Startup AI Engineering Manager - Scale Production

OpenAI, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 240,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI, Inc. is seeking an Applied AI Engineering Manager, Startups to lead a high-velocity team that helps startups move from experimentation to production with AI systems.

You will balance leadership, technical depth, and customer focus while partnering with Sales, Product, Engineering, and Research to drive adoption and durable partnerships. You will shape the strategy, mentor engineers, and translate startup needs into repeatable playbooks and reference architectures, while ensuring safety

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in technical teams delivering AI/ML products.
• Deep experience with APIs, platform products, and production systems.
• Strong track record in startup or high-growth environments.

Responsibilities

• Craft and refine the strategic vision and operating model for the Startups Applied AI Engineering team.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of technical ICs serving startup customers.
• Help startups move from experimentation to production usage and advise on architecture.
• Partner with Sales to accelerate adoption, deployment, and account growth.
• Represent the technical voice of startup customers and feedback into product.
• Translate startup needs into repeatable playbooks, reference architectures, and assets.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for priority startup customers.
• Coach Applied AI Engineers on technical quality, judgment, and collaboration.
• Collaborate across GTM teams to improve startup support from adoption to scale.

Skills

Leadership experience

AI/ML systems

APIs

Developer workflows

Production deployment

Cross-functional collaboration

Startup experience

Job description

OpenAI, Inc. is seeking an Applied AI Engineering Manager, Startups to lead a high-velocity team that helps startups move from experimentation to production with AI systems.

You will balance leadership, technical depth, and customer focus while partnering with Sales, Product, Engineering, and Research to drive adoption and durable partnerships. You will shape the strategy, mentor engineers, and translate startup needs into repeatable playbooks and reference architectures, while ensuring safety