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# Staff Machine Learning Engineer I

- **Company:** Etsy
- **Location:** New York, NY, United States (Remote available)
- **Experience:** Starter
- **Salary:** $218,000.0 - $294,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems, Encodings, Data Mining, Python (Programming Language), Machine Learning, Tensorflow, Scala (Programming Language), Software Engineering, Feature Engineering, Pytorch, Indexer, Low Latency, Production Code, Etsy, Machine Learning Operations
- **Published:** September 12, 2026
- **Apply:** https://startup.jobs/staff-machine-learning-engineer-i-search-retrieval-etsy-10024707

## About the Role

* Hands-on experience building retrieval or search systems end-to-end, including some combination of lexical matching, semantic/embedding-based retrieval, indexing, and low-latency serving, and taking them from prototype to production.
 * Proven track record of delivering impactful machine learning and NLP solutions across the full pipeline: from data extraction and feature engineering to model development, evaluation, and seamless production integration.
 * Experience designing scalable and extensible ML systems that account for localization and regional variation, enabling global product impact.
 * Demonstrated technical leadership on complex ML systems, setting technical direction, driving cross-team initiatives, and raising the engineering bar for others.
 * Strong software engineering foundations with a focus on writing clean, maintainable, and production-ready code; proficient in Python, Java, Scala, or equivalent languages.
 * Hands-on experience with modern ML frameworks and infrastructure, such as PyTorch, TensorFlow/TFX, and a deep understanding of their use in production environments.
 * Ability to translate abstract ideas into reliable, well-tested code that is easy to understand and evolve by teammates and your future self.
 * A collaborative and empathetic team member who communicates clearly and constructively across disciplines.

## Description

* Designing and improving retrieval engines that power Etsy Search, incorporating techniques like dual-encoder models, vector similarity search, and query expansion
 * Building large-scale indexing and serving systems for lexical and semantic retrieval
 * Collaborating with applied scientists and engineers to bring retrieval models to production, optimize latency and throughput, and scale up across Etsy's catalog
 * Conducting offline and online experiments to evaluate model quality, latency, and buyer impact

What does the day-to-day look like?

 * Architect and scale advanced retrieval systems that optimize relevance, recall, latency, and resilience in production.
 * Lead cross-functional collaborations to shape and prioritize initiatives that directly drive product impact and strategic goals.
 * Take retrieval techniques from research and prototypes into reliable, production-grade systems, owning the full path from experimentation to launch.
 * Design and analyze complex A/B experiments, setting a high bar for methodological rigor and measurable relevance improvements.
 * Investigate and resolve nuanced issues in retrieval behavior, leading efforts to enhance candidate recall, coverage, and diversity across user experiences.
 * Partner closely with product and engineering leadership to define and deliver roadmaps spanning immediate priorities and long-range initiatives (6-12 months+).
 * Act as a technical thought leader in retrieval, mentoring engineers and scientists, and influencing the broader direction of Etsy's search systems.
 * As with any high-impact role, flexibility is key. Responsibilities may evolve over time in response to business needs and opportunities.
 * Of course, this is just a sample of the kinds of work this role will require! You should assume that your role will encompass other tasks, too, and that your job duties and responsibilities may change from time to time at Etsy's discretion, or otherwise applicable with local law.


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