Director of Engineering, Data Labs

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 252,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fair and competitive pay

20% bonus included

Growth opportunities

Collaborative culture with ownership

Hybrid/remote collaboration

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Director of Engineering, Data Labs to lead a specialized data and AI engineering function. The role owns the technical strategy and roadmap, aligning market shifts with scalable platforms and client-facing delivery.

Collaboration with applied research, product, and executives shapes investments and architectural decisions. The position is remote for US-based candidates with compensation between $252,000 and $300,000 per year.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering with ML/AI systems experience.
• 5+ years in engineering leadership managing multiple teams.
• Proven track record of multi-year technical strategies and investments.
• Deep understanding of AI training/evaluation in frontier labs and enterprises.
• Hands-on familiarity with LLM training pipelines for architecture decisions.
• Experience building benchmarking, data curation, or RL infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Own the multi-year technical strategy for Data Labs and create a market-aligned roadmap.
• Decide on shared platform vs engagement-specific solutions to boost efficiency.
• Set direction for benchmarking infrastructure and data pipelines for reproducibility.
• Anticipate tech shifts and make strategic bets to stay ahead.
• Define benchmarking/evaluation perspectives aligned with client success metrics.
• Represent engineering in executive conversations and advise clients.
• Lead and grow an engineering org with a culture of strategic judgment.

Skills

ML/AI systems

Engineering leadership

Strategic roadmap

Cross-functional collab

Tools

Benchmarking infra

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Director of Engineering, Data Labs to join the team of a leader in the Information Technology space. This leader will own the technical strategy for a specialized data and AI engineering function, translating market shifts into a roadmap that supports both platform scalability and client-facing delivery. The role will shape how benchmarking, evaluation, and data pipeline capabilities are designed and prioritized across the organization. It also requires close partnership with applied research, product, commercial, and executive stakeholders to make sound architectural decisions and guide long-term investment.

Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $252,000 – $300,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Own the multi-year technical strategy for the Data Labs function and create a roadmap aligned with market trends
• Decide on shared platform versus engagement-specific solutions to improve team efficiency
• Set architectural direction for benchmarking infrastructure and data pipelines to ensure reproducibility and portability
• Anticipate technical shifts and make strategic bets to keep the organization ahead
• Define the organization’s perspective on benchmarking and evaluation, ensuring alignment with client success metrics
• Represent engineering in executive conversations and act as a trusted advisor to clients
• Lead and grow an engineering organization, fostering a culture of strategic awareness and technical judgment

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering, with significant experience in ML or AI systems
• 5+ years in engineering leadership, managing multiple teams
• Proven track record of setting multi-year technical strategies and making impactful platform investment decisions
• Deep understanding of the AI training and evaluation landscape, especially in frontier labs and enterprises
• Hands-on familiarity with LLM training pipelines for architectural decision-making
• Experience building benchmarking, data curation, or RL infrastructure with measurable outcomes
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with applied research, product, and commercial teams

Benefits

• Commitment to fair and competitive pay reflecting market conditions and individual value
• Annual salary includes a 20% bonus and additional incentive structure
• Opportunities for professional growth in a fast-paced, innovative environment
• Collaborative culture that encourages bold ideas and ownership
• Hybrid work environment with flexibility for remote collaboration

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.