Senior Machine Learning Engineer I - GenAI

About Us: At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But our company is more than datasets, lines of code or A/B tests. We’re the thrill of the first night in a new place. The excitement of the next morning. The friends you encounter. The journeys you take. The sights you see. And the memories you make. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world. Leadership/Team Quote: You’ll be part of the GenAI Foundation team inside the Machine Learning Platform, a newly formed team that will be part of the central engine that powers Booking.coms machine learning and GenAI applications. In this team you will work on building components of the genAI lifecycle that will be used in other use-cases all across the company. You will work closely with the other teams in the platform and stakeholders in other areas of central tech and the different business verticals to develop the company’s genAI capabilities. Role Description: Senior Machine Learning Engineers are drivers of their discipline, generating significant business impact directly and indirectly, and crafts the direction of product initiatives by being driven and having full ownership of their projects - from ideation to collecting data, annotating, feature engineering, productionizing and training model pipelines, deploying experiments, measuring and iterating on them - as well as coaching other Machine Learning Engineers, Scientists, Data Engineers, Product Managers, etc to do the same. Key Job Responsibilities and Duties Work on innovative ML models, algorithms, and engineering approaches with the potential to impact our business. Execute applied research plans to understand, apply, test, evolve, and generalize these technologies into reusable frameworks. Build reliable and robust ML and AI solutions to address business problems, accounting for constraints of the production environment. Develop production-grade machine learning code, from models to features and pipelines, allowing for scalability, realtime, monitoring and retraining. Build readable and reusable code, applying in depth knowledge of business area tools and product needs. Choose the right technology or coding methodology by researching and understanding customer needs as well as refactor and simplify code (when necessary). Monitor product health, performance and business impact and act accordingly when requirements are not met. Solve issues by applying methods and insights gained from a variety of disciplines. Complete different tasks and navigate into several environments with a short adapting period. Continuously evolve their craft. Keep up to date with industry and academic standard methodologies, periodically explore new technologies, introduce them to the machine learning community and promote their application in areas where they can generate impact. Actively contribute to Machine Learning at Booking.com through training, exploration of new technologies, interviewing,onboarding and mentoring colleagues. Push for improvements, scaling and extending machine learning tooling and infrastructure, collaborating with the other central teams. Role Qualifications and Requirements 6+ years of relevant work experience, involved with the application of Machine Learning Engineering to business problems in a commercial environment. Strong skills in coding and problem solving. Proficiency in at least one programming language; preferably Python and strong command of SQL is strictly required. Knowledge of Java is a plus. Strong working knowledge of big data retrieval and processing tools Demonstrable experience of multiple machine learning facets, such as working with large data sets, experimentation, scalability and optimization. Experience running Machine Learning systems in production is a must, with knowledge on how to generate predictions for ML frameworks with high throughput. Experience with data-driven product development: analytics, A/B testing, etc. Experience working in a cloud environment is a plus. Willingness to learn and understand complex and multidisciplinary business problems and concepts related to booking.com business operations especially in marketing and finance fields You have a ‘can do’ attitude and you act proactively and not reactively. BSc or higher in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields. Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal. Benefits & Perks - Global Impact, Personal Relevance: Booking.com’s Total Rewards Philosophy is not only about compensation but also about benefits. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well unique-to-Booking.com benefits which include: Annual paid time off and generous paid leave scheme including: parent, grandparent, bereavement, and care leave Hybrid working including flexible working arrangements, and up to 20 days per year working from abroad (home country) Industry leading product discounts - up to 1400 per year - for yourself, including automatic Genius Level 3 status and Booking.com wallet credit Living and working in Amsterdam, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe Contributing to a high scale, complex, world renowned product and seeing real-time impact of your work on millions of travelers worldwide Working in a fast-paced and performance driven culture Opportunity to utilize technical expertise, leadership capabilities and entrepreneurial spirit Promote and drive impactful and innovative engineering solutions Technical, behavioral and interpersonal competence advancement via on-the-job opportunities, experimental projects, hackathons, conferences and active community participation Competitive compensation and benefits package and some great added perks of working in the home city of Booking.com Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Booking.com: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion have been a core part of our company culture since day one. This ongoing journey starts with our very own employees, who represent over 140 nationalities and a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations. Take it from our Chief People Officer, Paulo Pisano: “At Booking.com, the diversity of our people doesn’t just build an outstanding workplace, it also creates a better and more inclusive travel experience for everyone. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. It’s a place where you can make your mark and have a real impact in travel and tech.” We ensure that colleagues with disabilities are provided the adjustments and tools they need to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Application Process: This section should provide: Let’s go places together: How we Hire This role does not come with relocation assistance. Booking.com is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We strive to move well beyond traditional equal opportunity and work to create an environment that allows everyone to thrive. Pre-Employment Screening If your application is successful, your personal data may be used for a pre-employment screening check by a third party as permitted by applicable law. Depending on the vacancy and applicable law, a pre-employment screening may include employment history, education and other information (such as media information) that may be necessary for determining your qualifications and suitability for the position.