Sr Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers. In Q3 2024 Upwork reached its highest ever net income and is continuing to grow -- AI-related work volume grew 36% year-over-year in Q3.

We are seeking a passionate and talented Sr. Lead AI/ML Engineer to join our AI team. As a Sr. Lead AI/ML Engineer, you will shape high-level AI strategy while owning the execution of mission-critical AI systems. You will lead the design and implementation of cutting-edge AI functionalities, mentor team members, and drive collaboration across diverse teams within the organization. This is an opportunity to work on transformative machine learning projects, influence business outcomes, and contribute to the advancement of AI research by publishing at top venues.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement robust data and modeling infrastructure to enable complex AI use cases, such as multi-agent LLM pipelines.

• Lead a team of engineers to build and maintain multi-faceted infrastructure for advanced AI technologies.

• Mentor and support junior engineers and researchers, promoting best practices in AI engineering and research.

• Communicate effectively with cross-functional leaders and stakeholders, ensuring clear progress updates and alignment across engineering and non-engineering teams.

• Conduct novel research to develop custom AI models and techniques, solving challenging problems and enhancing Upwork's AI capabilities.

• Drive the productionization of AI models, ensuring seamless deployment in live systems.

What it takes to catch our eye

• Expertise in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.

• Comprehensive understanding of foundational deep learning, machine learning concepts, and state-of-the-art GenAI models.

• Hands-on experience training custom LLMs on GPUs and working with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems.

• Strong proficiency with cloud ecosystems and deploying machine learning models in cloud environments.

• Proven track record of building production pipelines for modern AI systems.

• Experience working in R&D environments, translating novel ideas from concept to production.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a passion for applying new technologies in dynamic settings.

• Collaborative mindset with strong communication skills to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences.

• Comfort with complex mathematical or statistical concepts and a keen interest in theoretical aspects of deep learning.

• Publications in leading AI/ML conferences or journals such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR, ECCV, ICCV, AAAI, ACL, or similar.

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, currently, we also hire full-time employees in 19 states in the United States.

At the core of our vibrant culture are shared values that form 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 environment where individuals are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, nurturing personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and participation in Upwork Belonging Communities.

We take pride in providing exceptional 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.

Check out our Careers page to learn more about the employee experience.

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 condition), 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.

Additionally, a criminal background check may be run on a candidate after a conditional offer of employment is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.