Snorkel AI is hiring a Director, Forward Deployed Researcher on the Data-as-a-service team. Your team will partner directly with frontier AI labs on their hardest data problems: scoping training data needs, designing RL environments, developing evaluation frameworks, and translating customer research objectives into actionable technical plans.

This is a player-coach role. Roughly half your time goes to people leadership (hiring, coaching, developing your team) and the other half to hands-on technical work on strategic accounts. You set the technical bar for spec quality and build the playbooks and processes that let the team scale. You influence how the function operates, from process and standards to team culture.

You partner closely with AE leadership on pipeline strategy, account coverage, and SE allocation. You also work cross-functionally with Delivery, Research, and Engineering to ensure smooth handoffs. The right person for this role can hold their own with frontier AI researchers, has strong presales instincts, and wants to build a team.

Main Responsibilities

Recruit, hire, and develop the forward deployed research team, coaching the team on technical quality, customer engagement, and career growth

Set and maintain the technical bar for specifications, evaluation frameworks, and customer deliverables

Own SE capacity planning and account coverage; partner with AE leadership on deal strategy, engagement prioritization, and pipeline forecasting

Establish team processes and playbooks for discovery, spec development, and knowledge sharing

Lead technical conversations on select strategic accounts, including scoping, solution design, and partnership with frontier AI research teams

Serve as escalation point for technically complex or high-stakes customer situations

Director, Forward Deployed Researcher - Data as a Service

Responsibilities

Qualification

Required

Preferred

Benefits

Company

Snorkel AI

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