Principal Machine Learning Engineer, OLX Group

• Based in Germany, with the ability to collaborate across global teams
• Strategic and hands-on technical leader who thrives at the intersection of machine learning, large-scale systems, and product impact
• Deep expertise in search and relevance, including ranking models, retrieval systems, and modern representation learning (e.g., embeddings, transformers)
• Proven experience designing and productionizing ML solutions at scale in real-world environments
• Strong background in Generative AI and LLMs, with an understanding of their application to search and content understanding
• Ability to inspire and lead cross-functional initiatives, aligning multiple teams toward shared technical outcomes
• Proficient in Python and familiar with at least one other programming language (e.g., Kotlin, Java); experienced with ML frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch
• Solid understanding of data pipelines, experimentation frameworks, and distributed systems in cloud environments (preferably AWS)
• Exceptional analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills, capable of translating complex ideas into actionable solutions
• Passion for building systems that connect millions of users to what matters most, through better search, relevance, and personalization

Desirable

• We’re on a mission to transform how millions of people discover and connect with what they need most - across Motors, Real Estate, Jobs, Services, and Goods
• To achieve this, we’re building a new Search AI Platform that will power intelligent, personalized, and scalable search experiences across all OLX customer units
• This initiative is sponsored directly by our CTO and represents a strategic leap for OLX: a new cross-functional team built from the ground up, bringing together machine learning engineers, data scientists, SREs, and platform engineers
• Together, we’re redefining how search intelligence is built, shared, and scaled across our global ecosystem
• As the Principal Search Machine Learning Engineer, you’ll be the technical guiding force behind this transformation
• You’ll work alongside our Principal Search Engineer to shape the architecture, mentor the team, and deliver solutions that bring measurable business and user impact
• You’ll have full ownership to explore, experiment, and push boundaries - from prototyping new search models to deploying them at scale
• You'll also play a key role in growing OLX’s data science practice, mentoring peers, and shaping how AI is applied across the company
• This is a hands-on leadership opportunity where you’ll see your ideas move from research to production and into the hands of millions of users
• Shape the future of AI-powered search across all OLX verticals. You’ll drive the technical vision, guide a multidisciplinary team, and ensure our Search AI Platform becomes a foundation for scalable, intelligent discovery experiences for millions of users
• Lead the design and evolution of OLX’s Search AI Platform, developing LLM- and GenAI-based systems that power discovery and relevance across Motors, Real Estate, Jobs, and Goods
• Partner with the Principal Search Engineer to define and implement a unified technical strategy for search, ranking, and retrieval at scale
• Guide a cross-functional team of ML engineers, data scientists, and platform engineers, fostering technical excellence, experimentation, and rapid iteration
• Prototype, evaluate, and productionize new ML models, including embedding-based retrieval, personalization, and relevance optimization
• Collaborate with product and analytics teams to define success metrics, integrate with A/B testing pipelines, and measure real customer impact
• Mentor and inspire data scientists and ML engineers across OLX’s global hubs, sharing best practices and shaping the future of applied ML at scale
• Stay hands-on, driving implementation in Python and AWS while exploring state-of-the-art advances in LLMs, GenAI, and search infrastructure
• Promote a culture of learning and innovation, helping the team iterate fast, fail fast, and learn continuously