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# Machine Learning Tech Lead

- **Company:** Roku, Inc.
- **Location:** United States (Remote available)
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Artificial Intelligence, Airflow, Cursor (Graphical User Interface Elements), Distributed Systems, Python (Programming Language), Recommender Systems, Reinforcement Learning, Large Language Models, Multi-Agent Systems, Apache Spark, Deep Learning, Information Technology, Machine Learning Operations, Stream Processing
- **Published:** July 22, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.weareroku.com/jobs/senior-machine-learning-engineer-search-san-jose-california-united-states

## About the Role

* 8+ years of industry experience (or PhD with 5+ years) applying ML at scale in search, recommendation, ads, personalization, or related domains
 * Strong expertise in ranking systems, recommendation systems, retrieval, personalization, and multi-objective optimization
 * Experience building large-scale ML systems leveraging deep learning, sequence models, LLMs, reinforcement learning, or bandit frameworks
 * Strong product intuition and experience optimizing user engagement, retention, and monetization simultaneously
 * Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala
 * Experience with distributed systems and ML infrastructure such as Spark, Airflow, streaming systems, feature stores, and cloud platforms
 * Strong technical leadership, system design, communication, and problem-solving skills
 * MS or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field

#LI-SSC

## Description

We are looking for a Senior Machine Learning Tech Lead to drive ranking and personalization for Roku's next-generation entertainment assistant across the platform. This role sits at the intersection of Search, Recommendations, Conversational Discovery, and Monetization, with the goal of delivering highly engaging, personalized, and context-aware entertainment experiences. You will lead the development of large-scale ML systems that optimize for multiple objectives including user engagement, long-term retention, satisfaction, and monetization. The role requires strong technical leadership, product intuition, and the ability to balance user experience with business impact across diverse discovery surfaces., * Lead the technical vision and roadmap for ranking, personalization, and recommendation systems powering Roku's entertainment assistant

 * Develop and deploy state-of-the-art ML models using deep learning, transformers, LLMs, bandits, reinforcement learning, and causal inference techniques
 * Build multi-objective optimization systems balancing engagement, retention, relevance, and monetization goals
 * Drive innovation in conversational discovery, contextual recommendations, and personalized content experiences across the platform
 * Design, run, and analyze online A/B experiments tied to key product and business KPIs
 * Architect scalable ML systems, feature platforms, and data pipelines supporting rapid experimentation and long-term growth
 * Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership across cross-functional initiatives involving engineering, product, UX, and analytics teams, Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams generally work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are generally flexible for remote work, except for employees whose specific roles or assigned office location require five days' a week attendance.


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