Technical Program Manager, AI Data

Lila Sciences Lila Sciences · AI Frontier · Alewife, Cambridge, MA +1 · AI

The Technical Program Manager, AI Data role at Lila Sciences focuses on managing AI data generation and curation workstreams to support model training. The role involves launching and operating cross-functional project teams, ensuring timely delivery of standardized AI data, and serving as a communication interface between teams. It requires strong program management skills, analytical abilities, and the capacity to drive accountability without direct authority. While not requiring deep ML research expertise, a genuine curiosity about AI data's role in model development is essential. The role is crucial for scaling the AI data pipeline to support scientific superintelligence initiatives.

What you'd actually do

  1. Launch and operate cross-functional project teams that produce AI data for scientific superintelligence, ensuring each team executes with at high velocity and delivers standardized outputs the model training team can directly consume.
  2. Serve as the key communication interface between project teams and the research, science, and model training organizations; set up the organizational information flows that allow this communication to happen with speed at scale.
  3. Drive accountability across distributed, cross-functional teams without relying on direct authority; build consensus through clear communication and sound judgment.
  4. Define and enforce data delivery standards, QA gates, and handoff protocols so model training receives consistent, high-quality inputs across all active project teams.
  5. Implement best practices for rapid experimentation and iteration, enabling new project teams to ramp efficiently as additional data initiatives come online.

Skills

Required

  • 8+ years of program or project management experience in the technology or life sciences field.
  • Proven experience leading cross-functional programs and driving them to successful completion under tight delivery timelines.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn technical and data requirements into actionable program roadmaps.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; track record of producing executive-quality documents, roadmaps, and updates that drive decisions.

Nice to have

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field.
  • Direct experience in AI/ML research or product organizations, ideally in a program management or research operations capacity.
  • Working familiarity with model training data pipelines, dataset curation, or ML evaluation workflows — sufficient to engage credibly with researchers and ask good questions.
  • Experience managing programs that produce standardized outputs for downstream technical consumers (e.g., model training, eval, or platform teams).
  • Enthusiastic about emerging technologies and experienced in driving rapid experimentation and program iteration.

What the JD emphasized

  • drive multiple AI data generation and curation workstreams
  • incorporating that data into the model training pipeline
  • clearly articulate what your programs will deliver
  • thrives in ambiguity
  • communicates exceptionally well across audiences
  • build clarity and momentum on a fast-paced, rapidly scaling team
  • Launch and operate cross-functional project teams
  • high velocity
  • standardized outputs the model training team can directly consume
  • key communication interface
  • speed at scale
  • Drive accountability
  • without relying on direct authority
  • Define and enforce data delivery standards, QA gates, and handoff protocols
  • consistent, high-quality inputs
  • rapid experimentation and iteration
  • ramp efficiently
  • Develop clear documentation and reporting
  • track progress
  • align project team work with broader AI Research priorities
  • represent program status and risks accurately
  • tight delivery timelines
  • turn technical and data requirements into actionable program roadmaps
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
  • track record of producing executive-quality documents, roadmaps, and updates that drive decisions
  • Direct experience in AI/ML research or product organizations
  • program management or research operations capacity
  • Working familiarity with model training data pipelines, dataset curation, or ML evaluation workflows
  • engage credibly with researchers and ask good questions
  • managing programs that produce standardized outputs for downstream technical consumers
  • model training, eval, or platform teams
  • driving rapid experimentation and program iteration