Senior Engineering Manager, Consumer Machine Learning - job 1 of 2

As a Senior Engineering Manager in Consumer Machine Learning at DoorDash, you’ll lead a dynamic team of ML engineers and managers. Key responsibilities include guiding your team in developing end-to-end machine learning products focused on enhancing user experience through tailored recommendations and intelligent notifications. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to influence product strategies, fostering innovation and ensuring your team adheres to the highest engineering standards.

To qualify for the Senior Engineering Manager role at DoorDash, candidates should possess a B.S., M.S., or PhD in Computer Science or a related field, alongside 10+ years of industry experience. Leadership experience of at least 5 years in machine learning, particularly in recommendation systems, is crucial. Strong communication skills and a proactive approach to guiding teams in a fast-paced environment are also essential.

At DoorDash, machine learning is a core component of driving engagement and improving customer experiences. The Senior Engineering Manager will oversee projects that utilize advanced algorithms for homepage recommendations, enhanced search relevance, and personalized notifications, ensuring that each consumer interaction is as tailored and effective as possible. This allows DoorDash to stay ahead in a competitive marketplace by meeting customer needs effectively.

Candidates joining DoorDash can anticipate a vibrant and inclusive company culture emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and diversity. As a Senior Engineering Manager, you will play a vital role in fostering a work environment where all voices are heard and valued. Embracing varied perspectives not only enhances teamwork but also drives creative solutions, making DoorDash a great place for professional growth and personal development.

DoorDash is committed to the growth of its employees, particularly those in leadership roles like the Senior Engineering Manager. You can expect opportunities to attend workshops, participate in conferences, and connect with other industry professionals. Moreover, you’ll be encouraged to mentor junior engineers, which not only fosters your own development but also strengthens the engineering team as a whole.

When discussing your leadership approach, emphasize inclusivity, empowerment, and hands-on involvement. Share experiences where you cultivated innovative ideas and how you directed projects to successful outcomes while ensuring that everyone on the team felt their contributions were valued.

In response, outline a specific project, detailing how you defined the project goals, managed the team, and addressed challenges. Highlight the technologies used and the measurable impact of the project on business results and customer satisfaction.

Discuss your strategies for maintaining model transparency and ethical considerations, such as conducting fairness checks, evaluating bias in data, and striving for inclusivity in model outcomes. Providing concrete examples will strengthen your response.

Convey your familiarity with various ML frameworks and tools like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn. Share why you favor specific technologies based on efficiency, team familiarity, or the type of projects you've delivered in the past.

Explain your method for assessing project value versus resource requirement, how you involve your team in the decision-making process, and the metrics you consider essential for project prioritization.

Highlight your conflict resolution style by showcasing examples of how you facilitated communication, encouraged compromise, or implemented team-building activities to resolve issues, all while keeping the focus on project goals.

Discuss the importance of key performance indicators (KPIs) like accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, or user engagement metrics. These benchmarks are essential for assessing the effectiveness of machine learning solutions and guiding future improvements.

Share the resources, networks, or conferences you utilize to stay informed, along with how you implement new trends and technologies into your team's work to foster continuous improvement.

Provide examples of past collaborations that resulted in successful project outcomes. Emphasize your communication skills and your ability to manage expectations while aligning goals across different departments.

Describe your approach to creating a culture of innovation by encouraging brainstorming sessions, allowing time for exploration of new technologies, and creating space for experimentation without fear of failure.