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Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Nace AI

Machine Learning Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

As a Machine Learning Engineer, you will play a central role in translating cutting-edge machine learning research into scalable, production-ready solutions. You will collaborate closely with cross ...

Capital One

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$120K - $158K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Capital One

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $158K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE), you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale. You ...

Adobe

Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA

$96K - $128K/yr

We are looking for a Machine Learning Engineer to join our team of driven machine learning and software engineers. This role covers system design, prompt engineering, ML model evaluation, building ...

Capital One

Sr. Lead Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $158K/yr

Sr. Lead Machine Learning Engineer As a Capital One Machine Learning Engineer (MLE) , you'll be part of an Agile team dedicated to productionizing machine learning applications and systems at scale.

Aven

Machine Learning Engineer

Campbell, CA · On-site

We are looking for Machine Learning Engineers who have built product models from idea to delivery. You are passionate about digging into data, cleaning it, analyzing it, generating ideas, and ...

Match Group

Machine Learning Engineer II

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

$145K - $165K/yr

Machine Learning Engineers (this role) who focus on modeling and algorithmic innovation * Machine Learning Infrastructure Engineers who build the platforms and tools that enable scalable training ...

Match Group

Machine Learning Engineer II

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

$114K - $156K/yr

Machine Learning Engineers (this role) who focus on modeling and algorithmic innovation * Machine Learning Infrastructure Engineers who build the platforms and tools that enable scalable training ...

Match Group

Machine Learning Engineer II

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$165K/yr

Machine Learning Engineers (this role) who focus on modeling and algorithmic innovation * Machine Learning Infrastructure Engineers who build the platforms and tools that enable scalable training ...

Adobe

Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

... more programming languages such as Python, Java * Strong understanding and working knowledge of distributed systems, isolation and micro services * Good understanding of machine learning, deep ...

Adobe

Machine Learning Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$151K - $265K/yr

Key Responsibilities As a Machine Learning Engineer at Adobe, you will play a pivotal role in our ambitious journey to redefine digital experiences. This is your chance to work on innovative ...

Adobe

Machine Learning Engineer 5

San Jose, CA · On-site

Machine Learning Engineer - Brand Intelligence Predict The Opportunity Join us at Adobe as a Machine Learning Engineer (MLE 50) on the Adobe Brand Intelligence Predict team in San Jose, CA! Help us ...

TikTok

Machine Learning Engineer, Commerce Ads

San Jose, CA · On-site

$156K - $316K/yr

We are seeking Machine Learning Engineers who can help us to improve our existing delivery system that optimizes for advertisers' true business objectives, i.e. desired user value and effectiveness ...

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All JobsMachine Learning Engineer JobsMachine Learning Engineer Jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Machine Learning Engineer information

See Santa Cruz, CA salary details

$36.4K

$148.7K

$223.4K

How much do machine learning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for machine learning engineer in Santa Cruz, CA is $148,685.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,200.00 and $179,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a machine learning engineer?

Machine Learning Engineers are specialized software engineers who design, build, and deploy machine learning models and systems. They work at the intersection of software engineering and data science, transforming data-driven prototypes into scalable, production-ready solutions. Their responsibilities include data preprocessing, model selection, algorithm implementation, and optimizing models for performance and efficiency. Machine Learning Engineers often collaborate with data scientists, software developers, and other stakeholders to integrate AI technologies into products and services.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a machine learning engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Machine Learning Engineer, you need strong programming skills (particularly in Python), a solid background in mathematics and statistics, and a degree in computer science or a related field. Experience with machine learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow or PyTorch), data processing tools, and cloud platforms is typically required. Problem-solving ability, effective communication, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for collaborating with teams and translating complex models into practical solutions. These competencies ensure the development, deployment, and continual improvement of machine learning systems that drive business value.

What does a machine learning engineer do?

A machine learning engineer maintains production systems and often works with other engineers. In this career, you work with software development methodology, use modern software development tools, and use agile practices. You also play a role in software design and architecture, so you may occasionally work with a programmer. An engineer may help to predict how a model should perform or seek out regression issues by using different test types and algorithms. To fulfill your duties and responsibilities, you work on a computer and use an array of skills and programs to carry out these tests.

What are some common challenges faced by machine learning engineers when deploying models to production?

Machine Learning Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring model scalability, maintaining data consistency between training and production environments, and monitoring model performance over time. Integrating models into existing software infrastructure may require collaboration with DevOps and software engineering teams to address issues like latency, version control, and resource allocation. Additionally, ongoing model maintenance is crucial to prevent model drift and ensure that predictions remain accurate as new data becomes available.

What is the difference between Machine Learning Engineer vs Data Scientist?

AspectMachine Learning EngineerData Scientist
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS, Data Science, or related; experience with ML frameworksBachelor's or Master's in Statistics, Data Science, or related; strong analytical skills
Work EnvironmentDevelops scalable ML models, deploys algorithms into productionAnalyzes data, builds models, interprets data insights
Industry UsageTech companies, startups, AI-focused firmsFinance, healthcare, marketing, research organizations

While both roles work with data and machine learning, Machine Learning Engineers focus on building and deploying scalable ML models in production environments. Data Scientists primarily analyze data, create models, and generate insights. The roles often overlap but differ in their core responsibilities and focus areas.

More about Machine Learning Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Santa Cruz, CA? The most popular types of Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Santa Cruz, CA are:
What are popular job titles related to Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Santa Cruz, CA? For Machine Learning Engineer jobs in Santa Cruz, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities near Santa Cruz, CA are hiring for Machine Learning Engineer jobs? Cities near Santa Cruz, CA with the most Machine Learning Engineer job openings:
Machine Learning Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Machine Learning Engineer job openings in Santa Cruz, CA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $148,685 per year, or $71.5 per hour.

Machine Learning Engineer

Nace AI

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 18 days ago

Job description

Role Overview:
As a Machine Learning Engineer, you will play a central role in translating cutting-edge machine learning research into scalable, production-ready solutions. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities where ML can drive product value, architect robust model-centric systems, and ensure their seamless integration into real-world applications. The role requires a strong balance between theoretical understanding and engineering execution, with a focus on building reliable, maintainable, and high-impact AI-driven features that align with Nace.AI's strategic objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
  • Design, build, and maintain end-to-end ML systems, including synthetic data pipelines, model training, debugging, and performance evaluation.
  • Fine-tune large language models (LLMs) and implement meta-learning methods to enhance model generalization and efficiency.
  • Improve existing Nace.AI models by incorporating advancements from recent ML research.

Qualifications:
  • Hands-on experience training and fine-tuning large language models (LLMs) and vision-language models (VLMs), including practical work with pre-training, instruction tuning, and alignment techniques (GRPO,RLHF/DPO/PPO).
  • Hands-on Experience with Deep Learning Models, especially Transformers.
  • Ability to translate cutting-edge research from papers into clean, production-ready code (Paper to Code).
  • Proven experience scaling inference infrastructure for LLMs/VLMs, including expertise in model serving frameworks like vLLM, TGI.
  • Proficient in Python with a strong track record of building substantial projects.
  • Solid foundation in computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, design patterns).
  • BS degree in CS or related technical field.
  • Solid Experience with ML frameworks and libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
  • Self-starter comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • MS/PhD in CS or related technical field.
  • Familiarity with data processing stacks such as Spark and Airflow.
  • Experience with multi-node GPU training.
  • Contributor to open-source ML projects.
  • Deep knowledge in Linear Programming.
  • Experience with advanced NLP and Multimodal post-training experience (e.g., model distillation, quantization, deployment optimization).
  • Experienced in inference time optimization, deep understanding of LLM serving optimizations for LLMs/VLMs.
  • Hands on experience with quantization techniques (AWQ, GPTQ, FP8/GGUF).

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