The Role
Lead AI/ML Engineer responsible for architecture, algorithm development, and team mentorship. Collaborate on data integration and performance optimization in scalable environments.
Summary Generated by Built In
ABOUT YOU
We're seeking a Lead AI/ML Engineer to architect and scale our data infrastructure supporting personalization, churn prediction, and recommendation systems across Xsolla's global gaming commerce platform. You'll lead the design and optimization of ML algorithms in Vertex AI, build scalable data pipelines integrating multiple sources, and establish best practices for data quality, governance, and performance. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with cross-functional collaboration, mentoring engineers, partnering with data science and backend teams to productionize ML features, and working directly with the Director of Data Platforms to translate business needs into technical solutions. You'll be instrumental in shaping our data mesh architecture while ensuring compliance, scalability, and operational excellence as we serve game developers worldwide.
ABOUT US
Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games. Grounded in the belief in the future of video games, Xsolla is resolute in the mission to bring opportunities together, and continually make new resources available to creators. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record and has helped over 1,500+ game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.
For more information, visit xsolla.com.
Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and optimize algorithms in Vertex AI
- Develop scalable data models and algorithms supporting user 360 views, churn prediction, and recommendation engine inputs
- Lead integration across data sources: MySQL, BigQuery, Redis, Kafka, GCP Storage, and API Gateway
- Implement CI/CD for data pipelines using Git, dbt, and automated testing
- Define data quality checks and auditing pipelines for ingestion and transformation layers
- Mentor and guide junior AI/ML engineers on data modeling and algorithm performance tuning
- Partner with Data Science, ML, and Backend teams to productionize machine learning features in Snowflake
- Work closely with Legal, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure compliance, privacy, and governance of user data (PII)
- Collaborate with the Director of Data Platforms and product stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications
- Tune algorithm performance
- Establish data partitioning, clustering, and materialized views for fast query execution
- Build dashboards and monitors for pipeline health, job success, and data latency metrics (e.g., via Looker, Tableau, or Snowsight)
- Establish and enforce naming conventions, data lineage, and metadata standards across schemas
- Lead code reviews, enforce documentation standards, and manage schema versioning
- Contribute to the company's evolving data mesh and streaming architecture vision
Qualification & Skills:
- 5+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, with 3+ years in Vertex.ai.
- Strong SQL and Python skills, with proven experience building ETL/ELT at scale.
- Deep understanding of algorithm performance tuning, query optimization, and warehouse orchestration.
- Experience with data pipeline orchestration (Airflow, Prefect, dbt, or similar).
- Solid understanding of data modeling (Kimball, Data Vault, or hybrid).
- Proficiency in Kafka, GCP, or AWS for real-time or batch ingestion.
- Familiarity with API-based data integration and microservice architectures.
Nice to Have:
- Experience lead machine learning teams or/and deploying ML feature pipelines.
- Background in ad-tech, gaming, or e-commerce recommendation systems.
- Familiarity with data contracts and feature stores (Feast, Tecton, or custom-built).
- Experience managing small data engineering teams and setting technical direction
- Strong ownership and ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent cross-functional communication — can translate between engineering and business.
- Hands-on problem solver who balances velocity with reliability.
- Collaborative mentor who raises the bar for team quality and discipline
Benefits:
We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for our team, so we prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program. This includes medical, dental, and vision, PTO, and a personalized career roadmap for each employee. By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team thrives both personally and professionally. Together, we’re not just building a business; we’re cultivating a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of play.
We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for our team, so we prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program. This includes medical, dental, and vision, PTO, and a personalized career roadmap for each employee. By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team thrives both personally and professionally. Together, we’re not just building a business; we’re cultivating a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of play.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Xsolla is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the Fair Chance Act.
Criminal History Consideration:
For the Lead AI/ML Engineer we will conduct a background check that may include the following:
Criminal history check
Employment verification
Education verification
Relevance to Job Responsibilities:
The background check is relevant to this position because of the following role responsibilities:
Accessing confidential company data
Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
Rights Under the Fair Chance Act:
Applicants are encouraged to inquire about their rights under the Fair Chance Act. If you have questions regarding our hiring practices, please contact [email protected].
By submitting the following job application form, you consent to Xsolla processing your data for career-related inquiries and potential employment opportunities. We process your data in accordance with this Xsolla Privacy Notice for Job Applicants. Please direct any inquiries regarding your data privacy to [email protected].
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering
- 3+ years of experience in Vertex.ai
- Strong SQL and Python skills
- Experience building ETL/ELT at scale
- Deep understanding of algorithm performance tuning
- Experience with data pipeline orchestration
- Solid understanding of data modeling
Xsolla Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Xsolla and has not been reviewed or approved by Xsolla.
-
Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered fair or good in many cases, with mentions of high salary or being paid well in certain roles and markets. Market-aligned ranges for several U.S. roles indicate base pay is not out of step with peers.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive for full-time employees and families, with employer-paid medical, dental, and vision noted in some U.S. postings. Positive remarks on medical coverage appear on dedicated benefits pages.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible or unlimited paid time off is repeatedly highlighted, alongside parental leave and remote or hybrid flexibility. These elements contribute to an overall package that many view as solid.
Xsolla Insights
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
The Company
What We Do
Xsolla's video game business engine helps game developers and publishers operate more efficiently and sell more games. Serving only the video game industry, Xsolla caters to businesses from indie to enterprise, with solutions that solve the complexities of distribution, marketing, and monetization so developers, publishers, and platform partners. Our goal is to increase your audience, sales and revenue. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices worldwide, Xsolla operates as a merchant and seller of record for major gaming entities like Valve, Twitch, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and PUBG Corporation.
