Machine Learning Engineer - Search and Recommendation

JD.COM INTERNATIONAL UK LTD; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

JD.COM INTERNATIONAL UK LTD in London seeks a Machine Learning Team Lead to guide a team of algorithm engineers focused on search and recommendation systems. You will drive design, deployment, and optimization of models to boost personalization, engagement, and traffic efficiency, balancing hands-on work with strategic leadership.

The role requires advanced ML/NLP expertise, strong coding skills across Python/C++/Java, and collaboration with product, eng, and business teams.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field with ML/NLP/IR specialization.
• 6+ years in search, recommendation, or advertising systems, including ≥2 years in leadership.
• Proficiency in ML, NLP, and deep learning with TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or Java with data structures and algorithms.
• Excellent communication in English and Chinese, bridging technical and business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of algorithm engineers with technical direction and career development.
• Design, develop, and optimize search and recommendation algorithms to improve personalization and engagement.
• Oversee traffic distribution strategies in search/recommendation to meet diverse business needs.
• Drive experimentation and evaluation of algorithms with scalable deployment and performance tracking.
• Stay current with ML, NLP, and DL advances and apply them to real-world problems.

Skills

Team leadership

Machine learning

NLP

Communication

Education

Master’s degree or higher in CS/Math/related

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Python

C++

Java

Job description

About the Team

You’ll be joining the JD.com team, which values collaboration, ownership, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. We are seeking a Machine Learning Team Lead with strong expertise in search and recommendation systems. In this role, you will lead a team of algorithm engineers, driving the design and implementation of cutting‑edge models to enhance user experience, optimize traffic efficiency, and support JD.com’s global e-commerce growth. You will balance hands‑on technical contributions with strategic leadership, collaborating with product, engineering, and business teams to deliver scalable, high‑impact solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of algorithm engineers, providing technical direction and career development support.
• Design, develop, and optimize algorithms for search and recommendation systems, with a focus on improving personalization, conversion, and user engagement.
• Oversee traffic distribution strategies in search and recommendation scenarios to meet diverse business needs, including new product cold start, seller growth, and best-seller creation.
• Drive experimentation and evaluation of algorithms, ensuring scalable deployment and continuous performance improvements.
• Stay current with academic and industry advances in machine learning, NLP, and deep learning, and guide the team in applying them to real‑world challenges.

Location: Work onsite in London.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field, with specialization in machine learning, NLP, or information retrieval.
• 6+ years of experience in search, recommendation, or advertising systems, including at least 2 years in a leadership or team management role.
• Proficiency in machine learning, NLP, and deep learning algorithms, with experience using frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or Java, with solid understanding of data structures and algorithms.
• Strong communication skills in English and Chinese, with the ability to bridge technical and business perspectives in a multicultural environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in global e‑commerce or large‑scale consumer platforms.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At JD.com, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.