VP, AI-Native Ops & Automation, R&D

Algolia is a market leader in AI Search, powering over 30 billion search requests weekly. We are hiring a new individual‑contributor executive to transform our R&D operating model.

Position Overview

As VP, AI‑Native Ops & Automation, R&D, you will report directly to the CEO and lead the design and implementation of an AI‑native operating system for product, engineering, AI research, and platform teams.

Responsibilities

Lead R&D Operating Model Transformation

• Analyze and redesign the full product development lifecycle across planning, prioritization, development, deployment, and release management.
• Identify bottlenecks, coordination overhead, tooling gaps, and workflow inefficiencies across teams.
• Define scalable, AI‑native operating models that improve development velocity, quality, reliability, and execution consistency.

Build AI‑Augmented Engineering & Product Intelligence

• Apply AI and advanced analytics across engineering telemetry, CI/CD systems, product usage data, incidents, retrospectives, and customer feedback.
• Develop systems that continuously surface delivery risks, quality issues, prioritization opportunities, and operational insights.
• Partner with infrastructure, platform, and developer tooling teams to embed AI and automation deeply into engineering workflows.

Drive Transformation Execution, Adoption & Governance

• Build and execute a multi‑quarter roadmap for R&D operational transformation.
• Drive adoption of AI‑assisted workflows, automated reporting, and intelligent execution systems across product and engineering leadership.
• Establish governance models for AI usage, workflow instrumentation, data integrity, and system reliability.

Establish Performance Measurement & Operational Excellence

• Define KPI frameworks across cycle time, deployment frequency, reliability, productivity, and engineering efficiency.
• Measure the impact of automation and AI adoption across development workflows.
• Institutionalize repeatable methodologies for AI‑enabled product development and engineering operations.

Qualifications

• Strong systems thinking and a passion for optimizing complex engineering and product organizations.
• Exceptional communication and influence skills across executive, technical, and operational stakeholders.
• 15+ years of experience in Product Operations, Engineering Operations, Technical Program Leadership, or enterprise transformation roles.
• Deep understanding of modern software development lifecycles, developer tooling ecosystems, platform engineering, and AI/ML‑enabled workflows.
• Demonstrated success leading large‑scale engineering or product transformation initiatives with measurable operational outcomes.

Nice to Have

• Experience in high‑scale SaaS, AI infrastructure, platform engineering, or enterprise technology environments.
• Familiarity with AI‑assisted software development tooling, autonomous workflows, and engineering intelligence systems.
• Experience scaling globally distributed engineering organizations.
• Exposure to governance, reliability, and operational excellence frameworks in complex technical organizations.

Company Values

• Grit – Problem‑solving and perseverance in a changing environment.
• Trust – Willingness to trust our co‑workers and take ownership.
• Candor – Ability to receive and give constructive feedback.
• Care – Genuine care about teammates, clients, and decision making.
• Humility – Aptitude for learning from others, putting ego aside.

Workplace Flexibility

Algolia offers a flexible workplace model that supports remote, hybrid‑remote, or in‑office work, with options across our global campuses.

EEO Statement

We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is respected and supported—regardless of race, age, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, color, veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic background.