Strategic Project Lead, Coding

talentpluto; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

talentpluto is seeking a Strategic Project Lead in San Francisco to manage client engagements on high-quality code-generation datasets. You will coordinate with top AI lab researchers, delivering clear data specifications and managing a technical expert network.

This is a high-agency role on a small team, requiring a technical background or strong entrepreneurial experience. The opportunity includes onsite work in San Francisco five days per week, providing a clear path to leadership as the company grows.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience managing client relationships independently.
• Ability to translate lab researchers' needs into data specifications.
• Exceptional work ethic suitable for project-based environments.

Responsibilities

• Own client engagements from data requirements to delivery.
• Serve as the primary contact for lab researchers.
• Coordinate with platform engineering and expert sourcing teams.
• Manage a network of technical experts for data production.
• Identify high-value datasets through industry tracking.

Skills

Client relationship management

Technical background in software engineering or computer science

Entrepreneurial mindset

Attention to detail

Job description

Location: San Francisco, CA

Work Model: Hybrid

Industry: Applied AI / AI research data

Compensation: $130K-$150K base, ~$300K OTE (profit share)

About the Company

Our partner is a fast-growing applied AI research lab that produces expert-level training data for the world’s leading AI labs. In under two years they have scaled to a nine-figure revenue run rate, backed by leading venture investors and prominent angels from across the AI field. Quality is their core differentiator, and they are rapidly expanding into new domains.

The Opportunity

As a Strategic Project Lead on the coding track, you will own client engagements end to end, partnering directly with researchers at top AI labs to scope, build, and deliver high-quality code‑generation datasets. You will be the connective tissue across platform engineering, expert sourcing, and a network of technical domain experts, while keeping a pulse on the frontier to proactively shape what gets built next.

This is a high‑agency, high‑ownership role on a small, ambitious team, with a clear path to growing into pod leadership as the company scales.

Responsibilities

• Own client engagements end to end, from understanding data requirements to final delivery.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for lab researchers, translating their needs into clear data specifications.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with platform engineering and the growth (expert sourcing) team.
• Manage a network of technical experts producing the data, and run quality assurance and quality checks.
• Proactively identify high‑value datasets by tracking industry news and research.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience, with the ability to own client relationships independently end to end.
• A technical background (software engineering or computer science), given the code‑generation focus of this track.
• Alternatively, a strong entrepreneurial or founder track record, top‑tier banking or consulting experience, or an early‑stage startup operator background.
• High agency and a strong bias to action under ambiguity.
• Fast learner who can keep pace with a rapidly evolving field.
• Strong work ethic and stamina for a demanding, project‑based environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail in client‑facing work.
• High integrity and a collaborative, low‑ego approach.
• Able to work onsite in San Francisco five days per week.