Data & Eval Operations Program Manager

Institute of Foundation Models
Sunnyvale, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for program managers with vendor and budget expertise who can build end-to-end data and evaluation operations programs.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with program management experience in technical teams and a background in data vendor management
    — “Work closely with new and existing vendors on a regular basis.”
  • Individuals who have previously stood up and managed complex data operations programs from scratch
    — “Establish a complete end-to-end data operations program from scratch.”
  • Candidates with a foundation in technical concepts related to AI and data infrastructure
    — “Must understand relevant technical concepts.”

Things to consider

  • The role requires full ownership of data programs, including budget and performance tracking.
    — “You will be responsible for the full data budget and will devise a rigorous process.”

How to stand out

  • Emphasize your ability to align vendor partnerships with organizational procedures.
    — “Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Legal and Procurement.”
  • Showcase your understanding of LLM data and evaluation benchmarks in your resume and interview.
    — “Familiarity with key LLM/agentic benchmarks, including an understanding of how LLMs, agentic capabilities, and benchmarks are evolving over time.”
  • Demonstrate your ability to manage multi-million-dollar budgets effectively.
    — “Budget management experience, managing multi-million-dollar budgets.”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • established data and eval operations programs
  • streamlined eval processes
  • improved data performance
Typical background
5+ years of program management experiencetechnical background

Skills & requirements

Required

Program ManagementBudget ManagementVendor ManagementCross-functional CollaborationEval OperationsBenchmark Analysis

Preferred

AIHigh-performance Computing

Stack & domain

Data OperationsEval OperationsBudget ManagementCross-functional CollaborationVendor ManagementStrategic PlanningInnovative Problem-solvingCommunicationLeadershipAIData ScienceDeep Learning

About the role

Original posting from Institute of Foundation Models via Lever

About the Institute of Foundation Models

We are a dedicated research lab for building, understanding, using, and risk-managing foundation models. Our mandate is to advance research, nurture the next generation of AI builders, and drive transformative contributions to a knowledge-driven economy.

As part of our team, you’ll have the opportunity to work on the core of cutting-edge foundation model training, alongside world-class researchers, data scientists, and engineers, tackling the most fundamental and impactful challenges in AI development. You will participate in the development of groundbreaking AI solutions that have the potential to reshape entire industries. Strategic and innovative problem-solving skills will be instrumental in establishing MBZUAI as a global hub for high-performance computing in deep learning, driving impactful discoveries that inspire the next generation of AI pioneers.

Key Responsibilities:

Data Operations 

Establish Data Ops Program: Establish a complete end-to-end data operations program from scratch, to include program structure, goals, and management. You will be completely responsible for standing up and owning this program. 

Understand the Landscape: Analyze and develop an understanding of the constantly evolving landscape of data offerings from new and existing vendors, and assess how this fits the evolving needs of IFM with technical leads. 

Vendor Management: Work closely with new and existing vendors on a regular basis. You will serve as the key interface between IFM and our data vendors. 

Budget and Performance Management: Perform budget management and tracking, as well as performance management. You will be responsible for the full data budget and will devise a rigorous process to ensure this spend is highly effective, with all spend tied back to actual data performance. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Legal and Procurement, to ensure new data partnerships and acquisitions are completed quickly and in alignment with all organizational procedures. 

Eval Operations 

Establish Eval Ops Program: Establish a complete end-to-end eval operations program from scratch, to include program structure, goals, and management. You will be completely responsible for standing up and owning this program. 

Eval Process: Devise a process for how our team regularly completes, documents, organizes, and reviews our evals. 

Eval Process Changes: Work with technical leads to understand their evolving eval needs and adjust the eval process to meet these needs. 

Streamline Eval Service: Streamline the eval process and internal eval service with our engineering team and with individual eval owners to improve how evals are completed. 

Tie Evals to Data: Develop a sense of where our models might be lagging with respect to key evals and use this to inform strategy for the data operations program. 

Understand the Landscape: Analyze and develop an understanding of the constantly evolving landscape of benchmarks that may be of interest to IFM. 

Academic Qualifications:

A bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, business, or economics. (MBA or advanced technical degree is a plus). 

Professional Experience - Minimum:

5+ years of relevant industry experience, with at least 3 years in program management with technical teams, including working directly with researchers and engineers. 

Budget Management: Budget management experience, managing multi-million-dollar budgets. 

Vendor Management: Vendor management experience, working across multiple vendors, and experience with contracts and SOWs. 

Complete Program Ownership: Autonomy in fully managing projects with budget, timeline, and quality components. 

Technical Fluency: You don’t need to write code or understand nuanced research but must understand relevant technical concepts. 

Professional Experience - Preferred:

Foundation Model Experience: Experience working specifically with LLMs, Generative AI, or ML Infrastructure. 

Data Operations Experience: Experience working with data vendors for LLM development. 

LLM/Agentic Benchmarks Understanding: Familiarity with key LLM/agentic benchmarks, including an understanding of how LLMs, aagentic capabilties, and benchmarks are evolving over time. 

Compensation:

Salary Range

The posted salary range represents the company’s good faith estimate of the compensation for this position upon hire. The actual compensation offered may vary within this range depending on individual qualifications, including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, geographic location, and specific business needs.  

The posted salary range represents the company’s good faith estimate of the compensation for this position upon hire. The actual compensation offered may vary within this range depending on individual qualifications, including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, geographic location, and specific business needs.  

Benefits Include

*Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits 

 *Bonus

*401K Plan

*Generous paid time off, sick leave and holidays

*Paid Parental Leave

*Employee Assistance Program

*Life insurance and disability

Source: Institute of Foundation Models careers (Lever)

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