The Director of Engineering role involves leading the development and deployment of AI-native machine learning products for external clients, overseeing a highly experienced ML engineering team from 4 to over 20 engineers. This leader will manage the entire lifecycle of complex AI systems, ensuring they move beyond proofs-of-concept to scalable, reliable production systems while collaborating closely with Product Management to build product vision and address customer concerns. The position requires extensive experience in machine learning or AI-driven systems, strong business acumen, and a proven track record of delivering AI/ML products in production environments. Key skills include deep technical expertise, team management, and the ability to engage effectively with customers and partners. Familiarity with marketing technology, sales technology, or customer experience platforms is preferred, as well as experience in startup contexts prioritizing rapid market introduction.
Own the end-to-end delivery of AI/ML solutions from conception to production.
Lead technical discussions on system build, model integration, and operational readiness.
Drive architectural decisions balancing innovation, scalability, cost, and maintainability.
Establish and manage a high-caliber ML engineering organization scaling to over 20 engineers.
Ensure excellence in production operations including monitoring, incident response, and customer support.
What we're looking for
Over 15 years of experience in software engineering with expertise in machine learning or AI-driven systems.
Proven history of delivering and managing AI/ML products in production, beyond experimentation.
Strong business exposure with direct ownership or leadership of a revenue-impacting AI/ML product.
Extensive experience leading senior technical teams, including performance evaluations and mentoring.
Ability to engage deeply with product partners and debate technical and product tradeoffs effectively.
Demonstrated success working directly with external customers in understanding production realities.
Strong background in ML system build, production architecture, and operational challenges.
Market check
Salary context
This
$265,700–$384,675
range sits above
97%
of similar postings on FindRole.
Peer median band
$184,000–$262,400
Median floor and ceiling across peers.
Typical midpoint (25–75%)
$187,864–$250,250
Middle half of comparable postings.
Based on 240 comparable postings.*
* 240 is the maximum number of comparable postings sampled.
Employer
About Adobe
Adobe Inc. is a global software company known for creative and multimedia software products including Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and its cloud-based Creative Cloud and Document Cloud suites. Industry: Creative & Digital Experience Software
Adobe currently has
290 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$183,300–$265,350
across 290 roles with salary data.