About the Role
Reddit is seeking an experienced and dynamic individual to join their team as a Director of Machine Learning. In this role, you will be responsible for leading and managing machine learning teams and projects, with a focus on enhancing and optimizing the recommender systems and distribution channels of Reddit. As the Director of Machine Learning, you will help define the direction of critical product surfaces, including the main home feed, and will use ML, AI, and systems engineering to help millions of people discover communities and content they enjoy.
Responsibilities
- Team Leadership and Management: Lead a team of machine learning engineers and data scientists, providing guidance, mentorship, and support. Set clear goals, ensure timely delivery of high-quality work, and foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture. Manage team resources, including recruiting, hiring, and retaining top talent.
- Machine Learning Strategy and Roadmap: Develop a comprehensive machine learning strategy aligned with Reddit's business objectives. Define and prioritize ML projects to enhance recommender systems and distribution channels. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders and stay updated with ML advancements to recommend innovative approaches.
- Project Management and Execution: Oversee end-to-end execution of machine learning projects, ensuring on-time and within-budget delivery. Collaborate with product managers and engineering teams for successful integration and deployment. Develop robust evaluation metrics and mitigate risks.
- Research and Development: Drive research initiatives to explore new machine learning techniques and algorithms. Stay informed about research publications and industry advancements, assessing their application to Reddit's projects. Foster innovation and experimentation.
- Collaboration and Communication: Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (product management, engineering, data science) to align ML initiatives with company goals. Clearly communicate project progress, challenges, and results to executive stakeholders. Act as a subject matter expert on machine learning.
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of 5 years of experience in managing machine learning teams and projects, preferably in a fast-paced technology company.
- Strong technical expertise in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and recommender systems.
- A high degree of personal integrity and a desire to put the needs of users and communities first.
- Proficiency in programming languages and frameworks commonly used in machine learning and systems, such as Python and Go.
- Experience with machine learning frameworks and libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
- Solid understanding of software engineering principles and practices, including version control, testing, and deployment.
- Demonstrated ability to drive and execute complex machine learning projects from inception to deployment.
- Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and managing high-performing teams.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and address technical challenges effectively.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.