Manager, Machine Learning Engineering

Imagine a role where your machine learning expertise directly empowers millions across emerging markets, fostering financial inclusion and unlocking economic potential. At Tala, that's not just a vision; it's our daily reality. We are building the future of credit infrastructure, an AI-native platform designed to connect global capital with the global majority. As our new Manager, Machine Learning Engineering, you won't just be leading technical teams; you'll be instrumental in shaping the very algorithms that redefine access to financial services for individuals and communities worldwide. This is a chance to make a profound, tangible difference, leading a team at the forefront of innovation in a company recognized globally for its impact.

Overview

Tala stands as the AI-native credit infrastructure, connecting global capital to the global majority. Our unique blend of proprietary risk intelligence and an expanding network of partners allows us to power credit access at an unprecedented scale. We have already distributed over $9 billion in capital to more than 14 million customers across Africa, Latin America, and Asia, cultivating an unparalleled contextual dataset on thin-file borrowers in emerging markets. Now, we are transforming this robust foundation into shared infrastructure, enabling partners, capital providers, and entire ecosystems to build and thrive. Our impact has earned us accolades like the Fortune Impact 20 list, CNBC’s World’s Top Fintech Companies, and Forbes’ Fintech 50. This is a fully remote, worldwide opportunity, allowing you to contribute from wherever you are, collaborating with a truly global team.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of Machine Learning Engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Drive the technical strategy, design, and implementation of robust, scalable, and explainable machine learning systems that power Tala's credit infrastructure.
Collaborate closely with product managers, data scientists, and other engineering teams to translate business requirements into technical solutions, ensuring alignment with Tala's mission and strategic goals.
Oversee the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle, from data ingestion and model training to deployment, monitoring, and ongoing optimization in production environments.
Champion best practices in MLOps, software engineering, and responsible AI development, ensuring the reliability, fairness, and interpretability of our models.
Contribute to the broader engineering vision, helping to shape our platform's future and ensuring it supports rapid iteration and innovation.

Requirements

At least 5+ years of experience in Machine Learning Engineering, with a strong background in building and deploying ML models in production at scale.
Proven experience managing and leading a team of ML Engineers, including hiring, performance management, and career development.
Deep expertise in machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and data science principles.
Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in ML, such as Python.
Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure) and MLOps tools and practices.
A solid understanding of data engineering principles and experience working with large, complex datasets.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, capable of articulating complex technical concepts to both technical and non technical audiences.
A passion for Tala's mission of financial inclusion in emerging markets.

What You'll Gain

The opportunity to lead a critical function at a rapidly growing, mission-driven company making a tangible impact on global financial access.
Work with a diverse, international team that is truly remote-first, collaborating across continents.
Exposure to cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, solving unique and challenging problems in emerging markets.
A culture that values innovation, continuous learning, and direct contribution to our mission.
Significant professional growth opportunities as Tala continues to expand its global reach and technological capabilities.