Upwork Logo

Upwork

Contract: Senior/Lead ML Operations Engineer

Job Posted 19 Days Ago Posted 19 Days Ago
Remote
Hybrid
57 Locations
Senior level
Remote
Hybrid
57 Locations
Senior level
Lead the integration and maintenance of knowledge graphs, deploy ML models at scale, and enhance search functionalities in a collaborative environment.
The summary above was generated by AI

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to over 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.  

Last year, more than $3.3 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.  

This is an engagement through Upwork’s Hybrid Workforce Solutions (HWS) Team. Our Hybrid Workforce Solutions Team is a global group of professionals that support Upwork’s business. Our HWS team members are located all over the world.

This role is a long-term contract position.

Join our Algorithms and Research team as a Senior/Lead Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) Engineer. We are seeking an experienced engineer passionate about productizing advanced technologies, including Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), to revolutionize Upwork's platform capabilities.

In this role, you will focus on deploying machine learning models, particularly those leveraging graph data structures, and building the infrastructure to support them. You will work closely with machine learning engineers on serving models built using graphs and contribute significantly to our multi-year knowledge graph initiative. This is an opportunity to make a substantial impact on Upwork's search, recommendation, and matching functionalities.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the development, integration, and maintenance of knowledge graphs, including data modeling, ETL pipelines, and graph database management.
  • Deploy, monitor, and optimize machine learning models — especially those leveraging Generative AI and LLMs — at scale in production environments.
  • Design and implement retrieval-augmented generation systems to enhance search and recommendation functionalities.
  • Build and maintain robust machine learning pipelines, ensuring seamless data flow from ingestion to model serving.
  • Develop and integrate APIs for serving ML models and knowledge graph data to platform applications.
  • Implement monitoring, alerting, and active learning systems to ensure model performance and reliability.
  • Collaborate closely with a globally distributed team of ML engineers, data engineers, and product stakeholders to deliver impactful solutions.
  • Continuously drive improvements in model accuracy, system scalability, and operational efficiency.

Must Haves (Required Skills):

  • 5+ years of experience deploying and maintaining machine learning models in production environments.
  • Proven expertise in knowledge graph development, graph databases (e.g., Neo4j, TigerGraph), and data integration.
  • Strong programming skills in Python (preferred), with proficiency in Java or Golang a plus.
  • Deep understanding of scalable, cloud-based architectures (AWS preferred; GCP and Azure experience valued).
  • Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
  • Solid grasp of Generative AI, Large Language Models, and modern ML frameworks.
  • Experience building and maintaining ETL pipelines and integrating with relational databases.
  • Familiarity with RESTful API development and best practices.
  • Excellent problem-solving skills, proactive mindset, and ability to thrive in a remote, collaborative environment.

As a plus:

  • Experience with data engineering, API integration, and monitoring/optimization of ML services.
  • Prior work on multi-year, large-scale knowledge graph or graph ML projects.
  • Exposure to active learning systems and ML model monitoring frameworks.

Upwork is proudly committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. We never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.   

To learn more about how Upwork processes and protects your personal information as part of the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice

Top Skills

AWS
Azure
Docker
GCP
Go
Java
Kubernetes
Neo4J
Python
Tigergraph

Similar Jobs

8 Hours Ago
Easy Apply
Remote
28 Locations
Easy Apply
Senior level
Senior level
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Natural Language Processing • Software
As a Senior Linguistic Engineer, you will enhance translation models, perform data analysis, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to innovate translation quality at Smartling.
Top Skills: AthenaPythonSagemakerSparkSQL
11 Hours Ago
Remote
28 Locations
Expert/Leader
Expert/Leader
Big Data • Cloud • Software • Database
Drive MongoDB adoption among strategic customers, engage senior technical leaders, develop technical expertise, and contribute to thought leadership.
Top Skills: C#JavaMongoDBPythonRdbms
Yesterday
Remote
28 Locations
Senior level
Senior level
Big Data • Cloud • Software • Database
The Senior Staff Forward Deployed AI Engineer will facilitate application modernization projects using MongoDB technologies, provide feedback for product development, and collaborate with teams to enhance customer success in complex software implementations.
Top Skills: C#Generative AiJavaJavaScriptMongoDBMs Sql ServerOraclePostgresSQLSybase

What you need to know about the Chennai Tech Scene

To locals, it's no secret that South India is leading the charge in big data infrastructure. While the environmental impact of data centers has long been a concern, emerging hubs like Chennai are favored by companies seeking ready access to renewable energy resources, which provide more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. As a result, Chennai, along with neighboring Bengaluru and Hyderabad, is poised for significant growth, with a projected 65 percent increase in data center capacity over the next decade.
By clicking Apply you agree to share your profile information with the hiring company.

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account