Demo

Principal Engineer, YouTube ML Content Recommendations

YouTube
San Bruno, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 7/6/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 9/3/2026

Minimum qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, similar technical field of study, or equivalent practical experience
  • 15 years of software engineering experience, including technical leadership
  • Engineering experience in Machine Learning with a focus in recommendations and computer vision/image processing
  • Experience in computer science, data structures, algorithms, and software design

Preferred qualifications:

  • Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science or related field
  • Experience with full-stack backend software development and implementation of sustainable, well-designed systems and data pipelines, with production launch/impact
  • Technical expertise in computer vision/image processing algorithms, including experience building large-scale ML systems and knowledge of ML models/algorithm design
  • Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively to create a shared sense of outlook or purpose cross-team and cross-functionality
  • Ability to think in a strategic manner to develop innovative product solutions

About the job

As Principal Engineer, you help bring better machine learning (ML) content understanding for recommendations to YouTube. This will be a technological push for YouTube and will involve partnering closely with ML/Product Engineers to build better experiences for our users, with Google Research to understand, create, or adapt new technology for YouTube’s products, and with Infrastructure Teams to build scalable solutions.

In this role, you will be a trusted partner to provide feedback and help in upleveling content understanding (e.g. via computer vision and image processing) for content recommendations as a whole. Your work will help us scale these solutions for Responsible Recommendations in the YouTube Home, WatchNext, Shorts Notifications, and experiences.

At YouTube, we believe that everyone deserves to have a voice, and that the world is a better place when we listen, share, and build community through our stories. We work together to give everyone the power to share their story, explore what they love, and connect with one another in the process. Working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and boundless creativity, we move at the speed of culture with a shared goal to show people the world. We explore new ideas, solve real problems, and have fun — and we do it all together.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $307000 - $428000 (USD) 30% bonus target equity benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

  • Provide the technical outlook and strategy for content recommendations. Design and lead a multi-year technical roadmap, balancing short and long-term technology investments.
  • Develop product outlook for content recommendation products with Product Management, UX, and other cross-functional partners.
  • Drive and coordinate collaboration with Google Research and various product teams at YouTube.
  • Communicate team’s plans with YouTube leadership.
  • Review technical design from the team and guide technical discussions, as well as mentor Senior Individual Contributors.
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.

Salary.com Estimation for Principal Engineer, YouTube ML Content Recommendations in San Bruno, CA
$196,411 to $233,044
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Principal Engineer, YouTube ML Content Recommendations?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Principal Engineer, YouTube ML Content Recommendations career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$105,809 - $128,724
Income Estimation: 
$136,611 - $163,397
Income Estimation: 
$135,163 - $163,519
Income Estimation: 
$131,953 - $159,624
Income Estimation: 
$150,859 - $181,127
Income Estimation: 
$205,834 - $254,869
Income Estimation: 
$150,467 - $192,499
Income Estimation: 
$149,289 - $190,988
Income Estimation: 
$97,457 - $126,589
Income Estimation: 
$176,972 - $219,172
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at YouTube

  • YouTube Atlanta, GA
  • This role may also be located in our Playa Vista, CA campus. Applicants in the County of Los Angeles: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction reco... more
  • 10 Days Ago

  • YouTube Mountain View, CA
  • The application window will be open until at least July 24, 2026. This opportunity will remain online based on business needs which may be before or after ... more
  • 10 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Principal Engineer, YouTube ML Content Recommendations jobs in the San Bruno, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • YouTube San Bruno, CA
  • Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: New York, NY, USA; San Bruno, ... more
  • 2 Months Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!