AI Technical Program Manager
About Modular
We believe that AI is a net positive force in the world. Our vision and mission are to help rebuild AI infrastructure to advance humanity and our environment. We will do whatever it takes to empower our customers, team, and company to benefit from that pursuit. You can read about our culture and careers here to understand how we work and what we value.
We are owners and advocates for the underlying technologies, developer platforms, product components, and infrastructure. These essential building blocks form the high-quality and coherent experiences our users expect. We aim to drive the pace of innovation for every AI/ML developer.
About the role:
Modular is building a next-generation AI infrastructure platform that unifies the many application frameworks and hardware backends, simplifying deployment for AI production teams and accelerating innovation for AI researchers and hardware developers. We are looking for a strong technical program manager with a background in delivering AI/ML software to drive complex cross-functional engineering initiatives, improve processes, identify future opportunities, and drive the overall technical direction of MAX AI Engine. In this role you will leverage your extensive technical and leadership expertise to gather the necessary information required to manage projects of various size and scope by working closely with Modular development teams and product managers.
LOCATION: Candidates based in the US or Canada are welcome to apply. You can work remotely from home.
What you will do:
- Work closely with Modular’s development team and world leading AI application developers and drive impact through deployment of state-of-the-art AI inference systems.
- Oversee feature development:
- Prioritize and align feature requests with product roadmap and strategy.
- Define and document clear requirements and success criteria for ML runtime, graph compiler, and kernel features.
- Track feature development progress and ensure quality through testing and release processes.
- Optimize performance:
- Collaborate with engineers to analyze performance bottlenecks and identify optimization opportunities.
- Drive implementation of performance improvements in runtime, compiler, and kernels.
- Drive technical program execution:
- Develop and manage project plans, schedules, and resource allocation.
- Track progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
- Foster cross-functional collaboration between engineering, research, and product teams.
- Proactively address technical challenges and dependencies.
- Manage stakeholder relationships:
- Build strong relationships with internal engineers, product managers, and external customers/partners.
- Communicate project status, risks, and opportunities effectively.
- Manage expectations and drive alignment across teams.
- Foster innovation and collaboration:
- Promote knowledge sharing and technical mentorship within the team.
- Encourage experimentation and continuous improvement in ML runtime and compiler development.
- Work cross-functionally identify opportunities and implement best practices, robust tools and sustainable processes in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
What you bring to the table:
- 7+ years of experience in technical program management, ideally in AI/ML or software development with a deep understanding of:
- Machine learning runtimes and graph compilers
- Kernel development and optimization techniques
- Performance analysis and benchmarking tools
- Experience working with specific ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and compiler technologies is a plus.
- Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities along with an ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Strong project management skills, including experience with common project management methodologies and tools (e.g., Agile).
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex technical projects on time and within budget.
- A growth and leadership mindset, with an attitude that seeks to learn more from our customers, team, and the broader market
Helpful but not required:
- 5+ years of experience in software development, systems engineering or full product life-cycles.
- PMP or other project management certification is a plus.
- Experience developing, training, and/or deploying machine learning models into production environments.
- Have worked in or around startups before or have a strong understanding of the nature of fast-moving, highly dynamic teams.
The estimated base salary range for this role to be performed in the US, regardless of the state, is $198,000.00 - $286,000.00 USD.
The salary for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of permissible, non-discriminatory job-related factors, which include but are not limited to education, training, work experience, business needs, or market demands. This range may be modified in the future. The total compensation for a candidate will also include annual target bonus, equity, and benefits, with equity making up a significant portion of your total compensation.
For candidates who fall outside of the listed requirements, we nevertheless encourage you to apply as we may have openings that are lower/higher level than the ones advertised.
What Modular brings to the table:
- Amazing Team. We are a progressive and agile team with some of the industry’s best engineering and product leaders.
- Flexible Location. We want you to work where you are most productive and we are a remote-first company. We have offices in Palo Alto, CA and Seattle, WA for collaboration, and will open more next year.
- World-class Benefits. In order to attract the best, we need to offer the best. Premier insurance plans, up to 5% 401k matching, very generous WFH setup stipends, flexible paid time off, and more are available to you! Please note that specific benefit packages may vary based on your location.
- Competitive Compensation. We offer very strong compensation packages, including stock options. We want people to be focused on their best work and believe in tailoring compensation plans to meet the needs of our workforce.
- Team Building Events. We organize regular team onsites and local meetups in different cities.
Working at Modular will enable you to grow quickly as you work alongside incredibly motivated and talented people who have high standards, possess a growth mindset, and a purpose to truly change the world.
Modular is proud to emphasize an equal opportunity, safe environment for people to do their best work. Modular is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
If you require reasonable accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let your recruiter know, and we will work with you to meet your needs in compliance with the ADA.
This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.