Full-Time

Machine Learning Engineer

Posted on 9/12/2026

Monarch

Monarch

Develops non-toxic spatial repellent for crops

No salary listed

Emeryville, CA, USA

In Person

Full-time, in-office in Emeryville, California.

Category
AI & Machine Learning (1)
Required Skills
Python
TensorFlow
PyTorch
Machine Learning
Version Control
Observability
Computer Vision
Google Cloud Platform

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Requirements
  • Strong production software engineering experience in Python and modern machine-learning or data systems.
  • Experience deploying and operating model-training, feature, evaluation, or inference pipelines in a cloud environment.
  • Fluency with testing, observability, data validation, version control, and reproducible computational workflows.
  • Ability to work with large video datasets and structured scientific data.
  • Ability to collaborate closely with researchers while making sound engineering tradeoffs.
Responsibilities
  • Own pipelines for ingesting, validating, versioning, and joining assay videos, metadata, compound records, model features, and experimental outcomes.
  • Build reproducible training and evaluation infrastructure with clear data lineage, model versioning, automated tests, and auditable outputs.
  • Turn research prototypes into dependable batch and online systems that can rank compounds and surface recommendations through our tools.
  • Monitor data quality, distribution shift, calibration, latency, cost, and failures as the number of labs and assays grows.
  • Design interfaces between computer vision, molecular models, active-learning systems, and the lab workflow.
  • Improve developer and researcher velocity without weakening scientific reproducibility or access controls.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow and workflow-orchestration tools.
  • Experience on Google Cloud or with large-scale object-storage pipelines.
  • Familiarity with computer vision, molecular machine learning, active learning, or scientific data platforms.
  • Instinct for simple systems, explicit failure modes, and measurable reliability.

Monarch Crops develops non-toxic spatial repellents to protect crops from insect damage. The product works by emitting signals that cause insects to avoid landing on treated crops, leveraging natural olfactory cues rather than killing insects. Monarch combines a comprehensive dataset that includes genomic, molecular, and behavioral information with computational chemistry and machine learning to identify natural compounds that trigger an avoidance response in insects. This data-driven discovery aims to formulate repellent products that safeguard crops while keeping humans and the environment safe. Unlike traditional insecticides, Monarch focuses on prevention through odor-based avoidance and seeks sustainable pest management solutions to reduce crop losses and health risks associated with toxic chemicals. The company’s goal is to enable crop protection that is effective, environmentally friendly, and economically viable for farmers.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Oakland, California

Founded

2024

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Monarch's August 2026 website says it is developing a product that works.
  • Four open R&D roles in February 2026 show active experimentation and team building.
  • Lead Entomologist hiring cited machine-learning-predicted compounds, validating the core discovery approach.

What critics are saying

  • No public field trials, customer contracts, or revenue prove the repellent works commercially.
  • Hiring remains research-heavy in Alameda and Oakland, signaling product risk and long development timelines.
  • If efficacy misses broad-spectrum insects, Monarch becomes another biotech platform with no defensible market.

What makes Monarch unique

  • Monarch builds a spatial repellent, not a conventional insecticide, targeting crop protection.
  • Its data engine combines genomics, behavioral assays, and computational chemistry for compound discovery.
  • Open roles in formulation chemistry and computational entomology show a deep wet-lab plus ML moat.

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Benefits

Company Equity