Alex Rozinov is one of the veteran members of the Machine Learning team. A senior machine learning engineer with over five years at Tinder, he’s worked on various projects and initiatives that have shaped the app. Currently, he focuses on anti-harassment and abuse within trust and safety.
First, could you tell us three fun facts about yourself?
- Ph.D. in Combinatorial Probability and Integrable Systems.
- I have an Australian Shepherd dog named Josie.
- I once rafted to the Statue of Liberty in winter.
You’re one of the most senior members of your team. What excites you most about your role?
From a technical standpoint, we have a dataset like no other. Conversely, from the human perspective, the work we do helps people interact and connect. With this intersection of data and the human experience, there are few companies as unique as Tinder. I also love the people here. Tinder has done a great job of finding super intelligent and passionate people who work well together.
What drew you to Tinder?
When I first applied, I was a bit skeptical. All I saw was a dating app with a simple swiping mechanic; I had no idea the wealth of engineering potential it encompassed. Once I was hired, I fell in love with the team and the culture. It has been a great experience from the top down.
What is something that people would be surprised to learn about working at Tinder?
We take trust and safety very seriously. It may seem like an obvious answer, but it’s important to look at abuse and harassment with a holistic lens. Our team focuses on bad actors and also on educating our users about what’s appropriate on our platform; we are able to hone in and make sure that the app is safe for our members. Our work has an immediate impact on millions of our members. It makes me excited to be here every day because I know what we do matters.
What kind of challenges do you enjoy the most?
I love working on problems with nebulous objectives. We’re typically handed issues that have significant implications on the member experience. There’s always something around it, like needing to define the problem and find the right data to understand the context. I like that we take a product-focused approach to solutions.
You’ve been with Tinder for over five years. What keeps you engaged?
I’m still learning every day. Our tools are constantly adapting, and working with other smart, dedicated people makes the experience truly great. Once you get into that flow with your team, you just create, and it’s frictionless. At the end of the day, I know I have the support of my team and leadership, which allows me to focus on doing my best work.
Interested in solving problems and working with a dynamic team of engineers? We’re hiring!
