Staff Machine Learning Engineer

About the role

Via is seeking a Staff Machine Learning Engineer to lead the creation of advanced ML models and optimization algorithms that power its real‑time dispatch system. You will work at the intersection of machine learning, optimization, and operations, delivering solutions that directly improve the efficiency and reliability of transit networks worldwide.

Key responsibilities

• Own the end‑to‑end development of ML models and optimization algorithms for real‑time dispatch across thousands of rides and drivers.
• Design and implement online algorithms that balance system utilization with high‑quality rider service, where every millisecond counts.
• Mathematically model competing operational demands, turning complex real‑world constraints into tractable formulations.
• Apply sophisticated statistical methods to analyze demand patterns, traffic dynamics, and fleet performance, feeding insights back into algorithm design.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and operations teams to move research prototypes into production and iterate based on real‑world feedback.

Required profile

• Advanced degree (M.Sc. or PhD) in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a closely related field.
• 8+ years of industry experience shipping machine‑learning models at scale.
• Deep hands‑on expertise in reinforcement learning for complex, dynamic or constrained systems.
• Strong applied‑research mindset with the ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into measurable ML solutions.

Required skills

• Python programming.
• Machine Learning, including reinforcement learning.
• Optimization algorithm design.
• Statistical analysis of demand and fleet data.