Teaser Text

OpenML (tasks and automatically share detailed workflows and model evaluations. More than just a platform, OpenML fosters a collaborative ecosystem where scientists create new tools, launch initiatives, and establish standards to advance machine learning (OpenML.org)

OpenML is a popular open science platform for sharing interconnected AI artifacts (e.g., datasets, models, and benchmarks) using open standards and structured APIs. Hosted at TU Eindhoven, OpenML serves over 300,000 users, has supported over 2,000 scientific studies, and won the Dutch Data Prize. We are looking for an excellent engineer to significantly redesign it and build the next generation of the OpenML platform.

Key publication:

• OpenML: Insights from 10 years and more than a thousand papers [ https://www.cell.com/patterns/fulltext/S2666-3899(25)00165-5]

What you will do

Goals and core tasks:

• Optimize accessibility for all experience levels via elegant APIs and intuitive, welcoming, user-centered interfaces;
• Definition and development of agentic (user)interfaces to OpenML;
• Contribute to OpenMLs’ federated position ensuring that the platform integrates seamlessly with other data and compute infrastructure (such as HuggingFace, DataVerse);
• Contribute to the OpenML codebase and platform by making code more maintainable and reviewing community contributed code.

How we will empower you:

• A thriving team organised around a successful platform, across various universities (Leiden-based, 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam International Airport);
• An ambitious work environment with plenty of autonomy in a research environment;
• Visibility in the international research community;
• Many travel opportunities to present progress at conferences, labs and other locations;
• Opportunity to grow into an Open-source leadership position through being part of the OpenML core team;
• A central position in the Open-Source Research community.

Where you will work

What you bring

Selection Criteria (note that this is an OR-relationship, we prefer candidates who excel at least one over someone who ticks all boxes):

• The ability to work in a larger engineering team;
• Experience with complex web-based code bases;
• Demonstrable experience with machine learning software and platforms (such as OpenML, scikit-learn, scipy).

What we offer

• An employment contract for initially one year. After a positive evaluation of the progress of the research, personal capabilities an compatibility, the contract will be extendend by two more years. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary between € 3.546,= and € 5.538,= gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours, Payscale 10);
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week;
• A collegial work environment within a growing research institute;
• A possibilty to further enhance academic career opportunities, for example, developing relevant skills in student supervision (from BSc to PhD), teaching (including pursuing a BKO) or research project acquisition and management;
• Funding to attend conferences where work will be published;
• The option of working from home one day a week;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop.

What we value

Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. We strive to be an open community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to fully develop themselves. We consider an inclusive academic environment, where students and staff can share their experiences and viewpoints, to be essential for the development of talent.

Want to apply or find out more?