The opportunity
Instacart's Ads Optimization team is the decision-making engine of our $1B+ ads business. We own the systems responsible for bidding, pacing, budgeting, targeting, and additional optimization layers that convert advertiser goals into real-time outcomes — all while balancing…
What you'll do
Own the analytics and experimentation strategy for pacing, targeting, and: related optimization areas, driving measurable improvements in advertiser outcomes and platform efficiency
Design and build intelligent pacing algorithms and budget allocation systems: grounded in adaptive control and model-predictive control techniques, deployed in high-throughput production environments
Lead end-to-end experimentation across optimization systems: designing experiment frameworks, diagnosing complex or conflicting signals, and translating results into clear, actionable recommendations for Product and Engineering leadership
Apply causal inference, statistical modeling, and ML techniques to optimize: how ad spend is distributed across time and auction opportunities, balancing user experience, advertiser goals, and platform revenue
Present findings and strategic recommendations to leadership across Product, Engineering, and Data Science
Serve as a thought leader and technical anchor in the Ads Optimization space,: setting the analytical standard and mentoring peers across the team
What they're looking for
- Experience collaborating directly with an ads product or sales team, or with: advertisers, to shape product and algorithmic priorities
- Background in budget-constrained allocation methods, adaptive control, or: model-predictive control in production systems
