Position Overview We are seeking an exceptional Chief Technology Officer to lead our Large Language Model initiatives and drive technological innovation in AI/ML. This executive role requires a visionary leader who can bridge cutting-edge research with scalable production systems while building and managing world-class engineering teams. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership Define and execute the technical vision for LLM development, deployment, and scaling Drive strategic partnerships with research institutions, cloud providers, and AI/ML vendors Lead technology roadmap planning aligned with business objectives and market opportunities Represent the company at industry conferences, research symposiums, and with key stakeholders Technical Excellence Oversee architecture and development of large-scale LLM training and inference infrastructure Guide research initiatives in model optimization, efficiency improvements, and novel architectures Ensure robust MLOps practices, including model versioning, monitoring, and deployment pipelines Drive innovation in areas such as multi-modal models, retrieval-augmented generation, and agent frameworks Organizational Leadership Build, mentor, and scale high-performing engineering and research teams (50-200+ people) Establish engineering culture focused on excellence, innovation, and rapid iteration Collaborate closely with CEO, CPO, and other executives on product strategy and go-to-market Drive talent acquisition strategy for specialized AI/ML roles Operational Management Oversee technical budgets, infrastructure costs, and resource allocation Ensure security, compliance, and ethical AI practices across all LLM initiatives Manage vendor relationships and technology partnerships Drive cost optimization for compute-intensive workloads Required Qualifications Education & Experience PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or related field (or equivalent industry experience) 12+ years of technical leadership experience, with 5+ years in executive roles 5+ years of hands-on experience with large language models, transformers, or related architectures Proven track record of scaling engineering organizations from startup to enterprise level Technical Expertise Deep understanding of LLM architectures, training methodologies, and optimization techniques Experience with distributed training frameworks such as PyTorch Strong background in cloud infrastructure, particularly GPU/TPU clusters and ML platforms Knowledge of model compression, quantization, and inference optimization Understanding of AI safety, alignment, and responsible AI practices Leadership Skills Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, and retain top-tier technical talent Experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects with competing priorities Strong communication skills with ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences Track record of successful collaboration with product, business, and research teams Preferred Qualifications Startup experience or research experience at leading AI/ML companies (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, etc.) Published research in top-tier ML conferences such us NeurIPS, ICLML, ICLR, etc. Experience with foundation model commercialization and API products Experience with open source models, RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), and fine-tuning techniques Cloud experience with AWS or Google Cloud Platform Background in adjacent areas such as computer vision, robotics, or speech recognition MBA or equivalent business education What We Offer Competitive executive compensation package including equity Opportunity to shape the future of AI technology at scale Access to cutting-edge compute resources and research partnerships Collaborative work environment with world-class researchers and engineers Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plans Flexible work arrangements and professional development budget Reporting Structure This role reports directly to the CEO and will be a member of the executive leadership team. The CRO will manage multiple VP-level leaders across Engineering, Research, Infrastructure, and Security. Location San Francisco, CA (HQ) with flexibility for hybrid/remote work arrangements. Regular travel required for conferences, team meetings, and partnership activities.