Handshake · 21 hours ago
Technical Program Manager (Research)
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
$200K/yr - $250K/yrHandshake is building the career network for the AI economy, connecting students and employers to enhance career exploration. As a Technical Program Manager for Handshake AI Research, you will oversee the execution of research initiatives, translating goals into structured technical programs and ensuring delivery across various teams.
College RecruitingData Collection and LabelingEmploymentHuman ResourcesRecruiting
Responsibilities
Own end-to-end program execution for Handshake AI Research initiatives, from early scoping through pilot, scale, and steady-state operations
Translate research objectives and partner needs into clear technical requirements, milestones, and delivery plans
Serve as the primary execution lead bridging Research, Engineering, Operations, and external AI lab partners
Drive programs across HART’s core pillars: Data Quality & Validation, Evaluation & Benchmarking, Post-training data workflows (RLHF / RLAIF / domain-expert labeling)
Manage timelines, risks, dependencies, and resourcing across multiple concurrent research programs
Partner with engineering to ensure tooling and infrastructure support scalable research execution
Collaborate with operations, quality, and analytics teams to design repeatable, high-quality research pipelines
Track success metrics aligned with research OKRs, partner commitments, and evaluation outcomes
Identify bottlenecks, propose system-level improvements, and drive continuous process optimization
Communicate program status, tradeoffs, and outcomes clearly to internal leadership and external stakeholders
Qualification
Required
Experience as a Technical Program Manager, Program Manager, or equivalent, owning complex cross-functional initiatives
Strong technical foundation in machine learning systems, particularly LLMs, post-training workflows, and evaluation frameworks
Experience working closely with researchers and engineers, translating research goals into executable programs
Familiarity with data annotation, data quality, or evaluation pipelines in ML systems
Proven ability to manage ambiguity, align stakeholders, and deliver in fast-moving environments
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical work to diverse audiences
Systems thinker with a bias toward execution, scalability, and operational rigor
Comfort partnering with external organizations (AI labs, academic institutions, or industry partners)
Benefits
Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company
Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching
Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching
Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend
Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development
Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office
Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days, winter #ShakeBreak where our whole office closes for a week!
Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses
Company
Handshake
Handshake is a college career network that helps students and recent graduates find their next opportunity.
Founded in 2014
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Handshake 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 (24)
2024 (14)
2023 (7)
2022 (15)
2021 (6)
2020 (4)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$434MKey Investors
Notable CapitalEQT VenturesSpark Capital
2022-01-19Series F· $200M
2021-05-12Series E· $80M
2020-10-20Series D· $80M
Leadership Team
Garrett Lord
CEO - Co-Founder
Ben Christensen
Co-Founder
Recent News
Company data provided by crunchbase