Expedia

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Machine Learning Scientist III (NLP)

Expedia Group is the global leader in travel. From the practical matters of booking flights, cars, hotels, packages, local activities, or vacation rentals to the realization of dreams and bucket lists, we cover the entire breadth of this deep and varied relationship. We team up with our partners to provide outstanding offers to our customers. Some of our partners are huge brands, and some are individuals with a studio apartment to rent. Our customers are diverse, and we seek to deliver value and a great experience. Our technical challenges are endlessly sophisticated and yet meaningful and exciting.

We are looking for a Machine Learning Scientist III to join our growing Traveler Voice & Content team. This position focuses on the development and optimization of Expedia’s Natural Language AI and Generative AI models such as Text Classification, Summarization, Question Answering, and Dialog Management. Innovation, developing cutting-edge technology and implementing industry-leading solutions are key responsibilities of this role. The machine learning models and algorithms you develop will improve the experiences of millions of travelers and travel partners each year.

What You’ll Do

• Develop Natural Language AI & Generative AI models with superior performance to power Expedia’s Travel platform.
• Keep updated with Generative AI developments and decide wisely between commercial solutions and in-house LLMs.
• Utilize your expertise in LLMs to craft scalable, end-to-end NLP solutions tailored for Expedia’s travel platform.
• Lead projects focused on pre-training transformers, fine-tuning generative AI models like LLaMA and Mistral. and applying multi-modeling approaches.
• Refine and adapt LLM’s, developing specialized variants and benchmarking their performance for Expedia's unique travel needs.
• Conduct research and develop novel machine learning algorithms and solutions.
• Perform statistical analysis of the model performance using data collected from the experiments.
• Communicate sophisticated concepts and the results of the analyses clearly and effectively to stakeholders and product.
• Produce novel insights with machine learning to advise company strategy.
• Work within a dynamic, cross-functional team of machine learning scientists, data scientists, and machine learning engineers, to experiment and implement sophisticated modeling techniques.

Who you are

• Master's Degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Math, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Preferred: 4+ years of experience in NLP, Data/Machine Learning Science.
• Expert knowledge of programming languages such as Python and R.
• Proficiency in deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.) and libraries commonly used in NLP and Generative AI.
• Experience in pre-training transformers, with an in-depth understanding of transformer architectures and the ability to innovate within this domain.
• Collaborate on modeling techniques to support the full spectrum of LLM tuning including prompt engineering, instruction tuning, Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), parameter-efficient tuning, and fine-tuning strongly preferred.
• Knowledge on MoE(Mixture of Experts) or Multi-modeling in the GenAI space.
• Prior experience on Distributed LLM Training and Inference at Scale.
• Experience with Search Optimization and RAG is a plus.
• Proven knowledge of processing and analyzing large scale data volumes, semi-structured and unstructured data and near real-time throughput.
• Proficient in cloud technologies (Databricks, AWS, GCP), with hands-on experience in creating Machine Learning Pipelines.
• Solid understanding of A/B testing principles to refine and optimize models.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams and the ability to communicate complex analytical topics effectively across various departments

The total cash range for this position in Seattle is $137,500.00 to $192,500.00. Employees in this role have the potential to increase their pay up to $220,000.00, which is the top of the range, based on ongoing, demonstrated, and sustained performance in the role.

Starting pay for this role will vary based on multiple factors, including location, available budget, and an individual’s knowledge, skills, and experience. Pay ranges may be modified in the future.

Expedia Group is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to support employees and their families, including medical/dental/vision, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program. To fuel each employee’s passion for travel, we offer a wellness & travel reimbursement, travel discounts, and an International Airlines Travel Agent (IATAN) membership. View our full list of benefits. 

About Expedia Group 

Expedia Group (NASDAQ: EXPE) powers travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Expedia Group's family of brands includes: Brand Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, Expedia Local Expert®, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™. 

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Employment opportunities and job offers at Expedia Group will always come from Expedia Group’s Talent Acquisition and hiring teams. Never provide sensitive, personal information to someone unless you’re confident who the recipient is. Expedia Group does not extend job offers via email or any other messaging tools to individuals to whom we have not made prior contact. Our email domain is @expediagroup.com. The official website to find and apply for job openings at Expedia Group is careers.expediagroup.com/jobs.

Expedia is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. This employer participates in E-Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.