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The Ads ML team at Deliveroo (now part of DoorDash) builds and maintains machine learning models powering the advertising product, connecting consumers with relevant ads and helping merchants, grocers, and FMCG brands grow on the platform. The UK team comprises ~11 MLEs across ads and promotions, collaborating closely with the US team with meetings capped at 4pm UK time.
Deliveroo is undergoing a significant migration from cost-per-click (CPC) to cost-per-order (CPO) pricing—a cutting-edge problem with no established playbook. Merchants will pay when an ad drives an order rather than when it's clicked. This is a genuinely open technical challenge that very few companies have solved.
In this role, you will own the design and execution of the CPC-to-CPO migration, including the core strategic question of whether the system remains CPO-facing externally while optimizing CPC internally, or adopts a hybrid approach. You'll build and improve the bidding surface, including goal-based automated bidding, Target CPO, optimized CPC, and Target ROAS. You'll own yield management tied to ROS targeting and partner daily with the DoorDash US team to align on approach across markets. You'll set technical direction for the domain and work in a low-hierarchy, high-ownership environment where you can ship, test, and improve ideas quickly.
This is a high-impact role in a complex, always-on three-sided marketplace affecting millions daily. You'll have strong support for tackling big, ambiguous problems while maintaining a bias for simplicity and measurable business impact.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Expertise in ad economics, marketplace bidding, or auction theory
- Direct working experience with optimized CPC, target CPO, goal-based automated bidding, and target ROAS
- Strong self-driven leadership baseline; ability to set direction in ambiguous spaces rather than execute against established plans
- 7+ years writing production code in Python
- Solid ML fundamentals in ranking, recommendation systems, or bidding/auction systems
- Bias for simplicity and focus on shipping work with measurable business impact
- Strong cross-functional communication skills; will work closely with Product, Commercial, and wider DoorDash teams
