Machine Learning Engineer - Ranking Quality

Role Overview

Perplexity is searching for a highly skilled Machine Learning Engineer dedicated to enhancing the quality of search ranking during the mid to late phases of ranking pipelines. This role requires a ranking specialist who can independently manage complex, ambiguous challenges with precise control over neural or production ranking systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Consistently enhance search ranking performance using techniques spanning model development, data analysis, evaluation strategies, and infrastructure improvements.
• Take full ownership of ranking quality issues from defining evaluation protocols to diagnosing bottlenecks, devising solutions, and deploying them securely.
• Develop and assess various models such as retrieval, ranking, and classification, leveraging neural networks and large language models as applicable.
• Design, build, and maintain ranking infrastructures including feature engineering pipelines, low-latency inference mechanisms, multi-stage cascading architectures, deployment processes, and monitoring systems.
• Optimize decisions balancing accuracy, speed, reliability, operational costs, and engineering complexity.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams spanning Data Science, AI, Infrastructure, and Product while maintaining accountability for delivering high-quality outputs.

Required Qualifications

• Thorough expertise in search or recommendation systems as well as their evaluation methodologies.
• Demonstrated significant responsibility for managing large-scale production ranking systems or related quality-centered challenges.
• Proficient machine learning and software engineering capabilities encompassing data handling, model training, deployment, and monitoring.
• Ability to independently navigate and resolve ambiguous, cross-functional problems without the need for constant task breakdowns.
• Strong specialization in either contemporary neural ranking techniques or efficient, low-latency ranking system implementations.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience in the industry.