven track record designing and deploying reinforcement learning systems, especially using Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) and policy/value network frameworks
• Deep understanding and practical experience with vector databases, graph databases, graph neural networks (GNNs), and their applications in RL
• Familiarity with search, recommendation, and decision-making systems within complex, two-sided marketplaces

Responsibilities

• Design and implement reinforcement learning approaches for reasoning & planning, e.g. leveraging Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) and AlphaGo-like planning algorithms
• Integrate knowledge graphs and vector databases to enhance context-awareness and decision-making capabilities of RL systems
• Collaborate with trust and safety stakeholders to investigate explainability and interpretability in reinforcement learning systems, minimizing risks and unintended behaviors
• Lead cross-functional efforts in advancing RL models from research stages to production, ensuring optimal performance, scalability, and robustness
• Stay at the forefront of reinforcement learning advancements and champion integration of promising RL innovations into Upwork’s production environment
• Mentor junior engineers, conduct detailed code reviews, and reinforce best practices in RL and software engineering
• Deliver high-quality, measurable outcomes aligned with team and organizational strategic goals

Preferred Qualifications

Passion for developing intelligent, autonomous agent systems utilizing advanced reinforcement learning paradigms and large language models (LLMs)

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family
• Unlimited PTO
• A 401(k) plan with matching
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• An Employee Stock Purchase Plan