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Director, Engineering, AI/ML

San Francisco, CA, Denver, CO

About This Role

Strava is the leading digital community for active people with more than 125 million athletes, in more than 190 countries. The platform offers a holistic view of your active lifestyle, no matter where you live, which sport you love and/or what device you use. Everyone belongs on Strava when they are pursuing an active life.

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.

This is a hybrid role based in our San Francisco or Denver office.

For more information on compensation and benefits, please click here.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you will:

  • 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.

You will be successful here by:

  • 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.

We’re excited about you because:

  • 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.

About Strava

Strava is Swedish for “strive,” which epitomizes who we are and what we do. We’re a passionate and committed team, unified by our mission to connect athletes to what motivates them and help them find their personal best. With billions of activity uploads from all over the world, we have a humbling and adventurous vision: to be the record of the world’s athletic activities and the technology that makes every effort count.

Strava builds software that makes the best part of our athletes’ days even better. Just as we’re deeply committed to unlocking their potential, we’re dedicated to providing a world-class, inclusive workplace where our employees can grow and thrive, too. We’re backed by Sequoia Capital, TCV, Madrone Partners and Jackson Square Ventures, and we’re expanding in order to exceed the needs of our growing community of global athletes. Our culture reflects our community. We are continuously striving to hire and engage diverse teammates from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives because we know we are a stronger team together.

Despite challenges in the world around us, we are continuing to grow camaraderie and positivity within our culture, and we are unified in our commitment to becoming an antiracist company. We are differentiated by our truly people-first approach, our compassionate leadership, and our belief that we can bring joy and inspiration to athletes’ lives — now more than ever. All to say, it’s a great time to join Strava!

Strava is an equal opportunity employer. In keeping with the values of Strava, we make all employment decisions including hiring, evaluation, termination, promotional and training opportunities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, physical handicap, mental disability, medical condition, disability, gender or identity or expression, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, marital status, height and/or weight.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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