Machine Learning Engineer

Position

We are seeking machine learning software engineers to join an ambitious, early stage effort to bring our data science tools and infrastructure to the next level. Data science plays a vital, closely integrated function at KAYAK and this role will directly impact every corner of our business. You will have the opportunity to innovate and exercise your inner engineering creativity towards shaping our in-house platform for conceptualizing, building, and deploying machine learning models. This platform is fundamental to every stage of our ML product development process.

The role is focused on developing and architecting tools and infrastructure to design, implement, and deploy data science models in high-volume production environments. It will involve implementing software solutions with a wide range of goals such as the ingestion of and experimentation with large datasets, the organization of business metrics, and the productionization of machine learning models in large-scale settings.

As part of our team, you’ll collaborate with strong applied researchers and engineers in Europe and around the world, and your work will have tangible impact. You will be challenged; you will have an opportunity to shape our business, and by extension, the wider travel industry. You will expand your competence and explore technologies at the intersection of AI, systems engineering, computation, and product delivery at scale.

This role is open to KAYAK’s “work from almost anywhere” remote policy, and positions at different levels of seniority are available.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the KAYAK/OpenTable platform for hosting data science models as a service

• Frame, design and execute solutions to ML engineering challenges that arise as we scale-up and standardize our data science processes; assist data scientists with the engineering and deployment of scalable machine learning models 

• Monitor and optimize services running in production environments

• Design and implement tools for automating common tasks

• Build web UIs and APIs for consoles to enable internal users to manage processes

• Design and implement databases for organizing business metrics

• Engage in group problem-solving, and collaborative team efforts

Desired Qualifications

• Comfortable with systems design and software engineering to the extent necessary to tackle production machine learning engineering challenges. A Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field (computer science, engineering, physics, math etc.), is preferred but is not strictly required: what you can do (or quickly learn to do) is more important.

• Solid application development experience using Python

• Experience using Python ML-ecosystem libraries such as pandas, numpy or scikit-learn in production

• Experience with SQL databases

• Experience with Docker/containerization

• Comfortable collaborating in a dynamic, cross-functional team: you know how to listen, ask questions, build consensus, advocate (with data), and share success. You are willing to assume leadership and ownership over technological, business, or team responsibilities.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills: you can communicate clearly and effectively with peers and non-technical stakeholders alike. You can explain your plan for solving a business problem clearly, and document your work concisely.

Benefits and Perks

• Flexible working hours;
• Remote work option;
• Opportunities to work in any KAYAK office around the globe;
• Day off on your birthday;
• Additionally paid paternity/maternity leave;
• Generous healthcare insurance;
• Free lunch twice a week;
• Free Yoga classes twice a week;
• Headspace subscription - to relax after work;
• No stupid meetings;
• The greatest team events and excursions;
• Drinks, coffee, snacks, games etc.

Compensation

Engineer’s salary consists of three parts:
Base part: when joining us early in your career your salary may start from 1679 EUR gross (before paying tax). Being more experienced, your base salary may be up to 3990 EUR gross (before paying tax) for this position.
In addition:
- significant yearly bonus, approx 10 percent annual salary;
- Booking Holdings RSU (Restricted Stock Units) package, worth 20.000 USD (before taxes) with possibility to get it every year.

Salary range provided is not final and will be discussed during the process based on your skills and experience.

About KAYAK:

KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is the world’s leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car, cruise, or vacation package. We’re also transforming the in-travel experience with our app and new accommodation software. For more information, visit www.KAYAK.com.

As an employee of KAYAK, you will be part of a global network that includes OpenTable and KAYAK's portfolio of metasearch brands including Swoodoo, checkfelix, momondo, Cheapflights, Mundi and HotelsCombined. Many employees are dedicated to one brand, but we all have the benefit of using each others strengths and insights. Together, we're able to help people experience the world through dining and travel.

Diversity and Inclusion

We aspire to have a workplace that reflects all of the diverse communities we serve. We know that when we have diverse teams we produce more creative ideas, products, and better outcomes for our team members. OpenTable/KAYAK is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and we welcome and encourage candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to apply for roles on our team. Whoever you are, just be you.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform job responsibilities, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.