Bilingual Machine Learning Engineer, Content Understanding/Recommendation

About SmartNews

SmartNews is a global leader in redefining information and news discovery, committed to providing users with accurate, timely information and supporting quality journalism. We combine the power of our unique machine-learning technology with the expertise of our first-rate editorial team to bring news that matters to millions of users from our over 3,000 global publishing partners.

Founded in 2012 in Tokyo, Japan, SmartNews has offices in Tokyo, San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York, and Singapore.

The Team

We are currently hiring for our Content Understanding and Recommendation Algorithm Team.

Content Understanding Team

Content understanding team is to advance the capabilities of content analysis through innovative and cutting-edge technologies. We strive to transform how content is understood, categorized, and utilized across various platforms, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and quality. By leveraging advanced machine learning, NLP, and data analytics, we aim to support and enhance downstream applications such as search, recommendations, and ads. Our goal is to deliver meaningful insights and improve user engagement by providing precise and contextually aware content analysis solutions. Through continuous research, development, and collaboration, aiming to make a significant impact on the content ecosystem for SmartNews.

Recommendation Algorithm Team

The Recommendation Algorithm Team serves as the architect behind the cutting-edge algorithms and systems that power the SmartNews Product. Our scope encompasses a range of surfaces, most notably For You, Follow Recommendations, Search and so on..

At the core of the Recommendation Algorithm Team’s mission is the commitment to provide SmartNews users with an unparalleled experience in discovering quality information. Through our intricate algorithms, we curate and present content in a manner that resonates with personalization, fostering engagement and, in turn, bolstering critical business metrics including DAU, revenue, and user engagement.

Content Understanding & Recommendation Algorithm Team

Both teams thrive on the challenge of transforming vast data into actionable insights. We continuously refine and innovate upon our algorithms to ensure that the information presented is not only relevant but also delivered with precision, enriching the user journey and driving SmartNews' competitive edge.

In collaboration with cross-functional teams, we contribute to the seamless integration of our algorithms into various product facets, each designed to enhance user interactions and overall satisfaction. By blending data science, engineering prowess, and a passion for innovation, our team is committed to shaping SmartNews into a trusted and indispensable source of personalized content for millions of users worldwide.

The Role

In the Content Understanding role, you will leverage advanced content analysis and machine learning techniques to enhance the understanding and classification of diverse content types. Your mission is to drive innovation in content categorization, fake news detection, and bias analysis, ultimately supporting downstream applications such as personalized product recommendations. 

In the Recommendation Algorithm role, you will utilize the power of advanced machine learning techniques, these teams not only optimize content distribution and user engagement but also provide the essential foundation for continuous product innovation and overall business success.

Responsibilities

• Common Responsibilities Between Both Teams:
• Research and develop cutting-edge algorithms.
• Work end-to-end, from data and model to service.
• Manage expectations between product side and ML limitation.
• Develop ML pipeline to make engineers more productive.
• Content Understanding Team:
• Analyze and categorize content to extract key insights, themes, and trends, ensuring alignment with user needs and product goals.
• Generate actionable signals from content to enhance recommendation systems, driving personalized and relevant user experiences.
• Collaborate with product teams to integrate content insights into product features and strategies, contributing to continuous improvement and product success.
• Recommendation Algorithm Team:
• Innovate and implement machine learning algorithms, seamlessly integrating rule-based optimization strategies, resulting in tangible enhancements across product metrics for our diverse array of offerings such as ads, feed, and follow recommendations.
• Design, develop, and iterate recommendation and ranking algorithms on predictive models for candidate generation and ranking, including but not limited to building real-time data pipelines, feature engineering, model optimization and innovation.

Requirements

Minimum requirements

• 1+ years (0 for new grad) of experience in designing and implementing machine learning algorithms, and applying them to real world problems
• Solid Machine Learning background and deep understanding of certain domain of machine learning techniques, especially in recommendation systems, natural language processing, computer visions
• Strong software development skills with proven record of shipping changes to production that improved product metrics with machine learning technologies
• Able to have deep end-to-end understanding of sophisticated ranking systems and can proactively detect problems and make improvement suggestions
• Good written and spoken communication skills, can work across functional teams
• Expert coding abilities in multiple programming languages (e.g. Java, C++, Python, Scala)
• MS or BS in computer science, mathematics, physics or other quantitative fields
• Fluent in Japanese

Nice to have 

• Native in Japanese
• Experience relevant to search, recommendation, and Ads technologies.
• Experience with cloud-based architecture, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Strong interest in news and ads content understanding, aligned with our mission.
• In-depth knowledge of Generative AI (GAI) and expertise in leveraging it effectively.

Working condition

• Office Location: Tokyo

Benefits

• Annual health check covered by the company
• Visa sponsorship and overseas relocation support available for eligible candidates