Strategic Projects Lead - Coding

AfterQuery is an applied research lab curating data solutions for foundation model development.

We serve every frontier AI lab with the mission of delivering the best data to power the best models. In doing so, we can make expertise that once took a lifetime to build available to anyone who needs it. Our customers are the ones building the foundation models themselves and our work sits directly in the loop of how those systems improve.

This is a rare opportunity to join a company at a defining moment in AI. Since raising our $30M Series A at a $300M valuation, AfterQuery has grown well over a $100M revenue run rate.

We're based in San Francisco and backed by leading investors including Altos Ventures, BoxGroup, and Y Combinator and angels from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta Superintelligence Labs, and Microsoft AI.

Project and client management: Work with the world’s leading AI organizations to build next-generation data solutions that push the limits of model capability, while directly driving revenue.

Manage expert teams across domains: Lead and coordinate highly specialized contributors across fields like software engineering, data science, and machine learning.

Shape how AI systems are trained: Design dataset specifications that directly influence how frontier models are evaluated and improved. Your taste and judgement will shape what foundation models become.

Drive high-impact execution end-to-end: Own critical projects from idea to delivery. From scoping, executing, iterating, and shipping in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment, you will touch it all.

Gain top tier operational experience: Support the team across a range of operational initiatives that will directly contribute to the future of AfterQuery. You will work across multiple parts of the business in the same week, ranging from building, analyzing, coordinating, and executing where needed most.

Work at the frontier: Get a front-row seat to the most advanced AI development happening today. You’ll sit at the frontier, collaborating with research teams at frontier AI labs, big tech companies, and neolabs.

Own high-impact work from day one: You’ll be trusted with real projects that matter to customers, revenue, and the company’s trajectory and lead critical initiatives with real business impact

Build across disciplines: This role sits at the intersection of engineering, AI, operations, and strategy. You’ll solve a different class of problem than most engineers ever encounter.

Learn how companies are actually built: From 0 → 1 execution, sales motions, dataset design, to operational scaling, you’ll see and participate in every layer of a fast-growing AI company.

Be part of a world-class team: Our team includes alumni from Jane Street, Palantir, NVIDIA, Google, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and leading startups. We take talent seriously and like to work with other exceptional, driven, and genuine people.

Join a rocket ship: We grew well beyond $100M revenue run rate in just over a year.

• 2+ YOE in a top-tier tech company (FAANG, frontier AI lab) or quantitative trading firm

• Background in software engineering, ML engineering, AI research, or computer science

• High agency, drive, and a strong work ethic; thrive in ambiguity and execute with minimal direction

• Passion for AI and interest in entrepreneurship; enjoy experimenting with new tools (experience with Claude Code is a plus)

• Competitive nature and demonstrated past success

• Strong leadership experience and excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Thrive in fast-moving, high-impact environments with bias towards action, while balancing attention to detail

• Proficiency in Python and comfort writing production-quality code

• Bonus: technical skills (coding, scripting, or working with data) or experience using AI tools to automate workflows, conduct research, or build products

• Annual target cash compensation of $300K + meaningful equity

• Includes a profit-sharing bonus structure, where top performers frequently earn over $500K in total cash compensation

• Comprehensive benefits (UberEats and ride share stipend, comped Equinox, 401K with match, health, dental, and vision insurance)

We’re looking for the few who want to learn faster than anywhere else in their career, work at the frontier, and build a generational company from the ground up. The models trained today will shape the next decade. Come decide what they learn.