Doug Turnbull

Doug Turnbull is a notable Principal Engineer at Reddit, Inc., where he has been serving since November 2022. He specializes in search relevance, leveraging his extensive experience in machine learning and search technologies to enhance user experience on the platform. His work includes training the next generation of search specialists through his role at Sphere, which focuses on ML-powered search training.1

Professional Background

• Current Role: Principal Engineer at Reddit, Inc. (November 2022 - Present)
• Previous Experience:
  • Senior Staff Engineer at Shopify (August 2020 - November 2022): Here, he was instrumental in defining e-commerce search capabilities and led a team that significantly improved search relevance for numerous merchants.1
  • Chief Technical Officer at OpenSource Connections (December 2017 - August 2020): He built tools for relevant search and led client teams in search transformations.1
  • Search Relevance Consultant: He worked with various clients to enhance their search experiences using technologies like Solr and Elasticsearch.1

Education

Doug holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Virginia Tech, which he completed between 1999 and 2004.1

Contributions to Search Technology

Doug is recognized as a co-creator of Elasticsearch Learning to Rank, which reflects his deep expertise in search engine technologies. His contributions have significantly influenced how search relevance is approached in various applications.25

Personal Insights

Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, Doug is actively involved in the tech community, sharing insights and developments related to search technology on platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit. He has expressed gratitude for his experiences at Reddit and is known for fostering growth within technical teams.34