Senior Director, Applied Research

This position is posted by Jobgether on behalf of a partner company. We are currently looking for a Senior Director, Applied Research in United States.

This is a senior leadership role at the forefront of applied AI innovation, focused on building next-generation intelligent systems for complex, high-stakes professional domains. As Senior Director of Applied Research, you will lead a world-class team developing advanced AI and agentic solutions that transform workflows for tax, audit, and accounting professionals. You will operate at the intersection of research, product, and engineering, translating cutting-edge machine learning into production-grade capabilities. This role combines deep technical leadership with strategic influence across product direction and long-term AI vision. You will shape how large-scale LLM and agentic systems are designed, evaluated, and deployed in mission-critical environments. It is an opportunity to drive meaningful real-world impact in a highly specialized, data-rich domain.

• Lead and scale a high-performing applied research team focused on building agentic AI systems for tax, audit, and accounting use cases
• Drive the design, development, and deployment of production-grade AI features that transform complex, accuracy-sensitive workflows
• Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership, shaping long-term AI strategy, technical roadmaps, and research-to-product alignment
• Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and domain experts to identify opportunities and translate them into scalable AI solutions
• Influence product direction using insights from model performance, user behavior, and quality metrics in real-world environments
• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration between R&D and engineering teams to ensure efficient delivery of AI capabilities
• Build a culture of innovation, rigor, and continuous improvement across applied science and machine learning practices

Requirements:

• PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field, or equivalent advanced research background with strong publication record
• 10+ years of industry experience building and deploying AI/ML systems in commercial environments (not research-only roles)
• Proven experience delivering production-grade LLM-based and agentic AI systems in real-world applications
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing and scaling applied science or machine learning teams
• Strong technical depth in machine learning, NLP, or information retrieval with ability to guide and challenge advanced technical work
• Demonstrated success in product-facing or customer-impact-driven roles with measurable business outcomes
• Experience in high-stakes domains such as legal, tax, audit, or enterprise knowledge systems is highly preferred
• Strong communication skills with ability to influence executive stakeholders and cross-functional partners
• Experience with AI evaluation methods, model training approaches, or synthetic data generation is a plus

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation with base salary ranging from $198,200 to $368,000 USD depending on location and experience
• Annual performance-based bonus eligibility
• Comprehensive health coverage including medical, dental, and vision plans
• Retirement savings plan with company match
• Flexible work arrangements, including remote work and global flexibility options
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, holidays, and mental health days
• Strong focus on career development, continuous learning, and AI-enabled skill growth programs
• Employee wellbeing support including mental health resources and wellness platforms
• Inclusive, global culture emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and impact
• Opportunities for social impact, volunteering, and contributions to meaningful public-good initiatives