Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer - AI Safety and Guardrail

Role overview

Airbnb is seeking a Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer for AI Safety and Guardrails to lead the design, implementation, and governance of safety mechanisms across our ML systems. This remote role collaborates with Safety, ML Infrastructure, and Product teams to build scalable guardrails that prevent misuse, improve reliability, and align with product policies. You will set technical direction for safety-focused ML systems, prototype guardrail approaches, evaluate their effectiveness, and drive cross-functional initiatives from concept to production. You will mentor engineers, contribute to safety governance, and help define best practices for responsible AI across Airbnb's platform. The role requires deep ML expertise, experience with large-scale systems, strong software engineering skills, and a track record of delivering trustworthy AI solutions. You should be comfortable owning projects end-to-end and communicating with stakeholders across teams. This is a fully remote position based with Airbnb, offering the opportunity to influence experiences for guests and hosts worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and governance of AI safety guardrails across Airbnb's ML systems.
• Collaborate with Safety, ML Infrastructure, and Product teams to align safety techniques with product goals.
• Prototype, evaluate, and scale guardrail approaches (e.g., input validation, model monitoring, risk assessment).
• Mentor engineers and contribute to safety governance practices.
• Drive end-to-end ownership of safety initiatives from concept to production.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in machine learning and AI safety.
• Experience with large-scale systems and production ML pipelines.
• Strong software engineering skills and ability to communicate with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Track record of delivering responsible AI solutions.

About Airbnb

Airbnb is a community-driven platform that connects people with unique travel experiences around the world. We build technology that helps people belong anywhere, while maintaining a commitment to safety and trust.