Posted last month
Software Engineer II, Advertiser Optimization
@ Instacart
Ontario
Overview
Instacart is hiring a Software Engineer II with a strong quantitative background for its Advertiser Optimization team in Toronto. The role builds and refines algorithms for ads bidding, pacing and budgeting on a $1B+ ads business. The position is remote, with base pay of $145,000 to $153,000 CAD for Canadian candidates.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and evaluate models for ads bidding, pacing and budgeting
- Translate marketplace questions into mathematical formulations and analyses
- Implement, validate and monitor algorithms in production systems
- Design experiments and interpret results from large-scale data
- Communicate assumptions and findings to technical and cross-functional partners
Requirements summary:
- PhD in mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research or related field
- Strength in optimization, probability, statistical modeling, econometrics or control theory
- Proficiency in Python and SQL
- Strong analytical and communication skills
- 2+ years of software engineering experience preferred
- Machine learning experience in production systems preferred
Tools & skills
Benefits mentioned
Source and dates
Employer career site / ATS feed · greenhouse
- Employer posting date
- 2026-09-25
- First seen by our source
- 2026-10-10
- Source record updated
- 2026-10-26
These dates describe the source record, not a live verification that the employer is still hiring. Check the original posting.
Job details
| Seniority | Mid level |
| Department | Software development |
| Work setting | Home |
| Position | Mostly sitting |
| Physical demands | physical low · computer high |
| Languages | English |
| Education | Doctorate (required) |
| Fields of study | mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research |
| Perks mentioned | Stock or equity |
Summary and details written by AI from the posting; the employer’s posting is the authority.
Instacart
Saved company profile
Historical company information from a saved The Jobs API profile (LinkedIn/Crunchbase fields). It is not live-verified; figures may have changed. Missing values remain unknown.
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Full company description
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company.
- LinkedIn followers
- 287,230
- People associated on LinkedIn
- 24,458
- Reported office locations
- Blue Shield of California Building, 50 Beale St #600, San Francisco, CA 94105, US
- 190 Liberty St, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3L5, CA
- Business categories
- Consumer
- E-Commerce
- Grocery
- Shopping
- Delivery Service
- Other recorded names
- Instacart
- Specialties
- Grocery Delivery and online grocery
- Profile identifies a recruitment agency
- No
- Reported total investment
- 2,919,023,124
Currency and observation date were not supplied; this is not a current valuation or a funding round.
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get…
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software Development |
| Company size | 1,001-5,000 employees |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA |
| Organization type | Public Company |
| Specialties | Grocery Delivery and online grocery |
| Open jobs on Jobsy | 33 |
| View page |
We're transforming the grocery industry
At Instacart, we invite the world to share love through food because we believe everyone should have access to the food they love and more time to enjoy it together. Where others see a simple need for grocery delivery, we see exciting complexity and endless opportunity to serve the varied needs of our community. We work to deliver an essential service that customers rely on to get their groceries and household goods, while also offering safe and flexible earnings opportunities to Instacart Personal Shoppers.
Instacart has become a lifeline for millions of people, and we’re building the team to help push our shopping cart forward. If you’re ready to do the best work of your life, come join our table.
Instacart is a Flex First team
There’s no one-size fits all approach to how we do our best work. Our employees have the flexibility to choose where they do their best work—whether it’s from home, an office, or your favorite coffee shop—while staying connected and building community through regular in-person events. Learn more about our flexible approach to where we work.
Overview
The Advertiser Optimization team is the decision-making engine of Instacart's $1B+ ads business. We own the systems responsible for Bidding, Pacing, Budgeting, Targeting and advertiser-facing recommendations - converting stated advertiser goals into real-time auction actions. Our mission is to maximize realized Advertiser Value by deciding when to participate, how much to bid, and how fast to spend, all while carefully balancing User Experience and Platform Revenue.
We are looking for a Software Engineer II with a strong quantitative background to join our Toronto-based team. In this role, you will apply your expertise in mathematics, statistics, economics, or a related field to help build and refine the algorithmic systems that power how Instacart's advertising marketplace operates. You'll work alongside a talented team of scientists and engineers, contributing to production systems that have real, measurable impact on a scaled ads platform. If you're excited by the intersection of rigorous quantitative thinking and large-scale engineering, this is the role for you.
About the Job
- Develop and evaluate models and algorithms for ads bidding, pacing, and budgeting, applying your training in mathematics, statistics, economics, or a related quantitative discipline to solve complex marketplace problems at scale.
- Collaborate closely with senior scientists, engineers and product managers to translate well-defined marketplace questions into mathematical formulations, implement analyses and prototypes, design experiments, and interpret results using large-scale data.
- Contribute to production systems through algorithm implementation, validation, and monitoring, progressively taking ownership of well-scoped projects from initial hypothesis through measurable impact.
- Operate in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment where the ads marketplace shifts quickly — you'll need to balance rigor with speed, and thrive when priorities change and new challenges emerge.
- Communicate assumptions, findings, and limitations clearly to both technical and cross-functional partners, helping the team make better decisions through transparency and analytical clarity.
About You
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD in mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research, or a related quantitative discipline, with a strong foundation in at least one of the following areas: optimization, probability, statistical modeling, econometrics, or control theory.
- Proficiency in Python and SQL, with demonstrated ability to translate quantitative concepts into analyses, algorithm implementations, and experiments.
- Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to explain assumptions, methodologies, results, and limitations to both technical and cross-functional audiences.
Preferred Qualifications
- 2+ years of software engineering experience, particularly in applying quantitative methods to production systems.
- Familiarity with ads systems, auction theory, or related marketplace optimization problems.
- Experience working with large-scale data pipelines and real-time decision systems.
- Familiarity with machine learning techniques and applying machine learning in production systems.
#LI-Remote
Instacart provides highly market-competitive compensation and benefits in each location where our employees work. This role is remote and the base pay range for a successful candidate is dependent on their permanent work location. Please review our Flex First remote work policy here. Currently, we are only hiring in the following provinces: Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia.
Offers may vary based on many factors, such as candidate experience and skills required for the role. Additionally, this role is eligible for a new hire equity grant as well as annual refresh grants. Please read more about our benefits offerings here.
For Canadian based candidates, the base pay ranges for a successful candidate are listed below.
CAN
$145,000—$153,000 CAD
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