Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research
- Pay
- $227,871 – $469,147 per year
- Location
- San Francisco, CA (Remote) · Hybrid
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Lead / Staff
- Experience
- 7+ years
- Education
- Master's degree
- Listed
- 13 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- Applied ML on web-scale data
- Recommendation systems
- People management
- Technical strategy and roadmap ownership
- Mentoring and talent development
- Cross-functional stakeholder influence
Also useful
- Generative recommendation systems
- Large sequential models
- Reinforcement learning
- Prototype development with AI tools
What you will do
Technical Vision and Execution
Own the technical roadmap and strategic vision for Pinterest’s next-generation recommendation systems. Champion the use of state-of-the-art ML techniques to deliver revolutionary innovations in recommendation technology.
Team Leadership & People Management
Support, mentor, and grow a world-class team of Applied Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and technical leads. Recruit top talent, foster an inclusive research-to-production culture, and guide career progression.
Portfolio & Strategy Management
Balance execution across two parallel horizons—delivering near-term measurable metric improvements while sponsoring multi-quarter, high-risk/high-reward AI/ML research initiatives.
Research to Production
Successfully transition breakthrough ML research into production-ready systems that directly impact core company metrics.
Cross-functional Partnership
Collaborate seamlessly with Consumer Engineering, Ads Engineering, Platform, Content, and Data Science teams to prototype, build, and scale solutions to complex engineering challenges. Partner with leadership to deepen user understanding and set the strategic direction for our recommendation system roadmap.
What we are looking for
Technical Depth
7+ years of combined post-graduate academic and industry experience applying state-of-the-art ML technologies to real-world problems on web-scale data, alongside 3+ years of direct people management experience.
Proven Execution
A track record of delivering high-impact initiatives across multiple product areas, with a demonstrated ability to influence peers and leadership using data-driven insights.
Talent Development
Experience mentoring, coaching, and up-leveling software and machine learning engineers.
Continuous Learner
A self-propelled learner who stays ahead of industry trends, new tools, and emerging methodologies, with an appetite for building proof-of-concept prototypes.
Business & Product Acumen
The ability to transform vague, ambiguous questions into well-defined projects with clear success metrics that drive business decisions.
Communication & Credibility
Excellent communication skills with the ability to distill complex technical findings for leadership and product teams, backed by a strong track record of publications in machine learning, AI, data science, or related technical fields.
Academic Credentials
B.S. in Computer Science, ML, NLP, Statistics, Information Sciences or related field
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing hybrid teams of research-oriented scientists and production-focused machine learning engineers.
- Track record of publishing at top-tier ML/RecSys conferences (KDD, RecSys, NeurIPS, CVPR).
- Familiarity with generative AI for recommendations (e.g., semantic indexing, LLMs/GenRec architectures) or deep RL for long-term user value optimization.
- Experience leveraging modern LLM/Agentic workflows and generative A
In-Office Requirement Statement
- We let the type of work you do guide the collaboration style. That means we're not always working in an office, but we continue to gather for key moments of collaboration and connection.
- This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times/quarter and therefore can be situated anywhere in the country.
- Relocation Statement: This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our
- PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.
- #LI-REMOTE
- #LI-DM57
Pay and benefits
At Pinterest we believe the workplace should be equitable, inclusive, and inspiring for every employee. In an effort to provide greater transparency, we are sharing the base salary range for this position. The position is also eligible for equity. Final salary is based on a number of factors including location, travel, relevant prior experience, or particular skills and expertise.
Information regarding the culture at Pinterest and benefits available for this position can be found here.
US based applicants only $227,871—$469,147 USD
Our Commitment to Inclusion
By submitting this application, I certify that all information submitted in my application and throughout the hiring process is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation may disqualify me from employment consideration or result in termination if discovered after hire.
About Pinterest
Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we’re on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.
Discover a career where you ignite innovation for millions, transform passion into growth opportunities, celebrate each other’s unique experiences and embrace the flexibility to do your best work. Creating a career you love? It’s Possible.
At Pinterest, AI isn't just a feature, it's a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact, and we’re looking for candidates who are excited to be a part of that. To get a complete picture of your experience and abilities, we’ll explore your foundational skills and how you collaborate with AI.
Through our interview process, what matters most is that you can always explain your approach, showing us not just what you know, but how you think. You can read more about our AI interview philosophy and how we use AI in our recruiting process here.
We're looking for a highly technical
Senior Engineering Manager with a deep understanding of modern recommendation systems to manage, lead and develop a team of ML researchers and engineers within the
Applied Science team. In this role, you will lead the strategy of the Recommendation System innovation team. You will help the team build a balanced portfolio of work that addresses both immediate short-term business impact and long-term strategic breakthroughs in areas like Generative Recommendation System (GenRecSys), Large Sequential Models, and Reinforcement Learning (RL). Partnering closely with executive leadership, product management, and engineering partners, you will evolve our technical roadmap and directly drive Pinterest’s core mission forward.
Equal opportunity and legal notices
Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws.
We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please complete this form for support.
From Pinterest's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 27, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
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Common questions
What is the salary for the Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research role at Pinterest?
The Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research posting at Pinterest states compensation of $227,871 – $469,147 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Pinterest's official career site.
Where is the Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research job at Pinterest located?
Yes, this Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research opening at Pinterest is listed as San Francisco, CA (Remote) (Hybrid). Always check Pinterest's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research at Pinterest?
For the Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research role, Pinterest highlights 7+ years of relevant experience; a master's degree; experience with Applied ML on web-scale data, Recommendation systems, People management, Technical strategy and roadmap ownership, Mentoring and talent development, Cross-functional stakeholder influence. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Sr. Manager, Machine Learning Engineering-Applied Research position at Pinterest?
This listing links directly to Pinterest's application page. You can apply directly on Pinterest's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.