Staff Applied AI / ML Scientist - Search

Faire; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 196,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading e-commerce platform in Toronto is seeking a Staff Applied AI / ML Scientist to drive the technical vision for Search. You will lead the advancement of ML systems, integrating next-gen algorithms and large language models. Candidates must have 7+ years of experience and strong Python skills. This role offers a competitive salary and a hybrid work model, with in-office expectations starting January 2025.

Benefits

Equity

Benefits

Flexible work schedule

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building large-scale ML systems, including 3+ years in search.
• Proven track record of productionizing models that blend LLMs with structured features.

Responsibilities

• Own the next-generation Search engine, integrating LLMs and personalization.
• Design and productionize natural language search systems.

Skills

Hands-on experience with deep learning libraries

Product-focused mindset

Strong Python skills

Excellent communication

Education

MS or PhD in Computer Science or related STEM field

Tools

PyTorch

Faiss

ScaNN

Pinecone

Job description

About this role

As a Staff Applied AI / ML Scientist on the Search Group, you’ll drive the technical vision, ML algorithm strategy, and system design powering one of the most critical levers for customer value and company growth—Search. You’ll lead the advancement of real-time Search and Recommendation systems behind our next-generation shopping experiences.

You’ll operate at the forefront of algorithms—combining large language models, natural language processing, query understanding, deep learning, transformer-based sequential modeling, graph neural networks, and structured behavioral data to return hyper-relevant, personalized products and brands for user queries.

This is a rare opportunity to own end-to-end personalization in a high-scale, multi-modal environment—while mentoring talented scientists and engineers.

What you’ll do

• Own the next-generation Search engine, integrating LLMs, query understanding, dense vector retrieval, deep personalization embeddings, multi-stage ranking, and reinforcement learning to serve personalized product feeds.
• Design and productionize natural language search and discovery systems, enabling intelligent agents to generate relevant collections, explain search results, and assist retailers in browsing, filtering, and evaluation.
• Lead model development and GPU-based deployment efforts, leveraging frameworks like Triton to scale inference reliably and efficiently.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building large-scale ML systems, including 3+ years in search, recommendation, or ads ranking.
• Hands-on experience with deep learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch) and vector search infrastructure (e.g., Faiss, ScaNN, Pinecone).
• Proven track record of productionizing models that blend LLMs (e.g., BERT, GPT) with structured features for personalization.
• Product-focused mindset with a bias toward execution—quickly moving from paper to prototype to production.
• Strong Python skills, respect for system reliability, and experience in high-stakes environments.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional influence, raising the technical bar beyond your immediate team.

Great to Have

• Contributions to open-source ML libraries or peer-reviewed publications in ML/AI.
• MS or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, or related STEM field.

Salary Range

Canada: The pay range for this role is $196,000 CAD to $269,500 CAD per year.

This role is eligible for equity and benefits. Actual base pay will be determined based on skills, experience, market demands, and location. The pay range may change in the future.

Effective January 2025, employees will be expected to work in-office 2 days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Hybrid roles may allow remote work up to 4 weeks per year. Some positions may require onsite attendance 5 days a week.

Applications will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

Why you’ll love working at Faire

• We are entrepreneurs: Built for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, empowering small business owners worldwide.
• We use technology and data to level the playing field, connecting brands and boutiques globally.
• We build products our customers love, helping them grow their businesses.
• We are curious and resourceful, exploring possibilities and developing creative solutions.

Faire provides equal employment opportunities and is committed to accessibility and reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. To request accommodations, please fill out our form at https://bit.ly/faire-form.