Director of Engineering, Strava
AI/ML
Social network for tracking run and cycle routes
Be an early applicant
Social network for tracking run and cycle routes
501-1000 employees
Be an early applicant
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To create the most committed, close, and engaged athlete community on the internet.
Role
Who you are
- You have 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5+ years focused on AI/ML technologies
- You have a proven track record of leading AI/ML engineering teams in a high-growth, consumer-facing tech environment
- You possess a deep understanding of machine learning models, frameworks, and algorithms, with hands-on experience in model development, deployment, and optimization
- You’re a strategic thinker who can translate business challenges into AI opportunities and execute them effectively
- You excel at building and scaling teams, with a strong focus on people management, talent development, and fostering a collaborative team culture
- You have exceptional communication skills and can engage effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders to drive alignment and influence key decisions
- You are passionate about the ethical and responsible use of AI/ML, ensuring solutions meet the highest standards of transparency and fairness
What the job involves
- As the Director of Engineering, AI/ML, you will lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies that enhance our consumer experience at scale
- This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of AI-driven solutions in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where innovation and impact are at the forefront of everything we do
- Drive the vision, strategy, and execution of AI/ML initiatives that power personalized and data-driven experiences for millions of users
- Lead a world-class team of AI/ML engineers and data scientists, fostering innovation, collaboration, and rapid experimentation
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, data, and design, to identify key opportunities for AI integration that elevate the user experience
- Oversee the full AI/ML lifecycle, from model development and training to deployment and monitoring, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, and impactful
- Stay at the forefront of AI/ML advancements, bringing new technologies and techniques into the organization to maintain a competitive edge
- Establishing and executing a clear AI/ML roadmap that aligns with our company’s business objectives and long-term vision
- Leading by example, empowering your team to explore new ideas, take ownership of complex challenges, and deliver breakthrough AI/ML solutions
- Leveraging your deep technical expertise to provide strategic guidance, mentoring, and hands-on leadership to engineering teams
- Ensuring a strong focus on performance, reliability, and ethical AI practices in every solution your team delivers
- Building a culture of experimentation, continuous learning, and accountability, driving high-impact results through data-driven decision-making
Our take
Strava has created an online network where runners, swimmers and cyclists can record fitness activities, and compare and compete with their community. It offers both a free and premium subscription service with added features. The company also partners with local councils and urban planners who purchase valuable journey data from Strava which can be used to map out cities and develop safer cycle paths.
The platform helps members discover and plan workouts, as well as offering a leaderboard which is updated using GPS as users compete for the top spot on particular fitness segments.
With over 125 million athletes and growing, Strava released several new product rollouts in 2024, including an AI-enabled leaderboard. A partnership with the wearable fitness tracker Oura will mean Strava software is available on wearables, taking Strava into fresh competition with the likes of Peloton and Apple.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Some candidates hear
back within 2 weeks
-6% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 5 rounds)
Nov 2020
$110m
SERIES F
Oct 2014
$18m
LATE VC
Total funding: $151.4m
Company benefits
- Competitive base salary & stock options
- 100% company paid benefits for employees and families
- Flexible paid time off
- $2,000 annual professional development stipend
- Paid time off for volunteering
- 401(k) plan - with company matching
- $1000 annual gear stipend
- $500 annual gym or coaching reimbursement
- On-site fitness rooms with showers, lockers, and towel service
- Weekly team workouts – including remote employees
- Safe and secure bike storage on-site
- Weekly all hands meetings
- Employee resource groups
- Anti-racism nonprofit company matching program
- Free lunch on Wednesdays on-site
- Regular team happy hours
- Team offsites and company retreats
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Generous industry discounts on gear and activities
- Race entries to events we sponsor
- Snacks and stocked kitchens on-site
- Strava gear
Company values
- Antiracism
- Authenticity
- Balance
- Craftsmanship
- Camaraderie
- Commitment
Company HQ
Mission District, San Francisco, CA
Articles
Leadership
Mark Gainey
(Chairman)Having studied at Harvard, Mark started their career as a TA Associates Associate before co-founding Kana Communications and several Board Membership roles. They co-founded Strava in 2007, serving since as Chairman.
Michael Horvath
(CEO & Board Member)Michael co-founded Kana with Mark before working as an Economics Professor at Stanford and Dartmouth. They worked for 4 years as CFO of GlycoFi before co-founding Strava, serving initially as CEO and since 2017 as a Board Member.
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