Technical Program Manager (AI/ML)

Job description

ABOUT CUSPAI CuspAI is the frontier AI company on a mission to solve the breakthrough materials needed to power human progress. While nature took billions of years to perfect molecules, we are harnessing AI to unlock trillion-dollar materials breakthroughs in months, not millennia. Our founding team is the most cited in the world, comprised of world-class researchers in AI, chemistry and engineering. We are working on some of the hardest and most important challenges including energy, clean water, the future of compute, and carbon capture, and this is just the start of what our 'search engine' for next-generation materials will unlock. We invite you to be part of a diverse, innovative team at the intersection of AI and materials science, working to create impactful partnerships that drive innovation, scalability, and industry collaboration. This work matters. Your work matters. We’re on the cusp of the on-demand materials era. Join us. THE ROLE Due to rapid growth, we are seeking a Technical Program Manager with an AI/ML background to join our team in Berlin. You will be a key driver of technical cohesion, bridging the gap between our research and the physical implementation of next-generation materials. YOUR IMPACT In this role you will be building and executing the program management framework that accelerates AI/ML frontier research and platform capability development, which is critical for translating scientific objectives into real-world, scalable materials breakthroughs. As a member of our growing team of TPMs, you will work closely with our technical teams on internal initiatives and also manage high-stakes customer projects. Your main focus initially will be coordinating complex technical campaigns in frontier AI/ML research focused on developing novel materials, and over time you will likely get involved in establishing more sophisticated, scalable processes for model development lifecycles. WHAT YOU WILL DO Program Leadership & Research Integration - Lead internal technical programs across AI/ML model development, frontier research, data workflows, and machine learning infrastructure, acting as the connective tissue between AI researchers and materials scientists. - Translate scientific and business objectives into executable plans, aligning commercial, research and engineering teams. - Close the loop between experimental results and the AI research cycle, translating lab findings back into the model development process to continuously improve accuracy and accelerate discovery. - Own planning and delivery of projects; calculating compute, managing resources & dependencies, mapping out timelines, and managing risks to ensure successful outcomes. Partner & Customer Collaboration - Lead technical programs with industry partners and research institutions, serving as a primary program contact for our external partners during the execution and delivery of projects. - Facilitate technical discussions between internal teams and external stakeholders. - Drive project scoping and proposal writing in collaboration with the Partnerships and technical teams. - Manage joint development initiatives and coordinate customer pilot programs from conception through to deployment. Process & Operations - Work closely with the rest of the global TPM team to refine scalable processes. - Implement metrics for tracking technical milestones and program outcomes. - Coordinate compliance and regulatory considerations across programs. - Support intellectual property (IP) and scientific publication processes. - Foster interdisciplinary team culture and own change management to successfully scale the organisation. - Use data to drive continuous improvements to internal and customer-facing processes. MUST HAVE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS: - You possess a strong background in AI/ML and/or a related Natural Science field. - Proven experience as a Technical Program Manager specifically within the AI/ML domain, including a deep understanding of model architecture, cloud computing best practices and the software development lifecycle. - Strong leadership and facilitation capabilities for managing cross-functional teams. - The ability to navigate high levels of ambiguity and maintain cohesion across multi-disciplinary teams (AI, Chemistry, and Engineering). - Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence both highly technical researchers and non-technical partners at varying levels of seniority. - Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills with comfort navigating ambiguity and changing priorities. BONUS POINTS (BUT NOT CRITICAL): - Experience with molecular simulation software, quantum chemistry packages, or cheminformatics tools. - Practical experience or an academic background in Materials Science, Experimental Chemistry, or Physics. - Hands-on experience with high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure or scientific data management. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS This role will be based in our Berlin office, with the expectation of being in the office three days per week. Additionally, there may be regular travel required to other locations (particularly London or Amsterdam) for collaboration and project work. WHAT WE OFFER - A competitive salary: We value and reward impact and growth - Equity in CuspAI: You have a stake in the success of the company - Time off to stay fresh: 28 days holiday (DE, NL, UK) or 21 days holiday (JP, SG, US), in addition to local public holidays - ‘Gold Standard’ parental leave: 26 weeks (primary caregiver) and 12 weeks (secondary caregiver) at full pay - we look after you and your family while we work on the most important materials discovery problems together - Professional development budget: We invest in your career development so you can stay up to date with the latest industry knowledge or add to your skills to increase impact and growth - Solve meaningful problems: See how your work has a direct impact on advancing materials science and solving sustainability and climate-related problems through the creation and application of bleeding-edge SOTA technology and revolutionary techniques - True interdisciplinary teamwork: Be part of a deeply collaborative environment bridging AI research, computational chemistry, and experimental science - work with world-class researchers and engineers who enjoy sharing knowledge and supporting each other Join us in shaping the future of materials with AI. Together, we can create groundbreaking solutions for a more sustainable world. CuspAI is an equal opportunities employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and value the unique perspectives and contributions that diversity brings to our team. Please let us know if you require any specific adjustments during or after the interview process. We will do everything we can within reason to accommodate.