Bolt is on a mission to democratize commerce. We relentlessly prioritize our retailers—putting their brands front and center while enabling frictionless shopping at any touchpoint in the customer journey. At the center of it all is our rapidly growing universal shopper network—Bolt merchants such as Revolve, Luisa via Roma, Benefit Cosmetics, Kendra Scott, Lucky Brand Jeans, and Johnny Was can access tens of millions of shoppers, offering them a best-in-class checkout.
And revolutionizing ecommerce is only half of the equation—we’re also transforming the way we work. At Bolt, we have created a work environment where people learn to drive impact, take risks and make big bets, and grow from feedback, all while feeling welcomed and accepted for who they are. Come join us on the adventure today!
About Us:
We’re an AI native startup redefining modern payments and agentic commerce. Our mission is to build intelligent systems that can discover, recommend, and execute transactions on behalf of users—making commerce seamless, personalized, and fast. Our team is lean, fast-moving, and obsessed with solving hard problems. If you thrive where your work directly shapes the future of financial technology, this is your stage.
The Role:
We’re seeking a Staff Machine Learning Engineer to own the design, development, and scaling of ML systems powering next-generation payment flows, recommendation engines, and agentic commerce features. This is a full ownership, all-in role: you’ll define architectures, implement models, and optimize real-world systems that handle complex financial decisions at scale. If you are ready to go “all in,” build intelligent commerce systems that act on behalf of users, and pioneer the next wave of payments, we want you on our team.
Please note, This is a contract-to-hire opportunity with the option to convert to full-time after 3–6 months.
What You’ll Do:
- Build and deploy state-of-the-art ML models for personalized recommendations, fraud detection, transaction automation, and user behavior prediction.
- Architect and scale ML systems powering agentic commerce workflows, including autonomous decision-making and checkout automation.
- Lead technical initiatives, guiding other engineers and influencing the roadmap for core AI infrastructure.
- Collaborate with product, design, and research teams to turn cutting-edge ML ideas into real-world features.
- Experiment with novel algorithms and architectures, staying ahead in fast-evolving payments and AI domains.
- Own projects end-to-end, from conception through deployment and ongoing optimization.
Who You Are:
- You excel in high-impact, high-responsibility environments and take ownership of complex systems.
- You have deep experience in ML engineering, with applied knowledge of deep learning, recommendation systems, reinforcement learning, or agentic AI.
- You thrive in ambiguous, pioneering spaces, able to chart paths where few have gone before.
- You embrace an “all in” mindset—solving hard problems, experimenting fearlessly, and seeing projects through to production.
- You find satisfaction in building transformative technology, not just maintaining existing systems.
Requirements:
- 7+ years of hands-on experience in machine learning or AI engineering.
- Strong Python programming skills, with experience in PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent frameworks.
- Proven track record designing, training, and deploying ML systems in production, preferably for recommendation, fraud, or autonomous decision workflows.
- Knowledge of data engineering, model serving, and performance optimization.
- Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical projects.
Estimated compensation for this role:
- Flat monthly fee: $16,666 - $19,167/month (all-in, no benefits)
- Full-time conversion includes RSUs and benefits
Why Join Us:
- Work on bleeding-edge AI technology in payments and commerce, shaping how users interact with money.
- Equity and reward structure designed to recognize ownership, risk-taking, and impact.
- Join a pioneering team solving problems that have never been solved at this scale.
- A culture that values autonomy, creativity, and deep commitment.
Please download and explore the Bolt Super App prior to interview—our consumer experience is at the heart of everything we build!
- iOS
- Android
Check out our Engineering Blog!
Benefits Upon Successful Conversion to Full Time Employee:
- Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental and vision
- Remote-first workplace
- Time away: Minimum of 20 days guaranteed PTO, paid holidays + floating holidays, your birthday off!
- Paid parental leave
- Competitive Pay
- Retirement plans
- Virtual and in-person team & company events
In addition to our core values, Bolt is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. 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 and expression, genetic information, pregnancy and related conditions, veteran status or any other reason prohibited by law. On our mission to democratize commerce, the Bolt platform levels the playing field for everyone. As a company, we are committed to designing products, building a culture, and supporting a team that reflects the diverse population we serve (that is, everyone).
Top Skills
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Charlotte Tech Scene
Key Facts About Charlotte Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 90,859; 6.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Lowe’s, Bank of America, TIAA, Microsoft, Honeywell
- Key Industries: Fintech, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, e-commerce
- Funding Landscape: $3.1 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (CED)
- Notable Investors: Microsoft, Google, Falfurrias Management Partners, RevTech Labs Foundation
- Research Centers and Universities: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Northeastern University, North Carolina Research Campus
