Director of Applied AI
At a glance
Director-level AI Engineering role at webAI. Austin · full-time · no salary stated · we estimate $193,000–$273,250 across the United States.
webAI has not published a salary for this role. The figure below is our estimate, not theirs.
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Lead the build and launch of applied AI systems using webAI’s distributed platform
- Work with commercial customers to turn their mission needs into technical specifications and scalable solutions
- Direct model training, fine-tuning, optimization and evaluation for domain-specific LLM and multimodal applications
- Coordinate delivery across parallel projects and align work with Infrastructure, Platform Engineering and Product
- Set technical direction for edge inference, privacy-preserving AI and model evaluation, while mentoring the applied AI team
What you bring
- At least eight years in applied machine learning, AI engineering or a related area, including three years leading others
- You have designed and deployed an AI product and built or integrated AI for customer-facing applications
- You can code hands-on and bring strong LLM, generative AI and machine learning workflow expertise
- You’re proficient in Python and modern ML frameworks, and hold a bachelor’s degree in a technical or related field
Who this fits
This director-level role suits a hands-on technical leader who can guide engineers and applied scientists while contributing code. You’ll work directly with commercial customers and lead multiple projects, including delivery under tight deadlines. The role is based in Austin and is hybrid.
From the employer
About Us:
webAI is pioneering the future of artificial intelligence by establishing the first distributed AI infrastructure dedicated to personalized AI. We recognize the evolving demands of a data-driven society for scalability and flexibility, and we firmly believe that the future of AI lies in distributed processing at the edge, bringing computation closer to the source of data generation. Our mission is to build a future where a company's valuable data and intellectual property remain entirely private, enabling the deployment of large-scale AI models directly on standard consumer hardware without compromising the information embedded within those models. We are developing an end-to-end platform that is secure, scalable, and fully under the control of our users, empowering enterprises and consumers with AI that understands their unique business. We are a team driven by truth, ownership, tenacity, and humility, and we seek individuals who resonate with these core values and are passionate about shaping the next generation of AI.
About the Role:
The Director of Applied AI will play a pivotal leadership role in designing, developing, and deploying advanced AI solutions for enterprise customers. You will lead a cross-functional team of engineers and applied scientists to deliver mission-critical AI capabilities, architect novel approaches leveraging distributed AI infrastructure, and partner closely with customers to understand their needs and translate them into scalable, impactful solutions.
This role requires deep technical expertise, strong communication and leadership skills, and the ability to drive execution in high-stakes, rapidly evolving environments. You will help shape webAI’s applied research strategy, mentor teams, and ensure we deliver world-class AI technologies that align with customer missions and business goals.
Responsibilities:
Lead the design, development, and deployment of applied AI systems built on webAI’s distributed AI platform.
Engage directly with commercial customers to translate mission needs into technical requirements and scalable solutions.
Guide teams in training, fine-tuning, optimizing, and evaluating large language models and multimodal models for domain-specific applications.
Oversee technical execution across multiple parallel projects, ensuring high-quality delivery under tight deadlines.
Collaborate with Infrastructure, Platform Engineering, and Product teams to align applied AI initiatives with overall product strategy.
Build and mentor a high-performing applied AI team, fostering a culture of innovation, ownership, and hands-on problem solving.
Drive architectural decisions related to edge inference, distributed processing, privacy-preserving AI, and real-time performance.
Establish rigorous evaluation methodologies, benchmarks, and validation frameworks for AI model performance and system reliability.
Identify emerging trends, technologies, and research areas that can accelerate mission impact and product differentiation.
Present complex technical concepts to leaders, customers, and stakeholders in a clear and compelling manner.
Qualifications:
You need to code! Every leader in this company is hands-on.
8+ years of experience in applied machine learning, AI engineering, or related fields, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
Proven track record designing and deploying an AI product.
Strong expertise with LLMs, generative AI, machine learning workflows.
Hands-on experience building or integrating AI systems for customer-facing applications.
Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, etc.).
Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple high-impact projects simultaneously.
Ability to communicate complex technical ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field.
Preferred Skills
Master's or PhD in a technical discipline such as Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI or Applied Mathematics.
Background in distributed systems, edge computing, or privacy-preserving ML.
Experience deploying AI models on-device or in constrained compute environments.
Familiarity with MLOps, data pipelines, and scalable inference architectures.
Strong understanding of security, compliance, and data governance considerations in enterprise or public sector contexts.
Ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced, high-growth startup environments.
We at webAI are committed to living out the core values we have put in place as the foundation on which we operate as a team. We seek individuals who exemplify the following:
Truth - Emphasizing transparency and honesty in every interaction and decision.
Ownership - Taking full responsibility for one’s actions and decisions, demonstrating commitment to the success of our clients.
Tenacity - Persisting in the face of challenges and setbacks, continually striving for excellence and improvement.
Humility - Maintaining a respectful and learning-oriented mindset, acknowledging the strengths and contributions of others.
Benefits:
We strive to provide competitive benefits to all employees. The benefits listed in this posting generally apply to U.S.-based employees. For employees hired outside the United States, benefits may vary based on local law, country-specific requirements, and the employment platform or entity through which the employee is hired.
Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits package
Including a high-deductible HSA option with company contribution
401k match (US-based only)
Flexible PTO Policy
Parental leave for eligible employees
Continuing education support
Basic, company-paid life insurance
Supplemental life insurance
Company-paid short and long term disability
Free parking for in-office employees
webAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline. In addition, it is the policy of webAI to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees who have protected disabilities to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances where a particular employee works.