Sr. Engineer, AI Platform Engineering

Petco Animal Supplies, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 227,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

Paid time off

Total rewards overview

Job summary

The Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. in California will design, develop, and deploy sophisticated ML models within our Data Science organization, collaborating with data scientists, engineers, and domain experts to solve complex business problems.

The role emphasizes end-to-end ML pipelines, MLOps best practices, governance, documentation, and mentorship of junior engineers while staying current with AI research and cloud-based platforms.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience developing and deploying ML models in complex, real-world applications.
• Strong understanding of ML algorithms, deep learning, and statistical modeling.
• Advanced programming skills (Python, Java, or R).
• Experience with ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and related libraries.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentorship capabilities.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead and deliver ML projects from conception to deployment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end design, development, and optimization of complex ML models and algorithms.
• Stay at the forefront of ML research and emerging technologies.
• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to integrate ML solutions.
• Provide mentorship and training to junior ML engineers.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Project delivery

Mentorship

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/DS/ML

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Python

Java

R

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Want to help pets live their best lives?

We’re proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you.

Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what’s right for pets and people.

• Pet First – Protect & Empower. All pets should Live their Best Life. We put the needs of pets and pet parents at the center of everything we do.
• Foster the Fun – Connect & Bond. Our Passion for pets brings us together! We celebrate the journey of pet parenthood through district experiences, products, and services.
• Let’s Go! Own & Commit. We are stronger as One Petco team. We bring our unique superpowers and champion authenticity in everyone to drive success.

About Petco

We’re proud to be 'where the pets go' to find everything they need to live their best lives for more than 60 years — from their favorite meals and toys, to trusted supplies and expert support from people who get it, because we live it. We believe in the universal truths of pet parenthood — the boundless boops, missing slippers, late night zoomies and everything in between. And we’re here for it. Every tail wag, every vet visit, every step of the way. We are 29,000+ strong and together we nurture the pet-human bond in more than 1,500 Petco stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. In 1999, we founded Petco Love. Together, we support thousands of local animal welfare groups nationwide and have helped find homes for approximately 7 million animals through in-store adoption events.

Job Summary

The Sr, Machine Learning Engineer will play a critical role in the design, development, and deployment of sophisticated machine learning models and solutions within our Petco Data Science. This role requires expertise in machine learning, a proven track record of successful project implementations The Senior Machine Learning Engineer will collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams to drive innovation and contribute to the strategic vision of the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Model Development and Optimization

• Oversee end-to-end design, development, and optimization of complex machine learning models and algorithms.
• Apply advanced techniques and methodologies to solve challenging business problems.

Research and Development

• Stay at the forefront of machine learning research and emerging technologies.
• Responsible for research initiatives, experimenting with cutting‑edge techniques to drive innovation.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including data scientists, software engineers, and domain experts, to integrate machine learning solutions into complex systems.
• Work closely with stakeholders to understand business requirements and translate them into actionable machine learning projects.

Mentorship and Training

• May provide mentorship and guidance to junior machine learning engineers.
• Conduct training sessions to share knowledge and best practices within the team.

ML Ops Best Practices

• Design and develop end-to-end machine learning pipelines, emphasizing scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Implement MLOps best practices for dynamic model training, testing, deploying and monitoring.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in ML engineering, generative AI, cloud computing and related technologies.

Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

• Maintain comprehensive documentation of models, algorithms, and methodologies.
• Foster a culture of knowledge sharing and contribute to internal knowledge repositories.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and contribute to the enhancement of machine learning workflows and methodologies.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
• Extensive experience (5+ years) in developing and deploying machine learning models in complex, real-world applications.
• Profound understanding of machine learning algorithms, deep learning, and statistical modeling.
• Advanced programming skills in languages such as Python, Java, or R.
• Expertise in machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and related libraries.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentorship capabilities.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead and execute machine learning projects from conception to deployment.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
• Familiarity with big data technologies and distributed computing.
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Strong understanding of software development practices and methodologies

#LI-CS1

#CORP

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

The pay ranges outlined below are presented in accordance with state‑specific regulations. These ranges may differ in other areas and could be subject to variation based on regulatory minimum wage requirements. Actual pay rates will depend on factors such as position, location, level of experience, and applicable state or local minimum wage laws. If the regulatory minimum wage exceeds the minimum indicated in the pay range below, the regulatory minimum wage will be the minimum rate applied.

Salary Range: $137,100.00 - $227,000.00

Hourly or Salary Range will be reflected above. For a more detailed overview of Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO - see https://careers.petco.com/us/en/key-benefits

Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.

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