Overview

About the Role

Are you excited about applying cutting-edge AI / ML models and technologies at the forefront of digital advertising?  Are you inspired to deliver tangible, quantifiable impact to tens of millions of users and partners, while solving some of the toughest optimization challenges in a 4-sided marketplace?  Are you passionate about mentoring and growing ML engineering talent, while instilling and fostering a principled engineering culture?  If so, we have a job for you!  The Ads Engineering team is looking for a seasoned ML engineering leader to act as the Area Tech Lead of Ads Quality.  In this role, you will directly contribute to the company’s myriad of AI, ML, and Quality innovations, both as an Individual Contributor and Technical Lead.  You will lead the team to design next-generation, AI-powered solutions to support the business’ broadening growth.  You will partner with Eng and PM leadership to prioritize and support all product needs.  You will develop company-defining collaborations with other engineering pillars across Instacart.  You will grow and mentor engineers, and contribute to shaping engineering culture not only for Ads but for all of Instacart.

The Ads Engineering team builds E2E, full-stack systems to power Instacart’s industry-leading ads innovations in digital ads’ top growing channel - Retail Media.  As a fast-growing, critical piece of Instacart’s overall business, the Ads Engineering team strives to both meet and support our advertiser partners for their needs today, while also challenging the status quo to push forward next-generation technologies.  The team consists of a broad spectrum of engineers across all levels, with expertise ranging from backend infrastructure to data engineering to machine learning & AI to frontend technologies and more.

About the Job 

• Develop & design innovative AI-powered systems addressing a wide range of Ads Quality challenges, such as: Optimize ads pacing/bidding, retrieval and auction processes toward a diverse set of advertiser goals, balancing short- and long-term objectives,
• Balance between user, advertiser, and retailer needs, and turn such solutions into quantifiable, optimizable formulations,
• Identify and build gen AI solutions to revolutionize all aspects of the quality stack,
• Build advanced generative AI and recommendation frameworks revolutionizing advertiser experience and campaign efficacy,
• Construct systems and frameworks to provide intelligent recommendations and assistance to advertisers,
• Collaborate with Data Scientists to establish metrics and methodologies for both tracking, optimization, and goaling purposes.
• Define & own the Ads Quality technical strategy and roadmap, balancing between both short-term needs and long-term sustainability.
• Demonstrates ability to architect and design complex AI / quality components, considering scalability, reliability, performance, and security.
• Serves as a technical leader and mentor, guiding and empowering junior ML and software engineers through code and design reviews, knowledge sharing, collaborative problem-solving, improving key engineering processes, and fostering a thriving engineering culture.
• Serve as a technical mentor, empowering engineers at all career levels through effective coaching, collaborative code reviews and knowledge sharing to develop the next set of leaders
• Builds and maintains synergies with other ML engineering teams across Instacart; acts as a bridge representing Ads as an influential voice in company-wide technical forums.
• Contributes to company-level technical initiatives as a thought leader and key driver of Instacart’s engineering vision & goals
• Note this is a hands-on IC / TL role at the Director+ level.  There are no people management expectations.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in AI / ML or related field, or equivalent academic and research experience.
• 10+ years of experience as a software and / or ML engineer.
• Proven track record of architecting & building production-grade ML systems, AI and quantitative optimization technologies at a global scale.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical discussions and collaborate effectively at senior to executive levels, driving consensus and clarity.
• Experience mentoring and developing engineering culture and talent.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on expertise in building large-scale AI/ML systems bridging generative AI, predictive modeling, and recommendation engines to solve real-world problems.
• Deep understanding of Ads Quality systems, including pacing/bidding, yield optimization, retrieval processes, and auction dynamics.
• Familiar with AWS, Golang, Spark, Clickhouse, Snowflake, TensorFlow.

Overview

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Director, Head of SOX to lead and elevate our Sarbanes-Oxley compliance program as we continue maturing as a public company. We need a proven SOX expert with deep technical expertise—not a generalist internal audit background—to strengthen our internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR) in a highly complex technology infrastructure and business environment.

This is a transformational role requiring someone who can assess our current state, identify opportunities for enhancement, and implement sustainable improvements. As many stakeholders are still building their public company expertise, you will need to balance education and enablement with driving continued maturation of our controls framework. This role demands someone who thrives in technical complexity and can dive extraordinarily deep into complex IT General Controls (ITGCs) and IT Application Controls (ITACs).

About the Role

You will own the complete SOX compliance lifecycle—from scoping and risk assessment through testing, remediation, and continuous improvement. Given our organization's complexity and the team's evolving SOX maturity, you must be both a technical expert and an effective educator, capable of building SOX competency across finance, technology, and operations while strengthening our foundational controls.

Critical focus areas include:

• Program enhancement and maturation: You'll evaluate our existing SOX program, identify areas for strengthening, and implement improvements to ensure we continue building a robust, efficient compliance framework.
• Deep technical expertise in ITGCs and ITACs: You'll navigate complex technology environments, including modern cloud architectures, APIs, data pipelines, DevOps practices, and integrated systems. Surface-level understanding won't suffice—you must go into the weeds to truly understand control design and operating effectiveness.
• Education and enablement: You'll continue developing organizational SOX capability through training programs and hands-on guidance to stakeholders building their public company expertise.
• Framework optimization: You'll refine and mature our controls framework, making it more efficient, risk-based, and scalable for our unique business model and technology stack.

You'll partner closely with executive leadership, finance, IT/Engineering, external auditors, and other key stakeholders to establish financial reporting integrity and build sustainable compliance practices.

About the Team

You'll lead and strengthen the SOX compliance function, establishing it as a trusted center of excellence. You'll work across the organization—collaborating with finance, accounting, IT, security, legal, and business operations—to embed controls thinking into how we operate. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role where your expertise will directly shape our compliance maturity and risk posture.

Key Responsibilities

SOX Program Leadership & Optimization

• Lead the end-to-end SOX compliance program, driving continuous improvement and maturation
• Assess and enhance our scoping methodology to ensure appropriate coverage of in-scope systems, processes, and controls
• Refine process narratives, risk-control matrices, and control documentation for clarity and completeness
• Execute risk assessments to validate and prioritize key financial, operational, and IT controls
• Ensure compliance with Section 404(b) of SOX and PCAOB audit standards
• Identify and implement efficiency opportunities while maintaining control effectiveness

IT Controls Expertise (ITGCs & ITACs)

• Go exceptionally deep into IT General Controls across access management, change management, computer operations, and program development
• Assess and strengthen IT Application Controls within complex, interconnected technology environments
• Evaluate controls in modern tech stacks including cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), SaaS applications, custom-built systems, data warehouses, and integration layers
• Understand technical architectures sufficiently to identify control gaps and design effective, practical controls
• Partner with IT, Engineering, and Security teams to implement sustainable technology controls

Education & Organizational Development

• Develop and deliver SOX training programs for employees at all levels, from executives to process owners
• Create educational materials, playbooks, and resources to build SOX literacy across the organization
• Serve as the go-to SOX subject matter expert, providing guidance and answering complex technical questions
• Build a culture of controls awareness and compliance accountability

Testing & Remediation

• Design and execute comprehensive control testing programs (design and operating effectiveness)
• Identify control deficiencies, assess severity, and drive timely remediation with process owners
• Document testing results, deficiencies, and management responses with precision and clarity
• Track remediation efforts and validate effectiveness of corrective actions
• Ensure lessons learned inform ongoing improvements

Governance & Reporting

• Report regularly to the CFO, Audit Committee, and SteerCo on SOX program status, risks, and deficiencies
• Prepare management's assessment of ICFR effectiveness for SEC filings
• Develop executive-level dashboards and metrics to provide transparency into compliance status
• Build confidence with leadership and the Audit Committee through clear, proactive communication

External Audit Management

• Serve as primary liaison with external auditors (PwC) for SOX-related matters
• Coordinate audit planning, walkthroughs, testing, and issue resolution with internal auditors (EY)
• Provide timely, complete documentation and responses to auditor requests
• Manage audit timelines and deliverables to ensure efficient, successful audits
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with audit partners

Continuous Improvement & Automation

• Identify opportunities to streamline controls, reduce manual effort, and improve efficiency
• Leverage technology solutions (GRC platforms, automation tools, monitoring capabilities) to enhance the control environment
• Assess impact of system changes, implementations, and business transformations on controls
• Drive process improvements that strengthen controls while enabling business agility

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the SOX team, providing clear direction and support
• Foster a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and proactive problem-solving
• Provide career development opportunities and technical training for team members
• Build team capability and confidence

About You

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, or related field
• CPA, CISA, or CIA certification required (CPA strongly preferred)
• 15+ years of progressive, hands-on SOX compliance experience, with significant time spent in technical SOX roles (not general internal audit)
• Deep, demonstrable expertise in ITGCs and ITACs—you must be able to discuss technical control design and testing at a granular level
• Proven track record of successfully strengthening and maturing SOX programs, particularly in complex technology environments
• Experience building credibility and driving results in dynamic, fast-paced organizations
• Comprehensive knowledge of SOX regulations, COSO framework, PCAOB standards, and US GAAP
• Proven ability to work in highly technical environments and understand complex system architectures, integrations, and data flows
• Strong executive presence with ability to educate and influence stakeholders at all levels
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills—able to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to build trust quickly and establish yourself as a credible leader

Preferred Qualifications

• Big Four public accounting firm experience with focus on SOX advisory or audit (Manager level or above)
• Experience with public companies, particularly in technology or SaaS environments
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS in Accounting, MS in Information Systems)
• Experience with modern ERP systems (NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, Workday) and financial close/consolidation tools
• Familiarity with GRC platforms (AuditBoard, Workiva, ServiceNow, etc.)
• Understanding of DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, and modern software development practices
• Experience in high-growth technology, SaaS, or fintech environments
• CRISC, CISSP, or other information security certifications demonstrating technical depth
• Experience coaching and developing SOX teams

What Sets the Ideal Candidate Apart

You are not a generalist—you are a SOX technical specialist who genuinely enjoys diving into complex control environments. You can read system architecture diagrams, understand data lineage, and assess whether a control is truly effective or just "checkbox compliance." You're energized by complexity, not intimidated by it.

You're a proven leader who can step into an organization, quickly assess what's working and what needs enhancement, and implement improvements that drive real results. You know how to build credibility, gain stakeholder trust, and deliver outcomes in dynamic environments.

You're a builder and educator who knows how to meet people where they are, patiently explain SOX concepts, and build capability across teams. You balance technical rigor with pragmatism, designing controls that are both effective and sustainable.

Finally, you have the gravitas and communication skills to operate at the executive level, presenting complex issues clearly and building confidence with the Board, auditors, and leadership team.

This is a high-impact opportunity to shape and mature our compliance program. If you're a SOX expert who thrives on technical complexity, excels at driving program excellence, and wants to make a meaningful impact, we want to hear from you.

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Overview

Caper Carts are AI-powered, intelligent shopping carts developed by Instacart that let customers scan, weigh, and pay for items directly on the cart—eliminating checkout lines. Equipped with cameras and sensors, these carts automatically recognize items, offer personalized promotions, and feature a touchscreen for real-time, interactive shopping. This machine learning team builds the brain behind the cart.

We're hiring an Engineering Manager, Machine Learning to lead a team of talented ML and AI infrastructure engineers who power perception, multimodal understanding, and edge inference for Caper Carts. You will own the roadmap for how our carts see and reason about what's in the basket, and you'll build the platforms and models that make checkout seamless in dynamic, real-world retail environments. Your direct team will be ~10 engineers within a broader organization of ~30 spanning Android and hardware.

This is a high-impact role at the frontier of physical AI—bridging edge devices in stores with cloud-scale data and training systems. You'll partner closely with Android, hardware, product, and operations to deliver measurable improvements in recognition accuracy, latency, and reliability. The role is remote across Canada; West Coast time zones are ideal, but we're open to great talent anywhere in the country. Learn more about our work at Connecting stores from edge to cloud: reinventing retail with physical AI.

About the Job

• Lead and grow a team of ~10 ML and AI infrastructure engineers building the perception and reasoning systems that power Caper Carts in live retail environments.
• Define the technical vision, roadmap, and success metrics for cart perception and multimodal understanding; prioritize work that drives measurable gains in item recognition accuracy, checkout speed, and system reliability.
• Architect scalable training, data, and inference platforms on GCP using Ray, Kubernetes, and modern MLOps practices to enable rapid experimentation and safe, repeatable deployments.
• Deliver production-grade CV/VLM models for multi-camera item detection, weighing, and basket reasoning; optimize on-device inference for low-latency, high-availability operation at the edge.
• Build the data flywheel end-to-end—instrumentation, labeling, evaluation, offline/online testing, and monitoring—to continuously improve performance across diverse store conditions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Android, hardware, product, design, operations, and retailer partners; communicate risks, tradeoffs, and timelines clearly in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience building and deploying machine learning systems, with a strong focus on computer vision in production environments.
• 2+ years of experience managing teams of 6+ ML/AI engineers, including hiring, performance management, and career development.
• Hands-on expertise with deep learning (e.g., PyTorch), model training/evaluation, and MLOps practices for reliable CI/CD of ML services.
• Proven experience architecting and operating ML infrastructure on GCP (e.g., GKE, Vertex AI, BigQuery) and distributed training/inference with Ray; containerization with Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes.
• Experience delivering real-time edge inference, including model optimization (e.g., TensorRT, ONNX, quantization) and monitoring for latency, throughput, and accuracy.
• Proficiency in Python and SQL, with a track record of shipping end-to-end CV systems including data pipelines, experimentation, deployment, and post-launch iteration.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience integrating on-device ML with Android applications and collaborating closely with Android teams on SDKs and APIs.
• Background with multimodal vision-language models (VLMs) and large language models (LLMs) for perception, retrieval, or instruction-based reasoning.
• Experience with sensors and hardware integration (e.g., multi-camera setups, weight sensors), calibration, and dataset generation for robotics or retail environments.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional programs across 3+ partner teams and delivering multi-quarter roadmaps.
• Graduate degree (MS/PhD) in a relevant field with research or applied focus in computer vision, machine learning, or robotics.

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