Staff Machine Learning Engineer

Bumble•US TX Austin, TX

58d

About The Position

At Bumble, the mission is to create a world where all relationships are healthy and equitable, which relies on building intelligent, trustworthy systems at scale. As part of the Machine Learning team, this role is critical in shaping how AI powers connection, safety, and personalisation across Bumble's products. The Staff Machine Learning Engineer will operate as a highly autonomous technical leader, owning large, complex problem spaces and driving end-to-end machine learning systems that influence product direction and user outcomes. The role models values of Excellence and Curiosity by elevating technical standards, mentoring others, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI. AI is central to Bumble's evolution, and in this role, the engineer will not only build advanced ML systems but also shape how they are designed, scaled, and responsibly applied across teams, embedding best practices that enable long-term impact.

Requirements

Typically requires 8–12 years of experience, though we welcome candidates with alternative backgrounds that demonstrate equivalent skills.
Deep expertise in machine learning, with significant experience building and scaling production-grade systems
Strong proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (e.g. PyTorch, TensorFlow), with experience in recommendation systems, ranking, or NLP
Expertise in designing scalable ML and data pipelines using distributed systems (e.g. Spark, Airflow or similar)
Experience working with LLMs and building production-ready AI-driven features or systems
Demonstrated ability to operate as a senior individual contributor, influencing technical decisions and elevating team capabilities
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, working with purpose and taking ownership of outcomes across teams
Advanced AI fluency, with the ability to design, evaluate, and optimise ML systems and guide others in responsible AI practices

Responsibilities

Own and drive large-scale, end-to-end ML systems powering recommendations, ranking, and personalization, influencing product and technical direction
Design and architect scalable ML platforms and pipelines, integrating data processing, training, evaluation, and deployment (e.g. Spark, Airflow)
Build and optimise advanced models using modern ML frameworks (e.g. PyTorch), ensuring performance, scalability, and reliability in production
Lead the development of LLM-powered systems and AI agents, including prompt design, fine-tuning, and system integration
Establish best practices for experimentation, including robust A/B testing and evaluation methodologies
Collaborate cross-functionally at depth, partnering with Product, Engineering, and Data to shape strategy and deliver impactful ML solutions
Mentor and elevate engineers across the team, fostering a culture of Respect, ownership, and technical excellence
Take ownership of highly ambiguous problem spaces, seeing initiatives through from insight to impact while adapting with an agile mindset

Benefits

Medical
Dental
Vision
401(k) match
Unlimited Paid Time Off Policy
Maven Fertility: $10,000 lifetime benefit for fertility, adoption, abortion care, and more.
26 Weeks Parental Leave: For both primary and secondary caregivers.
Family & Compassionate Leave: Inclusive of domestic violence recovery.
Unlimited Paid Time Off: Take the time you need.
Company-wide Week Off: Annual collective rest for the entire company.
Focus Fridays: No meetings, emails, or deadlines—just deep work.