[Hiring] Director of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning @Thorn

Role Description

As Thorn’s Director of Machine Learning & AI, you will lead and build the team responsible for applying machine learning and AI to some of the most difficult technical challenges in our mission. You will shape and lead the strategy for the function, develop its people and technical leaders, and ensure ML expertise is deeply integrated into Thorn’s products, technical innovation, and broader Build strategy.

You will lead an established core of passionate ML engineers with deep technical and mission expertise, while also having the opportunity to grow the team and shape the capabilities Thorn will need next. This role requires an exceptional people leader who can earn trust, build on the strengths already present, recruit outstanding new talent, and help the team evolve as Thorn’s needs and technical opportunities change.

As a member of Build leadership, you will report to the CTO and partner closely with Engineering, Product, and other teams across the organization to align ML priorities and technical direction with Thorn’s broader strategy.

What You’ll Do

• Technical Strategy and Innovation:
  • Shape and lead Thorn’s Machine Learning and AI strategy in partnership with Build leadership, Product, and cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Identify promising ML and AI technologies and approaches, translating research and experimentation into recommendations.
  • Support Thorn’s Technical Innovation Roadmap through exploration, prototyping, de-risking, and validation of new technical capabilities.
  • Ensure ML systems and practices meet Thorn’s expectations for privacy, security, responsible AI, regulatory compliance, reliability, and operational excellence.
  • Partner closely with the Business Development and Strategic Impact (BDSI) team to inform Thorn’s technical research roadmap.
• Develop an Exceptional ML Team:
  • Build on the strengths of an established, highly skilled Machine Learning team.
  • Recruit, develop, empower, and retain exceptional ML talent.
  • Lead, coach, and develop technical leaders and individual contributors.
  • Earn trust through curiosity, consistency, transparency, active listening, and strong follow-through.
  • Foster psychological safety alongside high expectations and accountability.
  • Set clear expectations and provide timely, candid feedback.
  • Partner with People & Culture on hiring, onboarding, development, performance management, and succession planning.
• One Build Collaboration:
  • Build deep partnerships across Machine Learning, Engineering, Product, BDSI, and other teams.
  • Partner closely with Engineering leadership and teams to ensure ML capabilities are designed, built, deployed, and operated as reliable systems.
  • Help shape cross-Build technical decisions by bringing ML expertise and perspective.
  • Partner with Product, Engineering, BDSI, and customer-facing teams to ensure customer and ecosystem learning informs ML priorities.
• Execution and Organizational Leadership:
  • Establish clear priorities, expectations, and operating rhythms for the ML team.
  • Ensure sustainable ML development and operational practices.
  • Empower technical leaders and senior individual contributors to own day-to-day execution.
  • Partner with Finance and Build leadership on responsible resource allocation and budget stewardship.
  • Serve as a member of Build’s leadership team, contributing to Build strategy and complex problem-solving.
  • Represent Thorn’s ML work externally with customers, strategic partners, and the broader technical community.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading ML, AI, Data Science, or related technical teams responsible for production capabilities at meaningful scale.
• Strong technical judgment across modern ML and AI.
• Deep understanding of AI/ML applications, content detection technologies, and software development.
• Experience developing and operating ML capabilities with attention to reliability, evaluation, monitoring, privacy, security, and responsible AI.

Requirements

• Proven ability to lead, develop, and strengthen high-performing technical teams.
• Experience coaching technical leaders and individual contributors.
• Ability to earn trust and thoughtfully evolve culture while fostering psychological safety and accountability.
• Track record of strong collaboration with Engineering, Product, Research/BDSI, and other cross-functional partners.
• Skilled at navigating complex stakeholder environments.

Leadership

• Ability to influence, drive change, and solve complex problems calmly and strategically.
• Strong communication skills, including asking critical questions and representing technical work externally.
• Lead with empathy, humility, honesty, clarity, and a trauma-informed approach.
• Build relationships based on trust, transparency, accountability, and follow-through.
• Commitment to putting the children we serve at the center of everything you do.

Compensation and Benefits

• A reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role is $188,000 - $302,450/year.
• Our remote-first work model is structured around working from home most of the time.
• Thorn values our people and offers a broad range of benefits.