Tech Lead, Applied Research (AI)

TL;DR

Tech Lead, Applied Research (AI): Architecting and delivering high-stakes prototypes and production-ready solutions within Twilio’s incubation lab with an accent on AI, machine learning, and frontier technologies. Focus on driving technical direction for agent-native communication channels and pioneering the autonomous future through rapid experimentation.

Location: Must be based in the United States

Compensation: $227,840 – $335,000 (varies by location)

Company

Twilio is a global leader in cloud communications, empowering developers and businesses to build personalized customer experiences through innovative software solutions.

What you will do

• Design and own the end-to-end implementation of high-stakes prototypes and production-ready solutions.
• Drive technical direction for AI and machine learning integration within incubation projects.
• Establish engineering governance, code review standards, and mentor peers to elevate quality.
• Articulate complex architectural decisions to executive stakeholders and engineering teams.
• Navigate ambiguity to rapidly pivot technical strategies based on market dynamics and user feedback.

Requirements

• Must be based in the United States
• 10+ years of professional full-stack software development experience.
• Proficiency in modern languages such as Python, Java, Go, or JavaScript.
• Experience with both SQL and NoSQL database paradigms.
• Mastery of agentic coding models and AI-assisted development tools.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work with extreme autonomy.

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with LLM, AI, or machine learning projects.
• Deep knowledge of cloud architecture (AWS, Azure) and distributed systems.
• Experience working in globally distributed teams.
• Contributions to open source or tech community projects.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive pay and equity participation.
• Comprehensive healthcare insurance and 401(k) retirement savings program.
• Generous time off, parental leave, and wellness benefits.
• Remote-first work culture with a focus on global inclusion.
• Opportunities for in-person connection through occasional travel.