We're Meta's Standalone Apps Team — we build new apps to reach new user scenarios and serve needs that aren't well met today. The project we're building right now is an image-and-text community where real people share first-hand experiences and recommendations — what to try, where to go, how to do something. It's where people come to get inspired and to make everyday decisions, learning from others who've actually been there. It's still early — a small team working 0→1.
If you want high ownership, a short path from idea to ship, and the chance to shape a product from its first version, this is that kind of team.
We're looking for a staff-level ML engineer to own the search algorithm — retrieval, ranking, and relevance — so people can find exactly what they're looking for.
If you want high ownership, a short path from idea to ship, and the chance to shape a product from its first version, this is that kind of team.
We're looking for a staff-level ML engineer to own the search algorithm — retrieval, ranking, and relevance — so people can find exactly what they're looking for.
Responsibilities
- Own the modeling and systems direction for search — retrieval, ranking, query understanding, and relevance.
- Define search-quality metrics and the experimentation approach; drive measurable relevance gains.
- Build and scale the ML and serving systems search depends on.
- Set technical direction across teams; align search work with product strategy.
- Mentor ML and product engineers; raise the bar on modeling and evaluation rigor.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- 12+ years of relevant experience, with deep expertise in search / information retrieval / ranking
- Strong foundation in ML and in the systems that train and serve models at scale
- Track record of driving search/relevance improvements that moved product metrics
- Experience setting technical direction across multiple teams
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience building search for a new product (0→1)
- Experience with semantic/embedding retrieval, query understanding, or large-scale search infrastructure
- Publications or recognized contributions in IR/search/ML
Compensation
- $271,000/year - $347,000/year; Country: US; Bonus eligible; Equity eligible
About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
California Notice
For those who live in or expect to work from California if hired for this position, please click here for additional information.
Equal Opportunity
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. You may view our Equal Employment Opportunity notice here.
Accommodations
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, fill out the Accommodations request form.
