Cognitiv · 5 days ago
Senior Manager, Machine Learning Research Science
San Mateo, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
$250K/yr - $285K/yr
5+ years expCognitiv is an innovative AdTech company redefining media buying with their Deep Learning Advertising Platform. They are seeking a Machine Learning Research Leader to oversee a team of ML research scientists, drive innovation in deep learning, and enhance real-time bidding and recommendation systems.
AdvertisingAnalyticsArtificial Intelligence (AI)Big DataMachine Learning
Hiring Manager
Veerprit Belford
Responsibilities
Lead and Mentor. You manage and grow a team of Machine Learning Research Scientists, fostering a collaborative, innovative environment while mentoring individuals on both technical challenges and career development
Set Strategic Direction. You define and execute the vision for machine learning research within the adtech domain, representing the team in strategic discussions and contributing to company-wide initiatives
Drive Technical Innovation. You oversee the design and implementation of cutting-edge deep learning architectures, staying current with LLM research and guiding the integration of new breakthroughs into Cognitiv’s solutions
Stay Hands-On. You actively contribute through coding, experimentation, and code reviews, ensuring technical excellence and adherence to best practices
Advance AdTech Performance. You continuously improve models and algorithms to drive ad targeting, real-time bidding performance, and audience relevance
Enable Scalable Systems. You collaborate with operations, engineering, and cross-functional partners to refine data pipelines, model deployment, and monitoring systems
Deliver Results. You manage project timelines, resources, and deliverables, ensuring successful completion of high-impact research initiatives
Qualification
Required
Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
5–7+ years of experience in machine learning R&D
Experience leading teams of researchers and senior ICs/PhDs
Balance leadership with 30–50% hands-on contribution (coding, reviews, experimentation)
Deep technical expertise in PyTorch, transformers, and Large Language Models (LLMs)
Proven experience in large-scale training and fine-tuning of deep neural networks
Understanding of both deep learning and traditional ML techniques (e.g., XGBoost, PCA)
Proficient in Python with strong foundations in algorithms, data structures, and software engineering principles
Experience building models in real-time, high-throughput systems (e.g., recommender systems, adtech)
Experience developing, deploying, and optimizing machine learning models in production
Experience working with distributed systems, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), and big data frameworks (Hadoop, Spark)
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Project management skills and ability to drive alignment in fast-paced, dynamic environments
Preferred
AdTech & RTB Experience. Prior exposure to advertising technology and real-time bidding (RTB) systems is a strong plus
Distributed Systems & Cloud. Familiarity with big data frameworks (Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
C++ Skills. Strong C++ programming ability is a significant advantage alongside Python expertise
Research & Community Impact. A track record of published research or meaningful contributions to the machine learning community
Bridging Research and Delivery. Experience managing both exploratory research timelines and production-grade delivery cycles
Benefits
Medical, Dental and Vision coverage, including some plans that are 100% employer paid
12 weeks paid parental leave
Career Ladders slated to advance your career
Unlimited PTO
Work-From-Anywhere August
Equity at all levels
Comprehensive onboarding program (Cognitiv University)
Hybrid work model
Daily Lunch On Us
Health and Wellness Stipend
Cell phone reimbursement
Parking Expense (CA & WA Offices)
401(k) plan with employer match
Employee Assistance Program
Pre-tax commuter benefits
Company
Cognitiv
Cognitiv uses proprietary Deep Learning technology to help companies with Big Data problems get beyond analysis to decisions.
51-200 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Cognitiv has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (6)
2024 (10)
2023 (3)
2022 (1)
2021 (10)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$4.95M2019-03-07Convertible Note· $0.45M
2018-03-01Seed
2017-12-15Convertible Note· $1.7M
Leadership Team
Jeremy Fain
CEO and Co-Founder
Aaron Andalman
Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder
Recent News
2026-01-06
2026-01-06
Company data provided by crunchbase