Strategic Projects Lead - Coding

San Francisco, CA · On-site · Full-time
Compensation: $130,000–$150,000 base (up to $300K total cash comp) + equity

About the Company

A fast-growing, venture-backed AI company building the training data and evaluation infrastructure that leading frontier AI labs use to improve their models — designing high-signal datasets and running rigorous evaluations that go beyond static benchmarks. One of the fastest-growing companies in its cohort.

Founded 2025 · 11–50 people · Industry: AI training data & model evaluation infrastructure

The Role

A founding-level role at the intersection of technical execution and strategic leadership. You'll own high-impact initiatives end-to-end — from requirements through delivery — managing teams of engineers, data scientists, and ML specialists while shipping production code yourself, and interfacing directly with research teams at leading AI labs.

What you'll be doing

• Own end-to-end technical initiatives: scoping requirements, building solutions, managing experts through delivery, and shipping code yourself when it unblocks the team.
• Design and build technical infrastructure and tooling for dataset generation, quality control, and delivery pipelines across multiple concurrent lab contracts.
• Manage and mentor teams of software engineers, data scientists, and ML specialists; set technical direction and hold the bar for execution velocity.
• Interface directly with research teams at leading AI labs to translate their needs into technical specs and ensure delivery meets their standards.
• Debug production issues live under pressure; rapidly context-switch between hands-on engineering, team leadership, and strategic problem-solving.
• Support the founding team on the highest-impact work — internal tooling, major contracts, and hiring.

Tech stack: Python; data pipelines, APIs, ML/AI tooling

Requirements

• CS degree, engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated ability to ship technical projects
• Manage teams of technical experts across software engineering, data science, and machine learning
• Build technical infrastructure and tooling for dataset generation, quality control, and delivery pipelines
• Drive technical and operational initiatives end-to-end: scoping requirements, building solutions, and managing technical experts
• Interface directly with engineering and research teams at leading AI labs
• Support founding team on high-priority technical projects and operational initiatives
• Proficiency in Python and production-quality code
• Experience with data pipelines, APIs, or ML/AI tooling
• Strong leadership experience and communication skills
• Ability to context-switch rapidly between technical and strategic work
• Intense work ethic, agency, and drive
• Competitive nature and track record of exceptional achievement
• Undergraduate degree from the U.S., Canada, or the U.K.

Green Flags

• Background in software engineering, ML engineering, AI research, or computer science
• Experience at top tech company (FAANG, frontier AI lab) or quantitative trading firm
• Prior startup experience or founding experience
• Willingness to work long hours and weekends when projects demand it

Red Flags

• Worked cushy tech jobs (FAANG PM, etc.) and may not be used to intense work environments.
• Struggles with ambiguity or lacks examples of owning large, complex projects.
• Only interested in remote work — role is strictly in-person.
• Can't articulate why they want to pivot into AI ops or join a startup now.
• No experience managing teams or unclear on motivating people toward execution.

Why Join

• Direct access to the founding team on their highest-priority problems
• Exposure to leading frontier AI labs; work that powers major contracts
• Up to $300K total cash comp plus meaningful equity in a fast-scaling company

Details

• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Work policy: On-site — strictly in-person
• Compensation: $130,000–$150,000 base (up to $300K total cash comp) + equity
• Visa sponsorship: None available
• Employment type: Full-time