Engineering Manager, ML - Natural Language Processing

Email [email protected] if interested in applying. 

Engineering Manager, ML - Natural Language Processing

Who We Are

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) Signals team is part of Cortex, the central machine learning organization at Twitter. Cortex’s mission is to empower internal teams to efficiently leverage machine learning by providing platform, modeling and research expertise while advancing the ML technologies within Twitter. 

We tackle Twitter specific challenges in the NLP domain such as the real-time, ever changing nature of our data and limited context. We apply and advance state of the art natural language processing techniques  to invent new models and systems that can be used to improve various Twitter experiences for our customers.

What You’ll Do

You will build and lead one of two Natural Language Processing Signals teams comprising diverse, smart, and driven NLP and machine learning experts including modelers and engineers. We’re looking for a technical manager with a track record of successfully delivering machine learning models and systems end to end, who can hire, mentor and grow NLP modelers and engineers. 

You will partner with product management and your technical leads to build a high-value roadmap of innovation for your organization. You will partner with recruiting to hire NLP and ML experts into your team. You will put mechanisms in place to ensure your team delivers results. You will lead by example to build your team culture in keeping with Twitters culture. You will partner with technical leads and guide modellers and engineers with your technical expertise by contributing to design reviews and ideation. You will mentor, coach and grow people.

You will work with our machine learning modelers and researchers to innovate and build new models and systems, improve and enhance existing ML systems as well as discover new opportunities to apply machine learning to solve critical problems. Your responsibilities will include:

• Recruitment: Help hire expert NLP and ML modelers and engineers - help with sourcing and selling to candidates as well as vetting them for the team. Provide innovative solutions for both attracting and retaining top talent.
• Mentoring: Mentor the professional development of each direct report through personal and performance management. Establish regular 1:1s with direct reports. Craft individual improvement/goal plans with each direct report and ensure that they receive regular, documented feedback.
• Planning / Alignment: Plan and collaborate with other teams Twitter in delivering impactful changes, whilst working together with other Cortex teams for the long term. 
• Provide oversight: Work with engineers and researchers to understand how everything fits together and how best to deliver meaningful impact. Understands when ML is applicable and when it is not, and what are the risks.
• Execution: Make decisions which balance between immediate impact and long-term bets, as well as managing resourcing and prioritisation.
• Relationship management: Help with managing relationship between other teams in Cortex which you’ll partner with to deliver impact.
• Cross functional management: Work closely with other teams from across the company to deliver impactful projects which may involve multiple disciplines. Also work with other managers in the office to build upon the office culture and ensure a healthy workplace environment.

Who You Are

• You are a leader and strong people manager looking to serve the team and achieve team goals.
• You have prior experience as an NLP or  machine learning modeler/scientist/researcher and are familiar with the workflow and motivations of machine learning modellers and engineers.
• You are a strong source of machine learning and engineering talent and are comfortable closing applicants for your team and the business.
• You are a coach who hires, develops and retains exceptional ML Talent.  
• You have technical depth in machine learning and see the “big picture”. You understand the differences in technical disciplines (particularly on ML side), and which problems are for ML to solve and which are not.
• You are up to date with recent developments in the ML field and are familiar with current trends in the wider ML community and also preferably in Natural Language Processing.
• You have proven execution track record that is customer-centric in prioritisation - looking to deliver projects that serve the company’s needs and understand the impact.
• You are a good communicator with clear and concise, active listening and empathy skills.
• You collaborate well with teams with different backgrounds / expertise / functions.
• You bring a strong perspective that motivates engineers to develop simple, pragmatic solutions to complex problems.
• You have the technical experience to win respect from ML modelers and engineers and NLP experts and are comfortable diving into the fray to help drive resolution.

Requirements

• Previously managed a team of 7+ machine learning modelers or engineers and have been responsible for their career growth. Computer science, math or engineering background strongly preferred; MS or PhD in machine learning or equivalent work experience a plus.
• 5+ years of experience as a hands on expert-level practitioner of machine learning and/or natural language processing. You have built large scale machine learning models and systems. Experience in modeling in Natural Language Processing is a plus. Having conducted research and published peer-reviewed articles in a Machine Learning field is a plus. 
• Understand cost of software development / tech debt and long-term maintenance.
• Experience driving impact through cross-functional leadership.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical abilities.
• You have a get stuff done attitude, have great positive energy, and thrive in a fast paced environment.
• You are passionate about technology and can keep up with the latest developments.
•  You have a respectful, collaborative approach that earns the trust of your peers and stakeholders. 
• You invest in the learning and growth of the people you lead. 
• You communicate effectively.  

Here’s all the legal good stuff

We are committed to an inclusive and diverse Twitter. Twitter is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran, genetic information, marital status or any other legally protected status.San Francisco applicants: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.