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- Tasks: Develop and optimise advanced ML algorithms for performance marketing bidding strategies.
- Company: Join Booking.com, where data and technology drive unforgettable travel experiences.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on innovation and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the world of online bidding and performance marketing.
- Qualifications: Master’s or PhD in relevant fields and experience in machine learning applications.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 70000 ÂŁ per year.
About Us
At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world.
About the team
The PPC team builds and optimizes large‑scale ML models for online bidding across all major search providers, owning one of the industry’s largest performance and auction strategies to keep Booking.com competitive. We run end‑to‑end research‑to‑production cycles—from POCs and modeling to large‑scale A/B testing—driving measurable impact by optimizing auction levers at scale.
Role description
As a Machine Learning Scientist in PPC, your work will focus on devising and implementing advanced machine learning and optimization approaches for the next generation of Booking.com performance marketing bidding algorithms. Specifically, you will work on optimizing our bidding strategy across search platforms, ensuring our competitive edge in the complex dynamics of the bidding marketplace and online auction mechanisms. This role requires a unique combination of deep theoretical knowledge around large-scale optimization techniques, auction theory and applying state of the art machine learning methodologies to scalable industrial setups.
Key Job Responsibilities and Duties
- Develop innovative techniques for the next phase of our online bidding algorithms, including modeling user intent, modeling the online marketplaces, and optimizing our bidding strategy to maximize the efficiency of how we spend our advertising budgets.
- Design and implement scalable evaluation pipelines, including synthetic data generation and benchmarking for model quality, relevance, and consistency.
- Ensure the reliability, efficiency, and scalability of evaluation tools and frameworks in both offline and online environments.
- Conduct in-depth data analysis to define and track evaluation metrics, validate label quality, and explore performance across different traffic siloes.
- Collaborate closely with ML engineers to integrate evaluation components into production pipelines, supporting continuous improvement of bidding applications.
- Work cross‑functionally with commercial and analytics teams to align evaluation strategies with business goals and user impact.
Role qualifications and requirements
- Master’s degree or PhD required (Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, Physics).
- Industry or academia knowledge of large scale optimisation techniques or mechanism design or auction theory.
- Experience contributing to innovative machine learning and optimization solutions for large‑scale business problems, preferably evidenced by peer‑reviewed publication, patents, open sourced code or the like.
- Relevant work or academic experience (MSc + 1 year of working experience), involved in the application of Machine Learning to business problems.
- Knowledge of some machine learning facets: working with large data sets, model development, statistics, experimentation, data visualization, optimization, software development.
- Understanding of cross‑functional development of machine learning products (e.g. Developers, Commercial, Data Analytics, etc.).
- Working knowledge of Python, SQL/BigQuery, Spark.
- Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal.
Machine Learning Scientist I - Performance Marketing employer: Booking Holdings, Inc.
Contact Detail:
Booking Holdings, Inc. Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Machine Learning Scientist I - Performance Marketing
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Booking.com. Use LinkedIn to connect and engage with them. A friendly message can go a long way in getting your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your machine learning knowledge and optimisation techniques. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how they relate to the role. Practice common interview questions to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through a portfolio or GitHub. Share any relevant projects or research you've done that align with the job description. This gives you a chance to demonstrate your expertise beyond just your CV.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Booking.com team.
We think you need these skills to ace Machine Learning Scientist I - Performance Marketing
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Data: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for data and technology shine through. We want to see how you connect with the thrill of using data to drive decisions and create memorable experiences.
Highlight Relevant Experience: Make sure to showcase any experience you have with large-scale optimisation techniques or machine learning solutions. We love seeing how you've tackled real-world problems, so don’t hold back on those examples!
Tailor Your Application: Customise your application to reflect the specific role and team at Booking.com. Mention how your skills align with the PPC team's goals and how you can contribute to optimising bidding strategies. It shows us you’ve done your homework!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it makes the process smoother for both you and us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Booking Holdings, Inc.
✨Know Your Algorithms
Brush up on your knowledge of machine learning algorithms, especially those related to optimisation and auction theory. Be ready to discuss how you’ve applied these techniques in past projects or research, as this will show your depth of understanding and practical experience.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Prepare to talk about your experience with large datasets and the tools you've used, like Python and SQL. Have specific examples ready that demonstrate how you’ve handled data analysis, model development, and evaluation metrics in real-world scenarios.
✨Collaboration is Key
Since this role involves working cross-functionally, think of examples where you’ve successfully collaborated with different teams. Highlight how you’ve aligned technical solutions with business goals, as this will showcase your ability to bridge the gap between tech and commercial needs.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the PPC team’s current challenges and future projects. This not only shows your genuine interest in the role but also gives you a chance to demonstrate your critical thinking skills and how you can contribute to their success.