Staff/Lead LLM Data Scientist
About the job
- Strong hands-on data science experience, including modeling, feature engineering, statistics, and experimentation.
- Experience building and operating production large language model systems, such as retrieval-augmented generation, tool or agent orchestration, and context and memory management, with a focus on evaluation, testing, and iteration; alternatively, the ability to ramp up quickly in parts of this space.
- Ability to work with open-ended problem spaces where requirements evolve.
- Design, build, and own large language model-based systems, from understanding user intent to planning multi-step trips and invoking internal systems to search, price, and book.
- Translate open-ended product problems into concrete machine learning and large language model designs, balancing quality, latency, cost, and reliability in a real-world environment.
- Partner with product, engineering, and leadership to make informed trade-offs that shape the product and user experience.
- Ship quickly, learn from production usage, and continuously improve system behavior at scale.
About Agoda
At Agoda, we bridge the world through travel. Our story began in 2005, when two lifelong friends and entrepreneurs, driven by their passion for travel, launched Agoda to make it easier for everyone to explore the world.
Today, we are part of Booking Holdings [NASDAQ: BKNG], with a diverse team of over 7,000 people from 90 countries, working together in offices around the globe. Every day, we connect people to destinations and experiences, with our great deals across our millions of hotels and holiday properties, flights, and experiences worldwide.
No two days are the same at Agoda. Data and technology are at the heart of our culture, fueling our curiosity and innovation. If you’re ready to begin your best journey and help build travel for the world, join us.
Get to Know Our Team
Agoda, part of Booking Holdings, operates at the cutting edge of tech innovation. Work and build LLM-powered features that enable users to seamlessly book flights, hotels, and activities in an all-in-one experience.
Build solutions operating directly in real booking flows at Agoda scale. You’ll have real ownership over how the system is designed, built, and evolved, with the freedom to make meaningful technical and product decisions from day one.
This role is ideal for senior Data Scientists or ML practitioners who enjoy owning complex systems end-to-end and working at the intersection of ML, product, and engineering.
What You'll Do
- Own end-to-end LLM systems: Design, build, and own LLM-based systems, from understanding user intent to planning multi-step trips and invoking internal systems to search, price, and book.
- Turn ambiguity into production solutions: Translate open-ended product problems into concrete ML and LLM designs, balancing quality, latency, cost, and reliability in a real-world environment.
- Drive cross-functional decisions: Partner closely with product, engineering, and leadership to make informed trade-offs that directly shape the product and user experience.
- Iterate with real-world feedback: Ship quickly, learn from production usage, and continuously improve system behavior at scale.
What We're Looking For
- Technical depth: Strong hands-on Data Science experience, including modeling, feature engineering, statistics, and experimentation.
- LLM systems and evaluation: Experience building and operating production LLM systems (e.g., RAG, tool/agent orchestration, context and memory management), with a strong focus on evaluation, testing, and iteration — or the ability to ramp up quickly in parts of this space.
- Problem-solving mindset: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with comfort operating in open-ended problem spaces where requirements evolve.
Why This Role
- Meaningful user impact: Help millions of travelers make better, more confident decisions for trips that matter to them.
- High ownership, high impact: Your work will directly shape a system used in real booking decisions — not demos or prototypes.
- Direct influence: Play a key role in both implementation and product direction.
- Competitive compensation: Flexible leveling with compensation aligned to experience and impact.
If you’re excited about building real-world AI products at scale and owning systems that directly impact millions of travelers, we’d love to hear from you
We welcome both local and international applications for this role. Full visa sponsorship and relocation assistance available for eligible candidates.
Please review our Hiring Process Guidelines before your interview — click here to learn how interviewing at Agoda works.
Discover more about working at Agoda
- Agoda Careers https://careersatagoda.com
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/agodacareers/
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/agoda
- YouTube https://www.youtube.com/agodalife
Equal Opportunity Employer
At Agoda, we pride ourselves on being a company represented by people of all different backgrounds and orientations. We prioritize attracting diverse talent and cultivating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Employment at Agoda is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship, veteran or military status, and other legally protected characteristics.
We will keep your application on file so that we can consider you for future vacancies and you can always ask to have your details removed from the file. For more details please read our privacy policy.
Disclaimer
We do not accept any terms or conditions, nor do we recognize any agency’s representation of a candidate, from unsolicited third-party or agency submissions. If we receive unsolicited or speculative CVs, we reserve the right to contact and hire the candidate directly without any obligation to pay a recruitment fee.
About the company
Agoda is an online travel platform that lets people book places to stay, like hotels and vacation rentals, around the world. It operates web and mobile apps that present listings with prices, availability, and user reviews so travelers can reserve rooms easily. Customers search by destination, filter options (like price, location, and amenities), compare deals, and complete secure bookings within the app. Agoda differentiates itself with a large, globally distributed inventory (over 2,000,000 properties) and multilingual support across 38 languages, using local knowledge and connections to source the best offers for both business and leisure travelers. It is part of Booking Holdings, which helps it reach a wide audience and integrate with other travel services. Agoda’s goal is to help millions of travelers find and book comfortable places to stay at great value while partnering with property owners to grow their business.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Singapore, Singapore
Founded
2005
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 2026 AI Assistant connects GPT-5.6 and Google Maps to live inventory.
- Agoda’s September 2026 Kaohsiung MOU and Southeast Asia search growth strengthen demand capture.
- 2026 searches rose for Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Europe-to-Asia demand stayed strong.
What critics are saying
- Korea fined Agoda 2.424 billion won on July 6, 2026 for hidden fees.
- Japan consumer lawsuit against Agoda Company Pte. Ltd. settled July 31, 2026.
- OpenAI and Google can disintermediate Agoda’s search funnel, crushing traffic by 2027.
What makes Agoda unique
- Agoda’s Asia-first inventory and 38-language app span over 6 million properties worldwide.
- Booking Holdings ownership supplies global distribution, capital, and supplier leverage across travel verticals.
- Custom flagships for Marina Bay Sands and Capella embed Agoda into destination marketing.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- 401(k) Company Match
- Flexible Work Hours
- Paid Vacation
- Enhanced Parental Leave
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Discounts
- Hybrid Work Options
Company News
Emerging Travel Group partners with Agoda to expand reach. Adapted from official press releases using AI tools. How we use AI Emerging Travel Group (ETG), a global travel technology company, has announced a strategic partnership with digital travel platform Agoda to expand their accommodation supply and distribution. This collaboration will see Agoda connect to ETG's hotel supply via the RateHawk API, adding millions of accommodation options across Europe, the US, Latin America, and the Middle East to its marketplace. The partnership aims to broaden Agoda's offerings for travellers from Asia and beyond, providing more choices for those planning trips to popular destinations worldwide. For ETG, this move supports its strategic expansion in the Asia-Pacific region by strengthening its hotel supply and enhancing customer choice. Erik Akhmetgaliev, Regional Director APAC at RateHawk, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, "Partnering with Agoda is an important step for RateHawk in the Asia-Pacific region. ETG's hotel inventory, with its extensive geographic coverage, is already highly valued by our B2B partners globally." Danil Dachkevitch, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Agoda, added, "This partnership combines Agoda's deep understanding of Asia and global customer reach with Emerging Travel Group's diverse supply, giving travellers more choice across both platforms." Nikita Elagin, Managing Director for Consolidator Business Unit at ETG, noted the positive impact of Agoda on sales and customer experience across various destinations. The partnership also aligns with ETG's focus on supply chain optimisation, leveraging synergies between the two companies to enhance their offerings. ETG, founded in 2010 and based in the UAE, operates travel brands for individual travellers, B2B professionals, and corporate customers in over 190 markets. The company employs over 3,900 people globally. This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here. Stay connected.
Agoda promotes Kris Suebjaklap to global marketing chief. Thu, 8th Oct 2026 (Today) Agoda has promoted Kris Suebjaklap to Senior Vice President and Global Head of Marketing, putting a long-serving executive in charge of the travel platform's global marketing organisation. Suebjaklap has spent more than a decade at Agoda, working across both consumer and business-facing marketing. Her remit now covers brand, performance and product marketing across global markets as the company moves to align those functions more closely. The appointment comes as travel companies reassess their marketing strategies in response to changing consumer behaviour, broader use of artificial intelligence and a more fragmented media environment. Agoda has used AI in campaigns and internal marketing processes while adapting its local market approach in Asia Pacific and other regions. At Agoda, Suebjaklap also helped establish the company's B2B marketing function, giving her oversight of how the group communicates not only with travellers but also with accommodation partners, affiliates and distribution networks. That broader brief reflects the structure of online travel businesses, which depend on both consumer demand and partner supply. Under her leadership, a key priority is likely to be using AI in day-to-day marketing execution rather than in limited pilot projects. Agoda has highlighted workflows, personalisation, decision-making and customer experience as areas where AI can affect commercial outcomes. That emphasis mirrors a broader shift among large consumer internet companies. After early experimentation with generative AI tools, many marketing teams are now under pressure to show measurable returns through smoother customer journeys, more efficient media buying and better conversion from discovery to purchase. For travel platforms, this can be especially significant because booking decisions often involve long consideration periods, multiple devices and repeated comparisons across destinations, prices and providers. Marketing teams increasingly use data to identify where potential customers drop out before completing a booking and to adjust messaging or offers accordingly. Agoda has also been developing market-specific campaigns designed to connect local culture with a consistent global brand identity. In Japan, it recently launched its "GO GO with Agoda!" campaign featuring actress Riisa Naka as the brand ambassador for that market. The campaign highlights a recurring challenge for international consumer brands in Asia: how to adapt storytelling to local pop culture and travel habits without fragmenting identities across countries. Large travel platforms often need to balance standardised performance marketing with more tailored brand campaigns in competitive local markets. Regional strategy Agoda's recent marketing efforts have ranged from destination-led campaigns across Asia to activity tied to entertainment and cultural moments, including Eurovision. These programmes show how travel brands are trying to remain visible beyond direct booking searches by linking themselves to wider media and lifestyle conversations. That approach has become more common as digital advertising channels grow more crowded and expensive. Travel companies that once relied heavily on search and performance media have increasingly expanded into broader brand activity to influence earlier stages of the customer journey, when travellers are still deciding where and when to go. Suebjaklap's promotion also underlines the importance of executives who can manage both brand-led storytelling and performance-led acquisition. In many online travel businesses, those two disciplines were historically run separately, but growing pressure on efficiency has encouraged closer links between creative, media, product and data teams. Her background across consumer and B2B marketing may also prove relevant as Agoda balances the interests of different groups within its marketplace. Online travel platforms must appeal to travellers seeking convenience and price while also maintaining trust and visibility among hotel owners, accommodation providers and distribution partners. The promotion places Suebjaklap among a group of senior regional marketing leaders taking on broader global mandates from Asia-based businesses. As companies headquartered in the region expand internationally, they are increasingly elevating executives with deep local market experience to oversee cross-border brand strategy and technology-led marketing operations. Agoda has not outlined further structural changes alongside the appointment, but the role suggests continuity in a strategy that more closely ties together AI adoption, local cultural relevance and marketplace growth across its marketing organisation.
Agoda launches Marina Bay Sands Flagship Store for experience-led travel. The custom digital storefront brings together Marina Bay Sands' rooms, suites and resort experiences, expanding visibility across Agoda's booking journey. Digital travel platform Agoda has partnered with Singapore's Marina Bay Sands to unveil a Marina Bay Sands Flagship Store on the Agoda platform. The customized digital storefront brings together Marina Bay Sands' rooms, suites and select resort experiences, allowing travelers to explore and book them in one place. As the first custom flagship store dedicated to a single property, the storefront features rooms and suites from Marina Bay Sands' Paiza Collection and Sands Collection, alongside select in-resort experiences. Through visual storytelling and editorial content, travelers can explore how the resort's accommodation and wider dining, entertainment, and cultural offerings can complement their stay. "Marina Bay Sands and Agoda's collaboration offers travelers a richer travel perspective through seamless planning," said Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply, Agoda. "Travelers often start with the experience they might have first seen on social media, whether that is a restaurant, a theatre show, or a cultural activity and then look for the stay that brings the trip together. Reducing friction in travel planning encourages more travel and helps position our partners' at pivotal moments that influence booking decisions." According to Agoda, a new generation of high-intent travelers is increasingly influencing luxury travel, with customized and personalized vacations accounting for over a third of global luxury travel spend, as reported by Strategic Market Research. Agoda's 2026 Travel Outlook Report points to a similar pattern emerging across Asia, where surveyed travelers are increasingly planning trips around the experiences they want to have, including culinary experiences at 31%, followed by cultural exploration at 25%. Agoda describes the Flagship Store as a multichannel marketing solution that enables hospitality brands to tell their stories, foster customer loyalty and support revenue growth. Through its dedicated storefront, Marina Bay Sands will gain a targeted presence from the early stages of travel discovery and consideration. Agoda supports the initiative with homepage visibility and branded search placements through its Connected Ecosystem feature, which allows store entry throughout the traveler journey, from discovery to booking.
Agoda launches Marina Bay Sands Flagship Store. techcoffeehouse Agoda has partnered with Marina Bay Sands to launch a bespoke digital flagship store for the resort on its platform, bringing together rooms, suites and selected experiences in one place. It is the first custom flagship store Agoda has built around a single property. The store features rooms and suites from Marina Bay Sands' Paiza Collection and Sands Collection alongside selected dining, entertainment and cultural experiences at the resort, using editorial content and visual storytelling to show how they fit together into one stay. It is available in multiple languages, including Japanese and Korean, aimed at travellers across Asia Pacific from the early stages of planning through to booking. Betting on experience-led travel. Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda, said the partnership reflects how people now plan trips. "Marina Bay Sands and Agoda's collaboration offers travelers a richer travel perspective through seamless planning," he said. "Travelers often start with the experience they might have first seen on social media, whether that is a restaurant, a theatre show, or a cultural activity and then look for the stay that brings the trip together. Reducing friction in travel planning encourages more travel and helps position our partners' at pivotal moments that influence booking decisions." Agoda points to its 2026 Travel Outlook Report, which found that travellers across Asia are increasingly planning trips around specific experiences rather than a destination alone: 31% around culinary experiences and 25% around cultural exploration. Separate research from Strategic Market Research puts customised and personalised vacations at more than a third of global luxury travel spend. A dedicated storefront, not just a listing. Agoda describes the Flagship Store as a multichannel marketing tool that lets hospitality brands tell their own story and build loyalty rather than compete inside a standard search listing. Marina Bay Sands gets homepage visibility and branded search placements through Agoda's Connected Ecosystem feature, giving it a presence from the point a traveller first starts browsing through to the moment they book. Share with your friends:
Agoda appoints Riisa Naka as new brand ambassador for Japan. 02.10.2026 Riisa Naka Agoda has appointed actor and creator Riisa Naka as its new Japan brand ambassador, launching the "GO GO with Agoda!" campaign nationwide from 1 October 2026. Agoda has appointed Riisa Naka as its new brand ambassador for Japan and launched a nationwide campaign from 1 October 2026. The Agoda Japan campaign, titled "GO GO with Agoda!", aims to make domestic travel planning feel easier and more accessible. It will run across national television, YouTube and additional digital channels. Tripplanning AI Naka is known in Japan for her work as an actor and creator, as well as her social media presence. Agoda said her energetic and approachable personality aligns with the campaign's aim of encouraging travellers to turn trip ideas into actual bookings. Campaign draws on Japanese entertainment and travel culture. The campaign uses familiar elements of Japanese entertainment to present travel planning in a playful way. One storyline draws inspiration from Japanese Tokusatsu entertainment, while another features a kappa, a mythical water spirit, alongside a hot spring setting. Tripplanning AI Naka will also appear in a series of shorter campaign assets. These will highlight domestic destinations, accommodation options and value available through Agoda. Across the campaign, the recurring "A-GO-DA!" sound and "GO GO with Agoda!" call-to-action create a consistent identity. The creative approach places the Agoda Japan campaign around familiar cultural references rather than conventional destination advertising. At the same time, Agoda uses the campaign to promote its range of accommodation and travel products. Domestic travel forms a central part of the strategy. Agoda is positioning the campaign around the full travel-planning journey, from choosing a destination to finding accommodation and completing a booking. The platform is promoting options ranging from traditional ryokan stays to hotels across Japan. Discover more Daily travel news Trip planning AI Agoda booking service The company is also highlighting deals and coupons as part of the campaign. Its stated aim is to reduce friction in the planning process and help travellers move from considering a trip to making a booking. Kris Suebjaklap, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Agoda, shared: "We know Japanese travelers want to explore more of their own country, but sometimes the planning just gets in the way. This campaign is all about removing that friction and getting people excited to actually book. We are delighted to have Riisa Naka on board because her energy and genuine love for discovery are contagious. Whether it's a hot spring escape or a ryokan experience, we understand that every Japanese traveler has their own idea of a perfect trip, and Agoda is here to make finding and booking those stays effortless. Our goal with this campaign is simple: help more people go from 'I've been thinking about a trip' to 'I'm booking it right now,' and enjoy the whole journey with Agoda." Campaign runs across TV, YouTube and digital channels. The "GO GO with Agoda!" campaign is now live on YouTube and national television in Japan. Agoda also launched the campaign across additional digital channels from 1 October. The Agoda Japan campaign promotes the wider range available through the platform. Agoda currently lists more than 6 million holiday properties, over 130,000 flight routes and more than 300,000 activities. Travellers can combine these products within a single booking. Agoda operates as a digital travel platform under Agoda Company Pte. Ltd., headquartered in Singapore and led by CEO Omri Morgenshtern. Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.