Director of Science

About Pinecone

Pinecone is pioneering search and database technology to power AI/ML applications for the next decade and beyond. We provide customers with capabilities that until now have only been in the hands of a few tech giants.

If you’re excited about hard problems at the intersection of AI, machine learning, search engines, and databases, we would love to meet you! We are looking for collaborative scientists who move nimbly between research and production and dare to make an impact.

Our R&D team includes founders of multiple startups and world-class engineers and scientists including the core team that created Amazon SageMaker.

About The Role

As the Director of Research Science, you will be entrusted with leading Pinecone’s thriving Research Lab.

You will recruit, mentor, and manage a world class research organization of research scientists and engineers. You will manage in a servant leadership style and foster a culture of academic excellence, collaboration with the community, and product impact.

You will provide strategic leadership and cutting-edge research in topics related to vector databases including information retrieval, high performance algorithms, and distributed systems.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to align research initiatives with the company's overall technical roadmap, influence product development, create deep technical content, and publish academic papers in top tier conferences.

In This Role, You Will

• Research Leadership: Provide strategic leadership in driving cutting-edge research in similarity search, vector databases, and related machine learning fields. Guide the development of novel algorithms, models, and techniques to enhance the capabilities of Pinecone.io's platform.
• Team Building: Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of talented research scientists and engineers. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence within the research team.
• Technical Strategy: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align research initiatives with the company's overall technical roadmap. Influence product development by translating research findings into practical solutions and features.
• Research Roadmap: Define and prioritize the research roadmap, ensuring that research efforts are aligned with business goals and customer needs. Drive the publication of research findings in top-tier conferences and journals.
• Partnerships: Build and maintain relationships with academic institutions, industry partners, and experts in the field to stay at the forefront of relevant research trends and advancements.
• Innovation: Stay abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning, AI, and data science, and assess their potential impact on Pinecone.io's technology. Propose and explore new research directions to maintain the company's technological leadership.
• Thought Leadership: Represent Pinecone at conferences, workshops, and seminars, contributing to the company's thought leadership in the field of similarity search and vector indexing.
  
  

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a related field. Equivalent industry experience combined with a strong publication record will also be considered.
• Proven Leadership: Prior experience in leading and managing a team of research scientists and engineers. Ability to provide technical guidance and mentorship.
• Expertise: Deep expertise in machine learning, information retrieval, similarity search, or related fields. Strong background in algorithm design and optimization.
• Research Impact: Track record of impactful research demonstrated through publications in top-tier conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, SIGIR) and journals.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C++ for research and prototyping purposes.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Innovation Mindset: Passion for exploring new ideas and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. A strong sense of curiosity and a commitment to staying current with the latest research trends.
• Collaborative Spirit: Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, translating research insights into practical applications.
  
  

Perks & Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage including Medical, Dental, Vision
• Free mental health therapy sessions; free One Medical, Tela-doc, and Health Advocate subscriptions
• Cost-savings on gynecology, fertility, and family-building care
• Equity award
• 401(k)
• Flexible time off
• Paid parental leave
• Annual Department Retreat
• WFH Equipment Stipend
  
  

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are the cornerstone of everything we do at Pinecone. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in a job description. Our top priority is finding the best candidate for the job and if you are interested in the position, we would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications listed in this posting. All qualified applicants will receive considerations for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, veteran status, and any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws.

Compensation Range: $215K - $275K