Steve ZhuAuto mode

ML Engineer. Software Engineer.

Profile

Engineering rigor with a visual memory.

I'm a software engineer at Meta working on Instagram's Youth Protection team, building AI systems to detect bullying and harassment. With a background in ML from Columbia and Stanford, I combine technical depth with a focus on safer digital spaces.

Outside of code, I spend time photographing people, cities, and the small unscripted moments that make a technical life feel less mechanical.

MetaInstagram integrity

ColumbiaML track

NYCPhotography base

Career Timeline

Professional Experience

Mar 2025 - Present

New York, NY

Software Engineer

Meta Platforms

108M+ users1.5T+ daily signals96% precision

Instagram Integrity & Youth Protection

Jan 2026 - Present

Own the Problematic Anonymous Accounts LLM detection pipeline, leveraging Llama and Gemini to identify high-risk accounts across 55M+ users in 5 markets, expanding to 108M+ users across 10 markets.
Improved detection precision from 70% to 96%, fully eliminating manual review dependency.
Co-lead the Instagram Comment Integrity System, processing 1.5T+ daily comment signals across 3B+ users and reducing violating pinned comment exposure by 98%.
Partner with policy, privacy, and product teams to translate safety requirements into enforcement logic, review workflows, and user experience.

Horizon Creator Platform & Monetization

Mar 2025 - Jan 2026

Built core capabilities for the Meta Horizon Creator Portal, enabling creators to generate, list, and monetize digital assets with Generative AI and cross-surface tooling.
Grew active creator base from 20 to 800 to 8,000+ through end-to-end publishing and monetization workflows across Horizon, Facebook, and Instagram.
Architected scalable integrity systems for user-generated avatar items, including a modular enforcement framework and creator strike pipeline.
Designed a real-time digital item tiering system with scalable backend persistence and implemented region-specific compliance logic for international expansion.

PythonLlamaGeminiGraphQLReactPHP (Hack)Integrity Systems

Jul 2021 - Mar 2025

Jersey City, NJ

Software Engineer

Bank of America

Enterprise analyticsPlatform stabilityInternal automation

Enterprise Data Platforms

Jul 2021 - Mar 2025

Developed cloud-based data visualization platforms using Java, Spring Boot, and AWS, supporting enterprise reporting and analytics across multiple business lines.
Led a critical framework upgrade across thousands of source files under tight timelines, reducing build failures and improving system stability across the platform.
Built internal Python tooling and automation utilities to support platform reliability and technology lifecycle management.

JavaSpring BootAWSPythonSQLJavaScript

Jan 2020 - May 2021

Columbus, OH

Research Assistant

The Ohio State University

Computer visionApplied researchData tooling

Applied Research Systems

Jan 2020 - May 2021

Developed computer vision and data analysis pipelines using Python and OpenCV for applied research in aviation, agriculture, and cognitive science.
Built end-to-end data collection and visualization tools, including mobile and web applications, to support real-world experimentation and cross-disciplinary research.

PythonOpenCVComputer VisionData AnalysisWeb Apps

Academic Path

Education

Sep 2023 - May 2025

Columbia University

Master of Science in Computer Science

Machine Learning Track

New York, NY

Sep 2021 - Mar 2023

Stanford University

Artificial Intelligence Graduate Program

Non-degree Option

Stanford, CA

Aug 2016 - May 2021

The Ohio State University

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering

Artificial Intelligence

Columbus, OH

Capability Map

Technical Skills

Frames

Photography

Capturing moments, telling stories through the lens

No published albums

Photography is being curated

Published albums from owner mode will appear here automatically.

Transmit Signal

Get In Touch

I'm always open to discussing new opportunities, collaborations, or just having a conversation about technology and photography.

GitHub