Remote opportunity at
InstacartSoftware Engineer II, Advertiser Optimization
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects millions of customers with local stores, while also providing earnings opportunities for personal shoppers.…
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About This Role
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects millions of customers with local stores, while also providing earnings opportunities for personal shoppers. The company manages a multi-billion dollar advertising business, and its Advertiser Optimization group serves as the decision-making engine for this marketplace. This engineering team handles core systems for budgeting, bidding, pacing, targeting, and recommendations, balancing platform revenue and user experience against advertiser goals. The…
Job Description
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects millions of customers with local stores, while also providing earnings opportunities for personal shoppers. The company manages a multi-billion dollar advertising business, and its Advertiser Optimization group serves as the decision-making engine for this marketplace. This engineering team handles core systems for budgeting, bidding, pacing, targeting, and recommendations, balancing platform revenue and user experience against advertiser goals.
The organization is seeking a Software Engineer II to join the Toronto-based Advertiser Optimization team. This position suits a quantitative professional who wants to apply mathematical, statistical, or economic expertise to production systems at scale. Working alongside engineers and scientists, the successful candidate will help refine the algorithmic systems that drive the advertising marketplace.
Instacart functions as a Flex First organization, meaning employees have the flexibility to work from home, an office, or other locations, supplemented by regular in-person events. For this specific Canadian-based position, hiring is currently limited to individuals residing in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia.
Responsibilities
- Build and assess models and algorithms for ads budgeting, pacing, and bidding to solve complex marketplace challenges at scale.
- Partner with senior scientists, product managers, and engineers to turn marketplace questions into mathematical formulations.
- Implement analyses, prototypes, and experiments while interpreting results utilizing large-scale data.
- Deploy algorithms into production systems, handle validation and monitoring, and take ownership of projects from hypothesis to impact.
- Clearly explain assumptions, analytical findings, and limitations to technical and cross-functional colleagues.
Requirements
- Hold a PhD in mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research, or a closely related quantitative field.
- Possess a strong foundation in areas such as optimization, probability, statistical modeling, econometrics, or control theory.
- Demonstrate proficiency in Python and SQL to translate quantitative concepts into experiments and algorithm implementations.
- Exhibit strong analytical and communication capabilities for technical and cross-functional audiences.
- Reside in one of the eligible Canadian provinces: Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, or Nova Scotia.
Qualifications
- Bring two or more years of software engineering experience focusing on applying quantitative methods to production systems.
- Familiarity with ads systems, auction theory, or marketplace optimization.
- Background working with real-time decision systems and large-scale data pipelines.
- Knowledge of machine learning techniques and their application within production systems.
Core Skills
Benefits
- Market-competitive compensation with base pay ranging from CAN$145,000 to CAN$153,000 CAD depending on location and experience.
- Eligibility for a new hire equity grant and annual equity refresh grants.
- Flexible remote work arrangements through the company Flex First policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the location or remote work policy for this position?
Instacart operates under a Flex First remote work policy, allowing employees to choose where they work. However, hiring for this specific role is currently restricted to candidates residing in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia.
What is the salary range for the Software Engineer II role?
For Canadian-based candidates, the base pay range is CAN$145,000 to CAN$153,000 CAD, with actual offers varying based on candidate experience and location.
What education is required to qualify?
Applicants must have a PhD in mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research, or a related quantitative discipline.
What additional financial compensation is offered beyond base salary?
The position is eligible for a new hire equity grant as well as annual equity refresh grants.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.