Strategic Projects Lead, AI Data and STEM Research

Spectrum Search is partnered with a well-backed AI technology company seeking a Strategic Projects Lead to bring scientific and quantitative expertise into the development of high-quality datasets for advanced artificial intelligence systems.

This opportunity combines deep technical research, AI data quality, project ownership and operational leadership. It is suited to a STEM specialist looking to apply their expertise beyond traditional research environments.

About the opportunity

The company operates within the AI research and data infrastructure sector, supporting the development, training and evaluation of advanced machine learning models.

As part of a growing technical operations function, the Strategic Projects Lead will establish rigorous standards for specialist datasets, coordinate expert contributors and oversee technically complex projects from initial design through delivery.

The position offers substantial ownership, cross-functional exposure and the opportunity to influence how large language models (LLMs) and AI systems are evaluated and improved.

The role

Working closely with technical and operational teams, the successful candidate will act as an internal subject-matter expert within their scientific or quantitative discipline.

They will translate specialist knowledge into practical dataset specifications, quality frameworks and evaluation methodologies, ensuring outputs meet demanding technical standards.

The role combines independent technical judgement with hands-on project management and leadership of specialist contributors.

Key responsibilities

• Define and maintain quality standards for complex scientific and quantitative AI datasets.
• Design dataset specifications, evaluation criteria and quality control methodologies.
• Apply domain expertise to improve the accuracy, reliability and technical rigour of AI training and evaluation data.
• Recruit, coordinate and lead teams of specialist contributors across technical projects.
• Own projects end-to-end, including scoping, execution, quality assurance and delivery.
• Analyse data quality issues, identify improvements and implement scalable processes.
• Collaborate with research, engineering and operations teams on technical requirements and project outcomes.
• Contribute to broader operational improvements and the development of internal quality frameworks.

Essential requirements

• Advanced expertise in biology, chemistry, mathematics, statistics or a closely related STEM discipline.
• Strong scientific or quantitative research capability, demonstrated through doctoral-level research or equivalent exceptional technical achievement.
• Proficiency in Python, R or another programming language used for statistical analysis or scientific computing.
• Ability to evaluate complex technical outputs and establish clear, measurable quality standards.
• Strong analytical reasoning, structured problem-solving and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to manage technical projects independently and coordinate specialist contributors.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to translate complex research concepts into actionable requirements.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience designing, managing or improving data quality control processes.
• Exposure to AI training data, human-generated datasets or specialist data annotation workflows.
• Familiarity with LLM training, fine-tuning, benchmarking or model evaluation.
• Experience within an AI research organisation, data-focused technology company or quantitative research environment.
• Previous responsibility for building quality assurance processes or leading technical contributor teams.

Location

• San Francisco Bay Area, United States.
• Full-time, permanent position.
• Office-based, requiring attendance in San Francisco five days per week.
• Candidates must already be based in the Bay Area or be willing to relocate.
• Visa transfer sponsorship may be considered, including eligible H-1B and OPT arrangements.