Director of Data & AI Engineering

Position: Director of Data & AI Engineering At Interplay, we’re pushing technological limits to make training more powerful. As our Director of Data & AI Engineering, you’ll lead a founding-level effort to architect an ecosystem that serves both our product innovation and our organizational efficiency. You will manage a team of experts to move beyond the AI hype, building production-ready features for our customers and a scalable, data-driven backbone for our internal teams. We are looking for an experienced leader & people manager who is a Data Analyst at heart. You bring the perspective of someone who has been in the trenches of data analysis and the proven experience of managing technical teams to deliver high-scale AI and data solutions for internal and external needs. EdTech experience preferred! Why this position: Meaningful, impactful work Mission-driven company Career development in a dynamic, high growth environment Passionate, collaborative team Innovative product - EdTech, VR, AI What you’ll do: Team Management: Lead the data engineering team (3 engineers, 2 analysts); conduct performance reviews, provide mentorship, and set career development plans to drive growth. Stakeholder Management: Work cross-functionally with CS, Sales, Marketing, and Finance to identify needs and construct technical roadmaps for data initiatives. Governance & Compliance: Establish and enforce enterprise-wide governance frameworks that ensure data privacy, AI safety, and regulatory compliance while standardizing best practices across the data ecosystem. Architectural Oversight: Oversee the design and deployment of a unified and scalable data architecture and pipelines that support analytics, BI, and machine learning initiatives. Strategic Solutioning: Evaluate business friction points to determine if a BI dashboard, AI agent, or automated workflow is the most effective solution, working with stakeholders to determine technical aspects of complex data projects. Value Realization: Define and track ROI via dashboards for "Hours Saved," "Cost Avoidance," and "Revenue Impact" from AI and data deployments. Who you are: Pragmatic Idealist: You have a bias for action and rapid prototyping but possess the empathy to ensure AI augments (rather than replaces) the human elements of our culture. Cross-Functional Translator: You can fluently explain technical concepts to executive leadership and business logic to developers. Systems Thinker: You connect dots across the wider ecosystem, testing small but building for scale. Out-of-the-Norm Thinker: You look beyond standard fixes to find creative, data-driven solutions to complex business problems. Requirements: Leadership Experience: 8+ years in Data Engineering or Technical Strategy, with 3+ years in a leadership position managing high-performing teams. Cloud Mastery: Deep experience managing cloud data infrastructure, preferably in GCP with BigQuery, Dagster, dbt, and Omni. AI Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to architect agentic AI solutions, RAG pipelines, and orchestration frameworks using Python or TypeScript. Data Fluency: Strong foundation in API integrations, data structuring (JSON, SQL), and event-driven pipelines. Industry Experience: Preferred experience in EdTech or B2B SaaS. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without stipulations and be residents of the United States. Following the offer of employment, all roles will require a background check and a drug and alcohol test. Some positions may require other verifications, such as, driver eligibility and record, credentials or education. All new hires will be required to complete the I-9 Form and E-verify process upon employment. Pay: $175k-$190k annual salary Benefit & Perks - why you'll love working with us: Remote-first & flexible hours – Offices in Austin, TX; Deer Park, TX; Woodland, WA; and Cleveland, OH. Learning & growth – Annual learning reimbursement. Family-friendly policies – Support for work-life balance. Generous time off – 3 weeks PTO, 1 week Winter Break, holidays, and sick days. Comprehensive benefits – Medical, vision, dental, and 401(k) match. Equity – Private Company Equity Options Wellness – Mental and physical health resources and social events. Join us and grow with a team that values you! Equal Employment Opportunity Interplay Learning is committed to providing equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity or expression, status as a veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic or activity in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. As a federal contractor, Interplay Learning takes affirmative action to consider qualified individuals without regard for disability and protected veterans status. Individuals with disabilities who need assistance with the application or recruitment process must promptly contact the HR Department to discuss their particular needs. Interplay Learning does not discriminate against employees or applicants for discussing, disclosing, or inquiring about compensation. Drug Testing & Background Testing The company conducts background checks as part of the hiring process after extending an offer of employment. These screenings are facilitated by trusted third-party specialists. All positions require I-9 verification, E-Verify, a background check, and a drug and alcohol screening. Depending on the role, additional screenings may include employment history verification, a DMV record check, reference checks, education and credential verification, or a credit history review. We believe in fostering a welcoming and inclusive workplace and encourage everyone to apply, regardless of background. Our hiring decisions are guided by skills, experience, and a shared commitment to our values. If you have any questions about our process, we’re happy to provide support and guidance along the way. Apply To this Job