Applied Researcher – LLMs

At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader — we’re changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We’re committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts.

Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work — every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet.

Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers — and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.

About the Team:

The Foundation Models team at eBay Core AI is looking for highly qualified candidates for a full-time Applied Researcher position.

Do you want to make a huge impact on a large e-commerce website? Are you interested in solving groundbreaking research problems while impacting all eBay e-commerce channels? Does working with Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, large-scale optimization, and large language models excite you? If this sounds like you, the Core AI team at eBay is the right place for you! We are looking for Applied Researchers with a diverse set of backgrounds to join us.

Role Summary:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Applied Researcher with expertise in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs). In this role, you will focus on developing and deploying deep learning models that empower our buyers and sellers, including areas such as LLM post-training (instruction tuning, alignment), and scalable deployment. Working closely with research scientists and cross-functional engineers, you will translate cutting-edge algorithms into production-ready features that create measurable impact in our products and services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and deploy advanced machine learning algorithms, with a focus on NLP/LLM.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to integrate machine learning solutions into our products and platforms.
• Conduct research on the latest technologies and methodologies in NLP and LLMs to drive innovation within the team.
• Collaborate with data engineers and scientists to preprocess, clean, and structure large datasets for model training and evaluation.
• Implement best practices in model development, validation, testing, and deployment to ensure high-quality and scalable solutions.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and advancements in AI, machine learning, and NLP to continuously improve our capabilities.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.
• Proven experience in machine learning, with a strong emphasis on NLP and LLMs (experience with instruction tuning and alignment is a major plus).
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and C++ and frameworks like PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar.
• Solid understanding of machine learning algorithms, model architecture, training techniques, and building performant inference pipelines. Experience with model inference optimization techniques and libraries is a plus.
• Experience with data preprocessing, feature engineering, model evaluation metrics and large scale data processing framework like SPARK.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical collaborators, come up with creative solutions, and help with tracking and delivering within the release plan
• Publication record in top AI conferences/journals is a big plus

What we offer:

• An opportunity to work on cutting-edge research in NLP and deep learning, making significant contributions to the field and real-world applications.
• A collaborative and supportive work environment where innovation and creativity are encouraged.
• Access to state-of-the-art resources and tools to support your research and development work.
• A culture that values diversity, inclusion, and the professional growth of its members.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package, tailored to attract the best talent in the field.

Benefits are an essential part of your total compensation for the work you do every day. Whether you’re single, in a growing family, or nearing retirement, eBay offers a variety of comprehensive and competitive benefit programs to meet your needs. Including maternal & paternal leave, paid sabbatical, and plans to help ensure your financial security today and in the years ahead because we know feeling financially secure during your working years and through retirement is important.

Here at eBay, we love crafting opportunities for others by connecting people from a diverse group of backgrounds, perspectives, and geographies. So, being diverse and inclusive isn’t just something we strive for, it is who we are, and part of what we do each and every single day. We want to ensure that as an employee, you feel eBay is a place where, no matter who you are, you feel safe, included, and that you have the opportunity to bring your unique self to work. To learn about eBay’s Diversity & Inclusion click here: https://www.ebayinc.com/company/diversity-inclusion/

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eBay is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status. If you have a need that requires accommodation, please contact us at talent@ebay.com. We will make every effort to respond to your request for accommodation as soon as possible. View our accessibility statement to learn more about eBay's commitment to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities.

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