Staff Machine Learning Engineer
At a glance
Senior Machine Learning Engineering role at Twilio. Remote, Canada · no salary stated · we estimate CA$139,400–CA$200,000 across Canada.
Twilio has not published a salary for this role. The figure below is our estimate, not theirs.
remoteroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Research and implement current methods for running and coordinating large language model inference
- Find uses for smaller language models through fine-tuning or distillation
- Build machine learning systems that can operate at Twilio’s scale
- Create shared standards and tools for evaluating different AI and machine learning capabilities
- Improve company-wide ML and LLM operations, including data access for AI development
What you bring
- At least eight years applying machine learning or AI, including end-to-end ownership of technically ambitious systems
- You’re comfortable turning unclear goals into action in an early-stage, zero-to-one setting
- Strong Python skills and experience delivering cloud services on AWS, GCP or Azure with high-volume data or real-time inference
- A firm grasp of statistical machine learning, transformers and LLMs, plus extensive ML and LLM operations experience
- You can design evaluation measures for nondeterministic AI features at scale and collaborate effectively with teammates
Who this fits
This senior, remote role is for an experienced builder who can own ambitious systems and work through unclear requirements. You must be based in Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta, Canada, and may travel occasionally for in-person project or team meetings.
From the employer
Who we are
At Twilio, we’re shaping the future of communications, all from the comfort of our homes. We deliver innovative solutions to hundreds of thousands of businesses and empower millions of developers worldwide to craft personalized customer experiences.
Our dedication to remote-first work, and strong culture of connection and global inclusion means that no matter your location, you’re part of a vibrant team with diverse experiences making a global impact each day. As we continue to revolutionize how the world interacts, we’re acquiring new skills and experiences that make work feel truly rewarding. Your career at Twilio is in your hands.
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Hiring and how we work
We use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help make our hiring process efficient. That said, every hiring decision is made by real Twilions!
Also, while we are a remote-first company, you may be asked to report in person on an ad-hoc basis for team gatherings, functional off-sites or customer meetings.
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- Conduct deep-dive research into and implement state-of-the-art LLM inference and orchestration.
- Identify opportunities to leverage small language via fine-tuning/distillation.
- Build ML systems that hold up at Twilio scale.
- Set standards and tooling for building evals across a range of AI/ML capabilities.
- Rapidly acquire new technical skills and knowledge in a fast-paced, high-delivery environment.
- Proactively leverage and integrate the latest AI development stacks to bypass boilerplate engineering and focus on core differentiation.
- 8+ years applied ML/AI experience with a track record of owning technically ambitious systems end to end rather than contributing to someone else's design.
- Comfort operating in a 0-to-1 setting with ambiguous requirements and a strong bias for action.
- Proficiency in Python programming language.
- Experience building cloud-based services on AWS, GCP, or Azure, with high-volume data, streaming or real-time inference paths, and a range of data stores.
- Strong fundamentals of statistical machine learning algorithms, transformer models, LLMs.
- Extensive experience with ML Ops and LLM Ops patterns, including designing and implementing rigorous evaluation metrics for non-deterministic AI features at scale.
- Strong communication skills and highly effective collaborator who works well with teammates.
- Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude, Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, etc.).
- Prior experience building evals for autonomous agents and large language models.
- Prior experience building autonomous agents that handle multi-turn conversations and maintain long-term context/consistency.
- Prior experience working in a globally distributed team.
- Evidence of technical leadership/impact, such as contributions to open-source data/ML projects and/or published technical presentations, blog posts, papers, or research.
- $160,320 - $200,400
- Target Bonus Percentage 12.5%
Twilio thinks big. Do you?
We like to solve problems, take initiative, pitch in when needed, and are always up for trying new things. That's why we seek out colleagues who embody our values — something we call Twilio Magic. Additionally, we empower employees to build positive change in their communities by supporting their volunteering and donation efforts.
So, if you're ready to unleash your full potential, do your best work, and be the best version of yourself, apply now! If this role isn't what you're looking for, please consider other open positions.
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Stay alert to recruitment fraud
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Twilio is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Additionally, Twilio participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law.