Backend Team Lead (ML)

Job description

Mayflower is a technology company building highload products used by millions of people worldwide. Operating at the scale of one of the world's top-50 websites, we solve complex engineering challenges and create solutions that power real-time entertainment for a global audience. We are looking for a Backend Team Lead for our ML development team focused on building and delivering production-grade ML-powered applications . This role is not about research or experimentation. You will be responsible for turning ML models into reliable, scalable, user-facing services . You will work at the intersection of machine learning and backend engineering , owning the full lifecycle of ML-powered features — from integration to deployment and operation in production. Job Responsibilities Design and build production ML services (APIs, microservices, real-time systems) Lead and grow a team of backend engineers : plan work, mentor team members, conduct code reviews, provide technical guidance, and foster engineering excellence. Drive architectural decisions and ensure the scalability, reliability, and maintainability of ML services. Integrate ML models into user-facing applications Ensure reliability, scalability, and performance of ML-powered systems Define and implement best practices for serving, versioning, and monitoring models in production Collaborate closely with: ML engineers / data scientists (who develop models) DevOps / MLOps team (who provide platform and infrastructure) Own the delivery pipeline of ML features into production Lead and mentor engineers working on ML-powered applications Drive architectural decisions around low-latency and high-load systems Identify bottlenecks between experimentation and production and eliminate them You’ll thrive here if you have 5+ years of experience in backend/software engineering in a Lead or Senior role (mentoring, ownership, decision-making). Strong commercial Python experience. Managerial experience leading an engineering team. Experience designing and building production backend systems and microservice architecture. Strong understanding of system design, scalability and high-load systems. Experience developing APIs (FastAPI, Flask, gRPC or similar). Hands-on experience with code reviews, mentoring and technical decision-making. Ability to drive cross-team collaboration and own complex technical integrations. That can be a plus: Experience with real-time ML systems (recommendations, ranking, personalization) Experience in video streaming or high-throughput platforms Familiarity with Kubernetes and cloud/on-prem environments Experience with feature stores, model monitoring, A/B testing Experience working alongside MLOps platforms (MLflow, Airflow, etc.) Conditions We know that great talent deserves great conditions, so here's what you can expect when joining us: EU-based employment contract and a 3-year Cyprus work visa with full support for your relocation and visa processes, including assistance for your family. EU passport. Opportunity to obtain an EU passport after 4 years of residence Full relocation package: flights to Limassol for you and your family, a company-covered apartment for the first month, and full relocation support to make your move smooth and hassle-free. Transparent performance reviews twice a year, with bonus opportunities and salary adjustments. Private medical insurance for you and your family Provident fund (Cypus): a long-term savings plan co-funded by you and the Company together (available after probation) that grows throughout your time with us in Cyprus. Corporate mobile plan (unlimited in Cyprus with roaming included) Mindfulness & well-being support, including psychological assistance with 50% coverage. 50% coverage of school and kindergarten fees for your children. Fully covered sports benefits, and also access to in-house electric scooters and bike rentals Professional growth support: language courses, conferences, training programs, and coaching. Peer recognition program: receive and share kudos for great work. A fully equipped office in Limassol’s city center, with everything you need for deep work and collaboration. Free breakfasts and lunches in the office and an in-house coffee bar with high-quality drinks and a health bar stocked with nutritious snacks. A strong engineering culture: international teams, corporate events, team buildings, and hackathons — because great work happens in great communities. Interview steps: 1. HR Interview (45 min) 2. Technical Interview (90 min) 3. Live code-review interview (90 min) 4. Final interview with the team (60 min)