Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology seeks a senior ML lead to drive addressable advertising initiatives. You will develop prediction and optimization engines, apply AI across the ad lifecycle, and own end-to-end model development and deployment.

Lead large-scale ML programs, mentor teammates, and collaborate with cross-functional teams in Seattle onsite.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or a relevant field.
• 7+ years of experience working on large-scale machine learning at leading internet companies.
• Strong knowledge of AI/ML technologies, mathematics, and statistics.
• Proficiency in Java, Python, Scala, and large-scale ML/DL platforms and processing technologies.
• Strong interest in understanding the ad business and applying research to business scenarios.
• Passion for technology and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, data-driven, collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Apply state-of-the-art AI and ML to improve advertising areas including inventory forecasting, ad experience, ad pacing, pricing, targeting, and efficient ad delivery.
• Invent and iterate solutions to complex ad challenges with fast turnaround.
• Own the design and iteration of ad algorithm architecture across the advertising system.
• Develop scalable approaches for large-scale data analysis and model development.
• Build and experiment with new algorithms end-to-end, from production rollout through continuous optimization.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and program managers in an open environment.
• Mentor team members and support their technical growth.

Skills

AI/ML technologies

Mathematics

Statistics

Java

Python

Scala

Large-scale ML/DL platforms

Team collaboration

Ad business intuition

Education

Bachelor Degree in Computer Science

Tools

Java

Python

Scala

TensorFlow

Kubeflow

SageMaker

Job description

This role leads machine learning initiatives supporting Disney’s addressable ad platforms, with responsibility for building prediction and optimization engines that apply AI and data science across the advertising lifecycle. The position emphasizes end-to-end algorithm development, large-scale analytics, and continuous model improvement.

Responsibilities

• Apply state-of-the-art AI and machine learning to improve multiple areas of advertising, including inventory forecasting, ad experience, ad pacing, pricing, targeting, and efficient ad delivery.
• Invent and iterate solutions to complex ad challenges with fast turnaround.
• Own the design and iteration of ad algorithm architecture across the advertising system.
• Develop scalable and efficient approaches for large-scale data analysis and model development.
• Build and experiment with new algorithms and models end-to-end, from production rollout through continuous optimization.
• Collaborate with engineering teams, product managers, and program managers in an open and creative environment.
• Mentor team members and support their technical growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or a relevant field.
• 7+ years of experience working on large-scale machine learning at leading internet companies.
• Strong knowledge of AI/ML technologies, mathematics, and statistics.
• Proficiency in Java, Python, Scala, and large-scale ML/DL platforms and processing technologies.
• Strong interest in understanding the ad business, applying advanced research to business scenarios, and identifying innovation opportunities to improve business effectiveness.
• Passion for technology and interdisciplinary collaboration, with experience building data-driven services and applications.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, data-driven, and collaborative work environment.

Technologies

• Java, Python, Scala
• Tensorflow
• Kubeflow
• SageMaker

Nice-to-Haves

• MS or PhD in computer science or equivalent experience preferred.
• Experience in digital video advertising or digital marketing domain.
• Experience with CTR/CVR modeling, generative AI, and forecasting algorithm models.
• Experience with feature store, audience segmentation, and MLOps.
• Experience with Tensorflow, Kubeflow, or Sagemaker.

Location and Experience

Seattle, WA (onsite). Minimum experience: 7 years.

Education

Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or relevant field.