Machine Learning Specialist

Encora Inc.; Philippines; On-site; PHP 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Encora Inc. seeks a versatile Machine Learning Specialist to own end-to-end AI development, from research to production-grade pipelines and APIs. You will bridge theoretical innovation with scalable business impact, ensuring robust, cutting-edge AI solutions.

The role involves hands-on work in model research, data engineering, MLOps, and cross-functional collaboration within an agile squad, focusing on explainability and security.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a quantitative field; Master’s/PhD preferred for research.
• 3+ years in DS/ML research/engineering roles.
• Expert-level Python and SQL.
• Hands-on with ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX).
• Experience with Git, CI/CD and MLOps tools.
• Bias toward model explainability and security.

Responsibilities

• Research & Experimental Innovation: explore SOTA architectures and foundation models.
• Data Strategy & Engineering: design experiments and production data pipelines; feature engineering.
• Production Engineering & MLOps: deploy models with Docker/Kubernetes, CI/CD; build robust APIs.
• Squad Collaboration & Agile Delivery: collaborate with data engineers, backend, product owners; drive agile value.
• Documentation & Knowledge Leadership: maintain technical docs and mentor squad members.

Skills

Python

SQL

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Git

CI/CD

MLOps

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Math/IT/Physics

Master’s or PhD preferred

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Git

CI/CD tools

MLOps platforms

Job description

Job Description:

Position Title: Machine Learning Specialist (Research & Engineering)

Work Location: BGC, Taguig City. (2 x onsite per week hybrid set up)

We are seeking a versatile Machine Learning Specialist to own the end-to-end lifecycle of AI development. This role is designed for a technical expert who can navigate the entire spectrum of machine learning—from conducting state-of-the-art research and fine-tuning foundational models to architecting the production-grade pipelines and APIs that bring these models to life. You will bridge the gap between theoretical innovation and scalable business impact, ensuring our AI solutions are both cutting-edge and operationally robust.

Key Responsibilities

The following are key areas of responsibility, but not limited to the ff:

1. Research & Experimental Innovation

• Advanced Research: Conduct deep-dive research into state-of-the-art (SOTA) architectures and foundational models to solve complex business problems like credit scoring, fraud detection, and personalization.
• Model Optimization: Execute rigorous hyperparameter tuning and fine-tuning techniques (e.g., PEFT, LoRA, QLoRA) to maximize model accuracy and efficiency.
• Benchmarking & Evaluation: Develop comprehensive evaluation frameworks and leaderboards to monitor model accuracy and compare experimental iterations.

1. Data Strategy & Engineering

• Pipeline Design: Lead the design of experimentation datasets and production data pipelines, focusing on feature engineering and data augmentation.
• Data Quality: Ensure high-quality data inputs for both training and real-time inference, collaborating with data squads to maintain data integrity.

1. Production Engineering & MLOps

• Deployment & Orchestration: Architect and manage the end-to-end deployment of models using containers (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines.
• System Integration: Build robust APIs to integrate AI models with internal platforms and refactor research code into production-grade, low-latency, and high-throughput codebases.
• Model Governance: Implement MLOps best practices, including versioning (DVC), drift detection, and automated "quality gates" to ensure alignment with internal KPIs and regulatory standards.

1. Squad Collaboration & Agile Delivery

• Active Squad Collaboration: Work as a core member of a cross-functional squad, aligning daily with Data Engineers, Backend Developers, and Product Owners to ensure seamless product integration.
• Agile Participation: Drive technical value within Agile ceremonies (Stand-ups, Sprints, Retrospectives) by translating high-level business requirements into executable research hypotheses and production-ready sprints.

1. Documentation & Knowledge Leadership

• Technical Documentation: Author and maintain the full technical stack documentation, ranging from scientific research findings and experimental logs to system architecture diagrams and deployment guides.
• Peer Mentoring: Act as a technical subject matter expert by mentoring squad members, conducting code reviews, and fostering an internal culture of AI literacy and "New Ways of Working."

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Undergraduate degree in a quantitative field (e.g., Computer Science, Statistics,Information Technology or Physics, or Mathematics). A Graduate degree (Master's or PhD) is highly preferred for the research component.
• Experience: 3+ years in a functionally similar role (Data Science, ML Research, or ML Engineering).
• Technical Proficiency: * Expert-level Python and SQL.
• Strong experience with ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX).
• Hands-on experience with Git, CI/CD, and MLOps tools.
• Mindset: A strong bias toward model explainability and security.

Preferred Skills

• Portfolio: A demonstrable portfolio of advanced AI use cases (e.g., GenAI, NLP, Recommender Systems, or Graph Algorithms).
• Cloud Infrastructure: Familiarity with AWS, GCP, or Azure AI services.
• Publications: Published research in relevant AI/ML conferences or journals.

Requirements