Senior Machine Learning Engineer

• Own and scale the infrastructure that powers production ML and AI across Zip
• Deep expertise in Databricks, Spark (PySpark + SQL), and ML platform engineering
• Remote-first opportunity for US-based employees with optional in-office time 

We’re hiring a Senior Machine Learning Platform Engineer to build and scale the systems that enable production-grade machine learning and AI across Zip. This role sits at the intersection of data engineering and machine learning, focused on making ML systems reliable, observable, and scalable.

You will own the ML lifecycle end-to-end, from feature pipelines and model registry standards to CI/CD and model serving on Databricks (Azure). You’ll partner closely with Data Science, Analytics, and Engineering teams to ensure that models move efficiently from experimentation to production and deliver real business impact.

This is a high-impact role for engineers who enjoy building platforms, solving complex distributed systems problems, and enabling the next generation of AI-driven capabilities across the business.

Own the ML Lifecycle (MLOps)

• Build and maintain batch and streaming feature pipelines
• Design and manage offline and online feature store patterns
• Define MLflow model registry standards and promotion workflows
• Deploy and operate scalable model serving endpoints
• Implement CI/CD for ML pipelines and model deployment

Build high-performance Spark systems

• Develop pipelines using PySpark and Spark SQL
• Optimize joins, partitioning, and shuffle-heavy workloads
• Improve reliability and cost-efficiency of distributed data jobs
• Support streaming workloads using Delta Live Tables

Operate and evolve the ML platform

• Manage Databricks clusters, jobs, and access controls
• Improve observability, alerting, and operational standards
• Contribute to Lakehouse architecture (Databricks and Snowflake)
• Implement governance, RBAC, and data quality standards

Enable AI innovation across the business

• Build infrastructure that accelerates experimentation and model deployment
• Support emerging AI use cases, including real-time and large-scale ML systems

Experience

• 8+ years of experience in Machine Learning with a strong focus on production-grade ML and distributed data systems
• Demonstrated experience owning and operating ML systems end-to-end in production environments

Strong Spark Capability (Core Requirement)

• Advanced experience with PySpark and Spark SQL
• Strong understanding of Spark execution (joins, shuffles, partitioning)
• Experience building and optimizing reliable, scalable data pipelines
• Strong data engineering fundamentals including medallion architecture design, incremental/idempotent ETL patterns, and Delta Lake optimization (partitioning)

MLOps & ML Systems

• Experience operating ML systems in production
• Hands-on experience with MLflow (tracking + model registry)
• Experience managing feature stores (offline + online)
• Experience deploying and monitoring model serving endpoints
• Experience implementing CI/CD for ML workflows

Cloud & Platform Experience

• Experience working in Azure
• Production experience with Databricks and Delta Lake
• Experience integrating with CosmosDB or similar NoSQL key-value stores
• Experience designing orchestrated, production-grade data workflows (Databricks Workflows, Airflow, or ADF) with dependency management, backfills, and failure recovery

Nice to Have

• Delta Live Tables and streaming pipelines
• Iceberg or Lakehouse Federation experience
• Snowflake experience
• Vector databases or LLM infrastructure
• Infrastructure-as-code experience

Zip is a place where you’ll get out what you put in. The newness of our sector means we need to move at pace and embrace change, and our promise to you when you join the team is that you’ll feel empowered and trusted to make big things happen quickly. 

We want you to feel welcome and as though you have the support to be yourself, and care for yourself at work. Because it’s important to us that you make the most of the opportunities you’ll get to grow your skills and your career, and be surrounded by smart, friendly people and leaders that have your back.

We think these are just some of the best things about being a Zipster. We will also offer you:

• Flexible working culture
• Incentive programs
• Unlimited PTO
• Generous paid parental leave
• Leading family support policies
• Company-sponsored 401k match
• Learning and wellness subscription stipend
• Beautiful Union Square office with a casual dress code
• Industry-leading, employer-sponsored insurance for you and your dependents, with several 100% Zip-covered choices available

#LI-Remote

Zip is committed to a straightforward and transparent pay structure. The actual base salary will be determined by various individualized factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, location, internal equity, as well as other objective business considerations.

The annual base Pay Range for this position is $150,000- 161,000K. This range reflects our US national compensation band (USN). Additional premium percentages may apply based on our tiered premium strategy.

Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or commission awards, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. 

If hired, employees will be in an 'at-will position' and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Be a part of a team that reflects the diversity of our customers

We pride ourselves on being a workplace that provides equal opportunities to people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, veteran status, and everything else that makes you unique.

Equally, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive. Please let us know If there are any adjustments that need to be made to ensure you have a fair and equitable experience.

And finally…get to know us

Zip Co Limited (ASX: ZIP) is a digital financial services company, offering innovative, people-centered products.

Operating in two core markets - Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and the US, Zip offers access to point-of-sale credit and digital payment services, connecting millions of customers with its global network of tens of thousands of merchants. We’re proud to be a values-led business and our values - Customer First, Own it, Stronger Together and Change the Game - guide us in everything we do.

I acknowledge by clicking "Submit Application", that the information provided is true and correct. I also understand that any willful dishonesty may render for refusal of this application or immediate termination of employment. By providing your information, you acknowledge that you have read our Zip Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice and authorize Zip to process your data subject to those terms. Zip participates in the federal government’s E-Verify program.

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