Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Ads Bidding
Added 11 Sept · still live
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£54,700
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2134 (90% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £54,700, and Deliveroo is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
About the role
Staff Machine Learning Engineer – Ads Bidding
The Team
The Ads ML team builds and maintains the machine learning models powering Deliveroo's advertising product — connecting consumers with relevant ads and helping merchants, grocers, and FMCG brands grow through the platform. The UK team is ~11 MLEs across ads and promotions, and collaborates closely with the US team (meetings capped at 4pm UK to protect reasonable hours).
The Problem
Deliveroo is migrating ads from cost-per-click (CPC) to cost-per-order (CPO) — merchants pay when an ad drives an order, not when it's clicked. This is a genuinely open, cutting-edge problem: very few companies have solved it, and there's no established playbook to follow. The exact approach is under active discussion and you'd be central to driving it.
You Will
The Team
The Ads ML team builds and maintains the machine learning models powering Deliveroo's advertising product — connecting consumers with relevant ads and helping merchants, grocers, and FMCG brands grow through the platform. The UK team is ~11 MLEs across ads and promotions, and collaborates closely with the US team (meetings capped at 4pm UK to protect reasonable hours).
The Problem
Deliveroo is migrating ads from cost-per-click (CPC) to cost-per-order (CPO) — merchants pay when an ad drives an order, not when it's clicked. This is a genuinely open, cutting-edge problem: very few companies have solved it, and there's no established playbook to follow. The exact approach is under active discussion and you'd be central to driving it.
You Will
- Own the design and execution of the CPC-to-CPO migration, including the core open question of whether the system stays CPO-facing externally while optimising CPC behind the scenes, or some hybrid of the two
- Build and improve the bidding surface: goal-based automated bidding, Target CPO, optimised CPC, and Target ROAS
- Own yield management tied to ROS targeting
- Partner daily with the DoorDash US team to align on approach across markets
- Set technical direction for the domain
- Expertise in ad economics, marketplace bidding, or auction theory
- Direct working experience with optimised CPC, target CPO, goal-based automated bidding, and target ROAS
- Strong self-driven leadership baseline — you'll be setting direction in an ambiguous space, not executing against an established one
- 7+ years writing production code in Python; solid ML fundamentals in ranking, recommendation systems, or bidding/auction systems
- A bias for simplicity and a focus on shipping work with measurable business impact
At Deliveroo, You'll Do Work That Matters—solving Real-world Problems In a Three-sided Marketplace That’s Constantly Evolving. We’re Food Lovers, Problem Solvers, Community Builders And More, Brought Together By a Shared Drive To Make Things Better. Working Here You Can Expect To
🔧 Solve meaningful problems at real scale
Work on a complex, always-on marketplace that impacts millions every day.
🌱 See your impact, fast
Ship, test and improve ideas quickly in a low-hierarchy, high-ownership environment.
🧠 Grow through challenge and ownership
Take on big, ambiguous problems and accelerate your career with strong support.
🌎 A culture built for builders
High standards, collaboration, flexible working and continuous learning.
💰 Share in the success you help create
Competitive salary and equity options, so you’re rewarded for the impact you make.
➡️ Want a deeper look at how we build? Check out our Tech Blog.
Our Global Structure
Deliveroo is now part of DoorDash, bringing together teams with even greater reach, scale, and ambition. Depending on your role, you may collaborate with teammates, systems, and leaders across DoorDash and Wolt. Together, we’re unlocking new possibilities as one global team.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Deliveroo, we know that a great workplace reflects the world around us and that true diversity and inclusion make us stronger, more creative, and better at what we do. We’re committed to fostering an environment where everyone can do their best work and feel they belong.
We believe in equality of opportunity and welcome candidates from all backgrounds regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion, or belief.
If you have a disability or long-term health condition and need support to apply for one of our roles, or require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know once you’ve submitted your application. We’ll share details on how to request support so we can ensure you have a fair and equitable experience.
If you’re excited about making a real impact in a fast-movin
g marketplace and growing your career alongside ambitious, supportive teams, we’d love to hear from you!
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with Deliveroo, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 2134 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~343k in sampleP25 £42kP75 £76k
£33kmedian £57kgoing rate £55k£103k
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Browse more sponsored jobs at DeliverooAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. Deliveroo holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2134 going rate of £54,700. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.