[Remote] Head of AI/ML Engineering at Natera

United States

Natera Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Expert & Leadership (9+ years), Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Healthcare, Biotechnology, AI/MLIndustries

Requirements

  • (Not explicitly listed in the provided job description excerpt)

Responsibilities

  • Own the end-to-end technical vision for the entire AI/ML platform, from data ingestion, MLOps, model serving, fine-tuning, foundation model training, RAG, and agentic applications
  • Make the critical "build vs. buy vs. open-source" decisions that balance speed, cost, and long-term defensibility
  • Recruit, hire, mentor, and retain an elite team of T-shaped AI engineers, applied ML engineers, data scientists, and platform engineers
  • Design a rigorous hiring process to find "unicorn" talent and foster a culture of continuous learning and excellence
  • Design, build, and scale an AI/ML platform that provides standardized tooling, infrastructure, and workflows for LLM training, fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI orchestration, and deployment
  • Develop reusable components and services (e.g., vector databases, prompt libraries, agent frameworks, model registries, evaluation pipelines, safety/guardrail modules) to accelerate delivery of AI solutions across product engineering teams
  • Ensure reliability, scalability, and compliance of the AI/ML platform by implementing robust observability, governance, and cost-optimization strategies tailored for large model serving and API consumption
  • Partner with business and product owners to identify, design, and implement high-impact AI solutions that drive measurable outcomes, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
  • Own the full lifecycle of AI solutions — from prototyping and deployment through ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and enhancements — ensuring solutions remain accurate, performant, and relevant as business needs evolve
  • Continuously improve deployed AI systems by incorporating feedback, retraining models, and updating components to adapt to changing data, regulatory requirements, and operational realities
  • Implement robust processes for quality assurance, model governance, and performance monitoring
  • Drive adoption of a combination of hyper-scaler AI services and specialized cloud native AI solutions to accelerate time-to-market
  • Lead cost observability and management initiatives to optimize AI infrastructure and usage at scale
  • Ensure compliance with AI Governance policies
  • Serve as the primary bridge between business stakeholders and the AI Office
  • Ensure AI product roadmaps align with Natera’s broader AI vision and business objectives
  • Champion a culture of responsible AI adoption, ensuring ethical, compliant, and explainable use of AI
  • Translate business needs into actionable technical requirements for engineering and business teams
  • Collaborate with security, regulatory, compliance, and legal to ensure solutions meet security and regulatory standards
  • Partner with AI Governance and Change Enablement leads to ensure trust, fairness, and adoption across the organization

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Generative AIML EngineeringMLOpsLLM Fine-TuningRAGAgentic ApplicationsVector DatabasesPrompt EngineeringModel ServingAI OrchestrationFoundation Model TrainingData Ingestion

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What are the key responsibilities of the Head of AI/ML Engineering role?

The role involves owning the AI/ML technical strategy and architecture, leading team recruitment and development, building and scaling the AI/ML platform, driving execution and delivery of AI solutions, and ensuring operational excellence.

What kind of team will I be leading in this position?

You will recruit, hire, mentor, and retain an elite team of T-shaped AI engineers, applied ML engineers, data scientists, and platform engineers, while designing a rigorous hiring process for 'unicorn' talent.

What technical expertise is needed for the AI/ML platform?

Expertise is required in end-to-end AI/ML platform ownership including data ingestion, MLOps, model serving, fine-tuning, foundation model training, RAG, agentic applications, vector databases, prompt libraries, agent frameworks, model registries, evaluation pipelines, and safety modules.

Is this role remote or office-based?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What is the salary or compensation for this position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

Natera

Genetic testing and diagnostics solutions provider

About Natera

Natera focuses on genetic testing and diagnostics, providing advanced solutions for cancer patients, transplant patients, and individuals assessing hereditary health risks. Their main technology is cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, which analyzes DNA fragments in the blood to detect minimal traces of cancer and assess organ health. Natera stands out by offering specialized tests like the Signatera ctDNA test and Panorama NIPT, along with genetic counseling services. The company's goal is to improve patient care and health outcomes through accurate genetic testing.

Austin, TexasHeadquarters
2004Year Founded
$149.9MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Biotechnology, HealthcareIndustries
1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Flexible medical plans
Investment options
Time off
Workplace perks

Risks

Hindenburg report accuses Natera of deceptive sales practices, risking legal challenges.
New Prospera Heart features may face slow adoption by healthcare providers.
Fetal RhD NIPT demand may drop post-RhIg shortage, affecting future sales.

Differentiation

Natera's Signatera test offers personalized ctDNA analysis for cancer patients.
Prospera Heart test uses unique Donor Quantity Score for transplant rejection detection.
Panorama NIPT test is a leader in non-invasive prenatal testing with 2 million tests.

Upsides

Increased adoption of liquid biopsy techniques boosts demand for Natera's cfDNA tests.
AI integration enhances accuracy and speed of Natera's cfDNA analysis.
Growing personalized medicine trend aligns with Natera's customized genetic tests.

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