Applied Researcher 2

eBay; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company that is redefining ecommerce! As part of the Motors & Electronics Applied Science team, you'll leverage your expertise in machine learning to enhance the buyer journey across millions of listings. Collaborate with passionate innovators to build scalable systems that deliver personalized experiences. Your work will directly impact how buyers discover products, making a significant difference in the ecommerce landscape. If you're excited about applying science to real-world challenges and thrive in a dynamic environment, this role is perfect for you!

Benefits

401(k) eligibility

Paid time off benefits

Parental leave

Restricted stock units

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in machine learning at scale, especially in recommendation systems.
• Strong programming skills in Python with experience in ML frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop machine learning models for personalization and recommendation.
• Conduct A/B experiments to optimize models based on data-driven insights.

Skills

Machine Learning

Python

A/B Testing

Statistical Analysis

Data Analysis

Education

MS in Computer Science

PhD in Machine Learning

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Spark

Hive

Job description

At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader — we’re changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We’re committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts.

Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work — every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet.

Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers — and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.

About the Team:

We are the Motors & Electronics Applied Science team — a group of applied scientists and engineers innovating at the intersection of AI and ecommerce. Our mission is to personalize and optimize the buyer journey across eBay’s most strategic verticals: Electronics, Parts & Accessories (P&A), and Vehicles. P&A is the largest category on eBay and a critical growth engine for the company. We focus on helping buyers discover the right inventory faster, smarter, and more contextually through applied machine learning. We are working on challenges such as:

• Building recommender systems that surface the most relevant listings based on user behavior, context, and item signals.
• Developing personalized banners, dynamic landing pages, and real-time ranking models for buyer experiences.
• Integrating structured data, text, and images to deliver rich, context-aware personalization.
• Running large-scale experiments to measure and optimize conversion, engagement, and satisfaction.
  

We’re passionate about applying science to real-world problems at massive scale—and we’re looking for new teammates who are excited to make an impact.
What you will accomplish:

• Design, develop and productionize machine learning models for personalization, recommendation, and ranking.
• Build scalable systems that deliver real-time buyer experiences across millions of users and inventory listings.
• Conduct A/B experiments and use data-driven insights to iterate and optimize models.
• Work closely with product managers, engineers, and designers to integrate science-driven features into the buyer experience.
• Document and communicate technical approaches, insights, and results to technical and business audiences.
• Contribute to the science strategy by identifying new opportunities and approaches based on data trends and business goals.

What you will bring:

• 5+ years of industry experience applying machine learning at scale, ideally in recommendation, ranking, or personalization domains.
• MS or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related technical field.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience working with large datasets and distributed computing frameworks like Spark or Hive.
• Strong background in experimental design, A/B testing, and statistical analysis.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in ecommerce, online marketplaces, or consumer-facing applications.
• Knowledge of multimodal machine learning techniques (e.g., using structured data, text, and image signals together).
• Familiarity with recommender system architectures, ranking algorithms, or retrieval systems.
• Experience building models that prioritize privacy, fairness, and user trust.

#LI-Hybrid

The base pay range for this position is expected in the range below:

$115,200 - $199,700

Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including location, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a target bonus and restricted stock units (as applicable) in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as PTO and parental leave). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

If hired, employees will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Please see the Talent Privacy Notice for information regarding how eBay handles your personal data collected when you use the eBay Careers website or apply for a job with eBay.

eBay is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status.If you have a need that requires accommodation, please contact us [e-mail]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for accommodation as soon as possible. View our accessibility statement to learn more about eBay's commitment to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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