AI Engineering Lead/Manager

Job description

We are seeking an experienced AI Engineering Lead/Manager to lead a team that builds and ships AI-powered features across our client-facing applications. You will bring hands-on experience integrating AI capabilities, such as AI image generation, agentic actions, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations, into production software used by customers. This role blends technical leadership, hands-on engineering, and strong business sense: you will partner closely with Product Management to define features and shape the roadmap, then lead your team in turning that vision into reliable, delightful experiences. Job Description Lead and grow a team of engineers building AI-powered features into our client applications, setting technical direction and a high bar for quality. Partner closely with Product Management to define AI features and shape the product roadmap, balancing customer value, business impact, technical feasibility, and cost. Architect and deliver end-to-end integrations of AI capabilities into client-facing software (e.g., AI image generation, agentic actions and workflows, and MCP-based tool and data integrations). Stay hands-on: write, review, and ship production code, and help your team work through the hardest technical problems. Evaluate models, vendors, and APIs (hosted and open-source), making pragmatic build-vs-buy recommendations based on quality, latency, cost, and reliability. Establish practices for evaluating and monitoring AI features, including evals, quality metrics, guardrails, and user feedback loops. Build AI experiences that are safe and trustworthy, addressing content safety, privacy, prompt injection, and responsible AI considerations. Collaborate with UX on intuitive interaction patterns for AI features, including handling latency, uncertainty, and failures gracefully. Work with data and ML partners to understand model training, fine-tuning, and data pipelines, and translate those capabilities into product opportunities. Ship behind feature flags with progressive rollout and kill-switches, validating new behavior with production telemetry before ramping. Own the health of AI features through telemetry by tracking adoption, output quality, latency, cost per request, and defect trends. Champion agentic coding tools in your team's daily workflow (AI-assisted code review, automated test generation) while maintaining code quality, security, and human oversight. Mentor engineers, lead effective code reviews, and foster a culture of learning and experimentation. Stay current on the rapidly evolving AI landscape and recommend adoption where it would meaningfully improve our products or team. Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field. 5+ years of hands-on, professional software development experience in one or more of: Angular, Kotlin, Swift, C#, or Python. 2+ years of experience as a technical lead or engineering manager, leading engineers to deliver customer-facing software. Proven experience integrating AI-based features into client-facing production software, such as AI image generation, agentic actions, LLM-powered experiences, or MCP (Model Context Protocol) integrations. Practical experience with AI/LLM APIs and SDKs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Stability AI, or open-source models), including prompt design, tool/function calling, and structured outputs. Solid understanding of production AI tradeoffs, including latency, cost, reliability, evaluation, and safety. Strong business sense, with a track record of partnering with Product to define features, prioritize a roadmap, and measure outcomes. Experience designing and consuming REST APIs and integrating client applications with backend services. Experience with automated testing (unit, integration, end-to-end) and CI/CD pipelines. Experience instrumenting applications with telemetry/observability tools (e.g., Datadog, Firebase, or platform-native logging). Hands-on, pragmatic use of modern AI engineering tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, etc.). Nice to Have Knowledge of machine learning concepts, such as how models are trained, fine-tuned, and evaluated, and how data pipelines support them. Experience with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), embeddings, or vector databases. Experience with computer vision, such as image classification, object detection, segmentation, or image understanding. Experience with creative or design-focused applications, including 2D graphics or image processing. Soft Skills Communicates clearly with engineering, product, design, and business stakeholders, and can explain AI capabilities and limitations to non-technical audiences. Brings strong product and business judgment, connecting technical decisions to customer value and business outcomes. Builds alignment on scope, priorities, and tradeoffs with Product Management and UX. Leads by example, mentors engineers, and helps the team grow. Stays curious about the fast-moving AI landscape and brings practical improvements to the team. We’ve Got You Covered At Cricut, we take care of our people. Enjoy competitive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, a 401(k) match, generous PTO, tuition reimbursement, and a yearly lifestyle stipend to support your wellness and passions. You’ll also receive exclusive employee discounts—and best of all, you’ll be surrounded by some of the most talented, creative, and curious minds out there. A Quick Note Before You Apply… Cricut is in an exciting chapter of transformation. We’re evolving fast—refining our strategy, growing our teams, and raising the bar across everything we do. This is an incredible opportunity for the right kind of person—but it’s not for everyone. We’re looking for A-players—people who thrive in dynamic environments, turn challenges into momentum, and consistently deliver their best work. If that sounds like you, read on. Here’s what makes someone a great fit for this role (and for this moment at Cricut): You move with urgency. You don’t wait for perfect clarity to act—you start, learn, and adjust. You set high standards. You take ownership, deliver quality, and hold yourself accountable. You stay focused when things move fast. You prioritize what matters most and tune out the noise. You collaborate like a pro. You elevate others, communicate clearly, and bring a low-ego, high-output energy. You embrace AI as part of your toolkit. From idea exploration to data analysis and creative problem-solving, you leverage AI to accelerate innovation and amplify impact—because technology and creativity go hand-in-hand here. One More Thing (It’s a Big One) This role is in-office at least 4–5 days per week. We believe real collaboration, innovation, and culture are built face-to-face. If you’re energized by working alongside smart, kind, creative people—and love those hallway conversations that spark the next great idea—you’ll feel right at home. If you’re looking for a fully remote role, this may not be the right fit. But if you’re excited by challenge, purpose, and building something better—let’s make something amazing together. Relocation Statement: • This position is eligible for relocation assistance. What to Do Next: Please attach your resume, cover letter and/or include links to your portfolio or other social presence. If you want to show your super powers in other ways – include that information too. You can be sure that Cricut® is an employer who values individuality, equality and diversity, so tell us what you’re all about. If you are a Maker or a DIY enthusiast, whether you think you are a good one or not, we would love to hear about it when you send us your information. Cricut® is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. This position is contingent on successfully completing a Criminal Background Check upon hire. Cricut participates in E-Verify. Cricut® empowers people to make and personalize almost anything—from custom cards and apparel to everyday items and home décor. Our smart cutting machines, design apps, and materials make creativity easy and accessible for everyone. We believe everyone is born creative, and our mission is to put the power of handmade into the hands of all. With a passionate community of Makers around the world, Cricut helps turn inspiration into real, tangible creations—one project at a time. Let’s make.