Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Summary

Join SoundCloud's Ads team as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer and contribute to the development and deployment of scalable machine learning models that enhance user experience and maximize revenue. You will lead the end-to-end development process, from architecture design to model deployment and monitoring, setting engineering standards and mentoring teammates. This role requires expertise in ML frameworks, distributed data systems, and large-scale model deployment. The ideal candidate possesses a strong background in software engineering practices and experience with A/B testing. SoundCloud offers a flexible work culture, relocation support, and various benefits including professional development allowance, flexible vacation policy, and wellness initiatives.

Requirements

• Proven track record of successfully releasing large-scale ML models to production, including ownership of model design, training/ fine-tuning, evaluation, and optimization of both training and inference performance
• Familiarity with state-of-the-art recommendation systems and large language models (LLMs)
• Demonstrated experience building and scaling robust ML infrastructure and tooling, including components such as deployment automation, model lifecycle management, monitoring, containerization, and orchestration
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, AWS, Azure)
• Strong background of professional software engineering practices, including version control, test-driven development, peer reviews, CI/CD, and clean code principles across the ML system lifecycle
• Ability to clean, process, and analyze large datasets, as well as experience conducting and interpreting A/B tests using SQL
• Ability to make informed build-or-buy decisions by evaluating technical trade-offs, integration complexity, long-term maintenance, and business impact
• Expert-level coding skills in Python, Scala, Java, or similar languages, with deep hands-on experience in ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and distributed data systems (e.g., Spark, BigQuery)
• Effective communicator and technical collaborator who proactively drives initiatives in cross-functional, agile teams
• Comfortable mentoring peers, leading discussions around architecture and design, and delivering impactful, scalable solutions

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Scientists to move ML projects from ideation to production
• Design, build, evaluate, and deploy scalable models that directly impact the experience of millions of users globally
• Lead the end-to-end development process, from architecture design to model deployment and monitoring
• Set engineering standards, mentor teammates, and influence strategic decisions
• Champion best practices for testing, reliability, and long-term maintainability of ML systems and infrastructure, raising the engineering bar across SoundCloud

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in spearheading the end-to-end development of machine learning solutions specifically within the advertising industry, including system architecture design, implementation, and production deployment focusing on reliability and scalability
• Experience in designing and deploying (including security, reliability and scale) of ML solutions on the cloud, such as AWS or GCP
• Experience building solutions involving large datasets and/or ML models using distributed computing frameworks and technologies

Benefits

• Extensive relocation support including allowances, one way flights, temporary accommodation and, by partnering with Expath, on the ground support on arrival
• Creativity and Wellness benefit
• Employee Equity Plan
• Generous professional development allowance
• Flexible vacation and public holiday policy where you can take up to 35 days of PTO annually
• Free German courses at beginning, intermediate and advanced
• Various snacks, goodies, and 2 free lunches weekly when at the office