Company Description
Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers around the world. As an Etsy Inc. employee, whether a team member of Etsy, Reverb, or Depop, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large-scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and Keeping Commerce Human.

What’s the role?

Etsy is hiring a Senior Software Engineer to join the Search Retrieval team. We’re looking for individuals who are product and delivery-driven, and who are excited to tackle large-scale information retrieval (IR) challenges. The Search Retrieval team’s mission is to ensure that the most relevant listings surface for buyers based on their queries, creating a seamless, personalized shopping experience on Etsy.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone interested in building ML-driven IR systems for a two-sided marketplace with 90+ million buyers, 5+ million sellers, and hundreds of millions of unique items. The Search Retrieval team is responsible for designing and implementing core retrieval models and systems, ensuring that buyers can effortlessly find exactly what they’re looking for in Etsy’s extensive catalog.

This is a full-time position reporting to the Senior Engineering Manager. In addition to salary, you will also be eligible for an equity package, an annual performance bonus, and our competitive benefits that support you and your family as part of your total rewards package at Etsy.

For this role, we are considering candidates based in the United States. Candidates living within commutable distance of Etsy’s Brooklyn Office Hub or in the San Francisco Bay Area may be the first to be considered. For candidates within commutable distance, Etsy requires in-office attendance once or twice per week depending on your proximity to the office. Etsy offers different work modes to meet the variety of needs and preferences of our team. Learn more details about our work modes and workplace safety policies here.

What’s this team like at Etsy?

• We build and maintain scalable, ML-driven retrieval systems that connect buyers with the most relevant listings.

• We collaborate closely with other parts of the Search organization and partner teams to ensure seamless end-to-end search experiences.

• We’re passionate about tackling real-world IR challenges, from query understanding to dynamic retrieval pipelines.

What does the day-to-day look like?

• Collaborate cross-functionally with product and engineering teams, translating product goals into technical requirements and retrieval strategies.

• Apply the latest advances in machine learning and information retrieval to ensure precision and relevance in Etsy’s search results.

• Prototype, optimize, and productionize large-scale IR models and pipelines to handle billions of listings in real time.

• Conduct A/B experiments to validate performance improvements and ensure a high-quality search experience for Etsy buyers.

• Work closely with product managers, ML engineers, Applied Scientists and analytics partners to measure and enhance retrieval performance and user engagement.

• Of course, this is just a sample of the kinds of work this role will require! You should assume that your role will encompass other tasks, too, and that your job duties and responsibilities may change from time to time at Etsy’s discretion, or otherwise applicable with local law.

Qualities that will help you thrive in this role:

• You have a proven track record applying machine learning and statistical techniques to solve real-world problems at scale.

• You have expertise in one or more of the following areas: information retrieval, deep learning, or natural language processing.

• You have experience training, deploying, monitoring, debugging, and iterating on ML systems in production for search, recommendation, and/or ads.

• You can establish requirements and guide a team from design through to successful delivery.

• You write clear, maintainable, and testable code.

• You consider the impact of your work on the end user experience.

Interested in helping shape the future of search for millions of Etsy shoppers? We would love to hear from you! Apply today and help us make it easier than ever for buyers to discover the perfect items on Etsy.

Additional Information
 

What's Next
If you're interested in joining the team at Etsy, please share your resume with us and feel free to include a cover letter if you'd like. As we hope you've seen already, Etsy is a place that values individuality and variety. We don't want you to be like everyone else -- we want you to be like you! So tell us what you're all about.
 
Our Promise
At Etsy, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace furthers relevance, resilience, and longevity. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. Etsy is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know. While Etsy supports visa sponsorship, sponsorship opportunities may be limited to certain roles and skills.