Associate Director-Technology, AI Native Software

Cricket Wireless LLC.; Dallas, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 191,000 - 287,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

401(k) plan

Tuition reimbursement program

Paid Time Off and Holidays (23 days +

Paid Parental Leave

Paid Caregiver Leave

Adoption Reimbursement

Disability Benefits (short/long term)

Life and Accidental Death Insurance

EAP and wellness programs

Employee discounts on AT&T services

Job summary

AT&T in Dallas seeks an Associate Director, Technology to lead AI-native software platforms from ideation to production, scaling multidisciplinary teams across backend, frontend, and AI engineering.

You will shape technical strategy, establish operating models for enterprise AI products, and drive rapid iteration with modern AI-native software practices. Strong leadership and deep technical depth are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.
• 8+ years of progressive tech leadership experience.
• 3+ years in engineering management delivering AI/ML or digital platform solutions.
• Experience leading AI-native product development from concept through deployment in enterprise-scale environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of AI-native software products from ideation through production.
• Define and guide technical architecture for AI agent systems, LLM-powered solutions, and full-stack Python applications.
• Partner with Product, Design, and Business to translate strategy into roadmaps and delivery plans.
• Coach and develop engineering managers and individual contributors to high performance.

Skills

AI/ML leadership

Full-stack Python

LLM technologies

DevOps practices

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related field

Tools

Python

AI agent architectures

LLMs

Retrieval-augmented systems

Job description

This position requires office presence of a minimum of 5 days per week and is only located in the location(s) posted. No relocation is offered. We are seeking an Associate Director, Technology to lead and scale engineering teams responsible for building AI-native software and digital products. This leader will drive end-to-end execution-from concept through production for innovative platforms developed using modern AI-native software development practices, including AI-assisted coding, agentic development workflows, and rapid iteration cycles. This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role requiring both strong people leadership and technical depth. The ideal candidate will guide multidisciplinary engineering teams, shape technical strategy, and help establish the operating model for building next-generation AI-powered products at enterprise scale.

What You’ll Do

Lead the delivery of AI-native software products and platforms from ideation through production deployment. Manage and grow a multidisciplinary engineering organization spanning: LLM, Prompt, and Context Engineering Frontend and Backend Engineering Integration Engineering Define and guide technical architecture for AI agent systems, LLM-powered solutions, and full-stack Python applications. Establish and continuously improve AI-native software development practices, including AI-assisted coding, agentic workflows, and accelerated release cycles. Partner with Product, Design, and Business leaders to translate strategic objectives into executable technical roadmaps and delivery plans. Drive engineering excellence with a focus on scalability, reliability, security, and operational performance. Oversee resource planning, prioritization, and delivery across multiple concurrent workstreams and engineering disciplines. Coach, mentor, and develop engineering managers and individual contributors while fostering a high-performance, accountable team culture. Communicate delivery progress, risks, and outcomes to senior leadership and key stakeholders. Champion innovation and the practical application of AI technologies to accelerate product development and business value.

What You’ll Bring

Proven success leading and scaling high-performing software engineering organizations. Strong expertise in delivering AI/ML, automation, or intelligent software solutions in enterprise environments. Experience managing cross-functional engineering teams across backend, full-stack, AI/ML, cloud, and DevOps disciplines. Technical fluency in AI agent architectures, large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented systems, and modern software engineering practices. A collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence stakeholders across business and technology organizations. Strong business acumen and the ability to balance speed, innovation, quality, and operational risk. Demonstrated success recruiting, developing, and retaining top engineering talent. Exceptional communication, decision-making, and organizational leadership skills. Passion for building AI-driven products and creating environments where teams can innovate and thrive.

What You’ll Need

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience. 8+ years of progressive experience in technology leadership roles. 3+ years of direct management experience leading engineering teams delivering AI/ML, automation, or digital platform solutions. Experience leading AI-native product development from concept through deployment in enterprise-scale environments. Hands-on technical expertise in AI agent architectures, LLM technologies, and full-stack Python application development. Demonstrated experience managing resources and priorities across multiple engineering disciplines. Proven ability to deliver complex software solutions at scale while maintaining high standards for quality and reliability. Strong talent management experience, including hiring, coaching, and team development.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with prompt engineering, context engineering, and LLM evaluation frameworks. Familiarity with agentic coding platforms, AI developer tools, and AI-native SDLC methodologies. Experience integrating AI solutions with enterprise applications, APIs, and data platforms. Knowledge of DevOps, MLOps, and production AI operations. Experience leading teams within high-growth, transformation-focused, or innovation-driven organizations. Experience deploying AI-powered products in highly regulated, large-scale enterprise environments.

Our Assoc Director-Technology II jobs earn between $191,400.00 - $287,200.00 USD Annual. Not to mention all the other amazing rewards that working at AT&T offers. Individual starting salary within this range may depend on geography, experience, expertise, and education/training.

Perks and Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Paid Time Off and Holidays (based on date of hire, at least 23 days of vacation each year and 9 company-designated holidays)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Caregiver Leave
• Additional sick leave beyond what state and local law require may be available but is unprotected
• Adoption Reimbursement
• Disability Benefits (short term and long term)
• Life and Accidental Death Insurance
• Supplemental benefit programs: critical illness/accident hospital indemnity/group legal Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Extensive employee wellness programs
• Employee discounts up to 50% off on eligible AT&T mobility plans and accessories, AT&T internet (and fiber where available) and AT&T phone

Weekly Hours: 40

Time Type: Regular

Location: USA:TX:Dallas / Two AT&T Plaza (211 S Akard St) - Dat:211 S Akard St Salary Range: $191,400.00 - $287,200.00 AT&T

AT&T and its subsidiaries are committed to equal employment opportunity. All hiring, promotion, and other employment decisions remain merit-based and free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. In addition, AT&T will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. AT&T is a fair chance employer and does not initiate a background check until an offer is made.

We are pioneers of making connections and have been ever since Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and founded our company. That was nearly 150 years ago, and we haven't stopped innovating since. At our core, we help bring families, communities, and businesses together with the products and services they need to thrive every day. From the widespread and growing availability of 5G and Fiber to working on things we once only dreamed of-at AT&T, we create connections that change the world.