Machine Learning Engineer – HSTU

Join Shopify’s innovative team as we work on the development and implementation of state of the art HSTU models (Hierarchical Sequential Transduction Unit) to recommend the best growth drivers and action for merchants and buyers. You’ll play a pivotal role in solving high-impact data problems that directly improve merchant success and consumer experience. As a Machine Learning Engineering (MLE) lead or individual contributor, you’ll be at the forefront of building AI solutions that anticipate both merchant needs and personalization for 100M+ shoppers. Key Responsibilities Develop and deploy Generative AI, natural language processing, and HSTU-based recommendation models at scale Design and implement scalable AI/ML system architectures supporting models Build sophisticated inference pipelines that process billions of events and deliver real-time recommendations Implement data pipelines for model training, fine-tuning, and evaluation across diverse data sources (merchant events, consumer interactions, payment sequences) Experiment with novel architectures Optimize for production through advanced techniques like negative sampling, ANN search, and distributed GPU training Collaborate cross-functionally with product teams, data scientists, and infrastructure engineers to deliver measurable business impact Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences, translating complex ML concepts into actionable insights Qualifications Mastery in recommendation systems, Gen AI or LLMs End-to-end experience in training, evaluating, testing, and deploying machine learning products at scale. Experience in building data pipelines and driving ETL design decisions using disparate data sources. Proficiency in Python, shell scripting, streaming and batch data pipelines, vector databases, DBT, BigQuery, BigTable, or equivalent, and orchestration tools. Experience with running machine learning in parallel environments (e.g., distributed clusters, GPU optimization). This role may require on-call work. At Shopify, we pride ourselves on moving quickly—not just in shipping, but in our hiring process as well. If you’re ready to apply, please be prepared to interview with us within the week. Our goal is to complete the entire interview loop within 30 days. You will be expected to complete a pair programming interview, using your own IDE. Ready to redefine e-commerce through AI innovation? Join the team that’s making commerce better for everyone. About the discipline Engineering. It’s our DNA. Engineering isn’t a department at Shopify. It’s the core of everything we do. They’re the ones who built Shopify’s infrastructure, designed our APIs, and made all our tools—they’re the reason we can put products in the hands of hundreds of millions of users. They’re open source nerds. They use Rust. They’re committed to building maintainable and well-designed software. They’re obsessed with writing code, they’re the champions of internal tooling and experimentation, and they’re the ones building the platform that powers millions of businesses. They use AI like a keyboard, with a relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence. They’re building what’s next: new business models, new ways to solve problems, and better lives for hundreds of millions of people. Infrastructure engineering Behind every merchant, every buyer, and every product is the power of Shopify’s platform. Our platform handles millions of requests per second and billions of rows of data. Our infrastructure is at the core of it all. Engineers at Shopify spend the majority of their time actually writing code to build and improve infrastructure, from the data centers and CDN, to the platform services and frameworks. Growth and rewards Mastery-matched compensation. Explore rewards ~Mastery At Shopify, getting better at your craft is the path to compensation growth. Our Rewards Wallet gives you agency to choose how you’re paid—whether it’s cash, restricted share units (RSUs), or both. With our equity rewards, you share in our long-term success, and as you get better at your craft, your rewards get better too. Total rewards With Flex Comp, your Rewards Wallet gives you agency to choose how you’re paid—cash, restricted share units (RSUs), or both. We’re not reinventing the wheel—just rethinking how we reward mastery. In fact, Flex Comp is designed to help you choose the rewards that matter most to you. It’s a flexible, transparent way to ensure your compensation reflects the value you create. * Flex Comp program offerings vary based on location, role, and employment type. Full details are set out in our Terms & Conditions and related plan documents. Built for real life Room for the rest of your life. Flexible work, remote by design We work remotely because it fits how most of us do our best work. You will have a home office in a place you choose, and have the tools and support to do your best work anywhere. Destination 90 lets you work from another destination for up to 90 days in a calendar year. Plus, we give every employee a yearly travel budget to see a Shopify office, or just the world. Your setup Shopify doesn’t hire for the sake of hiring, and we don’t accept candidates solely because they’re available, or willing to move into a role. We have a bar that we consider to be best-in-class, and candidates that meet that bar can expect to be challenged, and supported, in their growth. As we grow, we continue to prioritize the experience of everyone who works here. With an internal focus on Mastery, a culture of experimentation, and a commitment to building a career you love, Shopify is a great place to build a career. Benefits We provide comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness programs, a generous parental leave policy, and many other benefits to support you and your family. Family support We care about your family’s wellbeing, so we provide fertility and family-building benefits, and a generous parental leave policy. Applying to work here Show us your craft. Read the candidate guide 1. Life Story You tell us the story of your career—how you got where you are now, and how you’re looking to grow next. We’ll have a conversation, and you can ask us anything you want to know. 2. Craft assessment We’ll dig deep into your work on a real-world problem, and you’ll have time to prepare and show us your best work. 3. Craft interviews You’ll meet with some of the people you’ll work with, and they’ll dig deep into your work and experience, to make sure you’re the right fit for the team. Pssst. Extraordinary technical work speaks for itself. Skip the resume. Show us what you’ve built instead.