Senior Staff Software Engineer, AI/ML Recommendations, Rankings, Predictions, YouTube

Company: Google
Location: Mountain View
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience. 8 years of experience in software development. 7 years of experience leading technical project strategy, ML design, and working with industry-scale ML infrastructure (e.g., model deployment, model evaluation, data processing, debugging, fine tuning). 5 years of experience with design and architecture; and testing/launching software products. 5 years of experience building and deploying recommendation systems models (retrieval, prediction, ranking, embedding) in production and experience building architecture in different modeling domains. Preferred qualifications: Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field. 8 years of industry experience working on Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) recommendations. 8 years of experience with data structures and algorithms. 5 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction. 3 years of experience working in an organization involving cross-functional, or cross-business projects. About the job Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward. Short-form Videos are new lightweight mobile video formats on YouTube. For creators, Short-form Video enables a space for content that is short, casual, and direct. Creators can build new material or share other videos on the platform. For viewers, short-form video provides high value in short intervals. Fans can easily access fresh content from their favorite creators and discover new channels. We are building an entirely new experience for both creating videos and consuming them, allowing creators to connect better with their viewers communities, from within the YouTube application. YouTube is seeking an experienced ML Engineer to join the short-form video discovery team. As the "growth engine" of the product, our team is responsible for the recommendation systems that surface Shorts across the Infinite Playback, Home, WatchNext etc.At YouTube, we believe that everyone deserves to have a voice, and that the world is a better place when we listen, share, and build community through our stories. We work together to give everyone the power to share their story, explore what they love, and connect with one another in the process. Working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and boundless creativity, we move at the speed of culture with a shared goal to show people the world. We explore new ideas, solve real problems, and have fun — and we do it all together. The US base salary range for this full-time position is $262,000-$365,000 bonus equity benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Learn more about benefits at Google . Responsibilities Provide technical leadership on projects. Manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables. Design and optimize recommendation models using viewership and creator signals to drive engagement and satisfaction. Build the high-performance backend systems required to serve full-screen, low-latency video feeds. Work across the stack, from mobile creation effects to backend serving, to ensure a seamless discovery loop. Play a pivotal role in one of YouTube’s initiatives, collaborating on how short-form content is distributed globally.

Keywords: Google, Santa Clara , Senior Staff Software Engineer, AI/ML Recommendations, Rankings, Predictions, YouTube, IT / Software / Systems , Mountain View, California