Engineering Manager, Applied Machine Learning San Francisco - Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc

Engineering Manager, Applied Machine Learning

About Us:

Let’s be real—AI isn’t magic; it’s a tool, and it’s only as powerful as the systems, workflows, and most importantly the people powering it. Yurts is unlocking all of that unstructured, hard-to-find, disconnected data and turning it into a secure knowledge management platform that’s actually designed to serve people—wherever they work.

Born from a partnership with the Department of Defense to meet the demands of mission-critical environments, Yurts is redefining how teams harness AI for productivity and performance. Named after the resilient, adaptable yurt, our platform is designed to work with the systems you use—not replace them.

In collaboration with Nvidia, HPE, and Oracle we offer secure, innovative solutions, including air-gapped deployments for defense, a full ML ops analytics framework to drive cost efficiencies and a world-class proprietary RAG system serving answers you can trust. Yurts unifies applications, data, and workflows protecting investments and saving customers money.

Join us to shape the future of AI, creating solutions that elevate both technology and the people who use it.

Role Overview:

As an Engineering Manager in Applied Machine Learning at Yurts.ai, you'll be a vital leader driving the direction and impact of small, dedicated teams focused on applied machine learning and information retrieval to power the Yurts RAG platform. In this role, you’ll work closely with cross-functional teams—including go-to-market and product design—to ensure our technical roadmap is closely aligned with the strategic objectives of the business. This involves tackling complex technical challenges in enterprise workflows and data, fostering a culture that prioritizes collaboration, innovation, and calculated risk-taking.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in machine learning engineering, with proven technical expertise in developing, deploying and supporting sophisticated, large-scale ML solutions. You will manage and support a team of senior-level engineers utilizing a range of machine learning tools and the latest knowledge management techniques to solve real-world business problems. Your team will develop algorithmic solutions and work in distributed computing production environments, integrating ML models into end-user-facing systems and applications.

Success in this role will require close collaboration with both technical and non-technical partners, including design and product teams, to build features that reflect a deep understanding of user needs and how they engage with algorithmically driven aspects of the product.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and support ICs working on applied machine learning and information retrieval to power customer-facing systems and applications.
• Oversee all stages of ML project development, from research and prototyping to production deployment, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality execution.
• Collaborate with go-to-market teams to align roadmap with business goals.
• Dive deep into technical challenges surrounding complex enterprise workflows and data.
• Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.
• Drive innovation in 0->1 product areas, exploring and implementing new machine learning technologies and techniques.
• Leverage passion for generative AI and enterprise nuances to deliver solutions that enhance user experience.
• Scale teams and management processes as the company grows rapidly.

Requirements:

• 2+ years of experience hiring and leading teams as an engineering manager.
• Previous experience driving the development of applied ML applications.
• Demonstrable expertise with natural language processing and machine learning techniques.
• Strong software engineering background as an individual contributor, with experience tackling complex technical challenges in enterprise product development.
• Excitement and curiosity for 0->1 product development, with a track record of turning innovative ideas into successful features.
• Knowledge and experience in generative AI and its various applications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and experience in generative AI and its various applications.

Additional Information:

• This is a hybrid role
• Yurts.ai is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Yurts provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Compensation Information:

$215,000 - $280,000 USD