Senior Engineering Manager, Search and Discovery

About the role

In this pivotal position, you will lead the Search and Discovery team at Roblox, focusing on connecting users with tailored content and experiences. Your leadership will guide a talented team of machine learning engineers as they develop innovative algorithms that enhance user engagement and satisfaction. This role is critical in shaping the future of user interaction on one of the largest immersive platforms globally, ensuring that millions of users find the best connections and content seamlessly.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead a high-performing team of machine learning engineers, promoting a culture of accountability, collaboration, and technical excellence.
• Develop a strategic vision for machine learning models that will enhance the user experience on the platform.
• Collaborate closely with the machine learning platform team, data scientists, and product managers to implement state-of-the-art machine learning models.
• Oversee the entire development lifecycle of machine learning solutions, ensuring timely delivery and high quality.
• Mentor team members, providing ongoing feedback and support for their professional growth.
• Manage cross-functional initiatives, effectively communicating project status, risks, and challenges to stakeholders and leadership.
• Drive the technical strategy and roadmap for machine learning projects in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Foster a culture of trust and psychological safety, encouraging team members to take risks and learn from failures.
• Ensure that machine learning models are effectively trained, served, and monitored, adhering to best practices in the field.
• Articulate complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences, ensuring alignment across teams.
• Contribute to the development of innovative multimodal and generative discovery systems that enhance user engagement.
• Analyze user data to continuously improve the performance of recommendation systems and search functionalities.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years in a management role, with at least 8 years of experience in building machine learning systems.
• Proven experience in hiring, mentoring, and managing senior machine learning engineers and technical leaders.
• In-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art machine learning architectures and algorithms.
• Ability to formulate and execute technical strategies and roadmaps in uncertain and fast-paced settings.
• Strong collaborative skills, with a track record of building relationships with cross-functional teams and senior leadership.
• A commitment to creating a high-trust, no-blame environment that emphasizes growth-oriented mentorship.
• Familiarity with the machine learning lifecycle, including data requirements for model training, serving, and monitoring.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to convey complex ideas to varied audiences.
• A degree in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience with advanced machine learning solutions applied to product challenges.
• Familiarity with state-of-the-art machine learning models and their applications.

Nice to have

• Experience in the gaming industry or with immersive digital experiences.
• Knowledge of user experience design principles and their application in machine learning.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms and their integration with machine learning workflows.
• Experience in developing recommendation systems for large-scale applications.
• Understanding of ethical considerations in machine learning and AI.

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C++.
• Familiarity with machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or similar.
• Experience with data processing tools and big data technologies.
• Knowledge of version control systems, particularly Git.
• Understanding of cloud services such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

Practical notes

This role is based at our headquarters in San Mateo, CA, where employees are expected to work onsite Tuesday through Thursday, with optional attendance on Mondays and Fridays. The starting salary for this position ranges from $345,040 to $399,420 annually, depending on various factors including experience and market demand. All full-time employees are eligible for equity compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Roblox is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We also offer reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities or religious beliefs during the recruitment process. Please note that for this role, the company may not be able to employ candidates who require specific U.S. visa sponsorship.

About the company

An online space lets people build and play games. Founded long ago by two creators, it grew into a shared world opened to everyone in the mid 2000s. Now reaching millions each day, it hosts games made by its users. A large share of young American children under sixteen are monthly players here. High daily activity shows a lasting community where creativity and shared play remain central.