Director of Data Strategy & Operations

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Stability AI is seeking a Director of Data Strategy & Operations to own the end-to-end lifecycle of data for foundation models across 3D, video, image, and audio. You will source diverse datasets, manage ingestion and curation, optimize AWS S3 storage, and build tools to make large datasets searchable and research-ready while ensuring global regulatory compliance. You will lead vendor management, negotiate MSAs and SOWs, and partner with legal and research teams to balance technical needs with licensing constraints. The ideal candidate has 10+ years of senior data leadership in AI/ML, deep licensing and IP expertise, and strong data engineering and cross time zone leadership. When applying, highlight contract negotiations, scalable data pipelines, collaboration with legal and research, and measurable data quality improvements. Salary between 238,000 and 260,000 USD plus stock and benefits; onsite in United States; equal opportunity employer.

Stability AI is a community and mission-driven, open artificial intelligence company that cares deeply about real-world implications and applications. Our most considerable advances grow from our diversity in working across multiple teams and disciplines. We are unafraid to go against established norms and explore creativity. We are motivated to generate breakthrough ideas and convert them into tangible solutions. Our vibrant communities consist of experts, leaders, and partners across the globe who are developing cutting-edge open AI models for Image, Language, Audio, Video, and 3D.

We are seeking a Director of Data Strategy & Operations to oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of data acquisition and management for our foundation models across 3D, video, image, and audio. You will be critical for identifying, sourcing, and preparing high-quality datasets while ensuring legal compliance and operational efficiency.

What you'll do...

• Data Sourcing & Strategy: Identify and acquire diverse datasets from public and commercial partners while managing complex technical and legal requirements. You will also collaborate with research teams to ensure these data sources align with specific model training and fine-tuning needs (3D, audio, image).
• Technical and Operational Management: Oversee the technical lifecycle of large-scale data, from managing ingestion, curation, and AWS S3 storage optimization to ensuring system reliability and code quality. Additionally, you will develop internal tools and standards to make massive datasets searchable, accessible, and efficiently indexed for research use.
• Legal & Compliance: You will partner with the legal team to mitigate risks, ensure global regulatory compliance, and manage strict sensitive data protection rules. Furthermore, you will serve as a key representative for the company in legal matters, including providing testimony regarding data usage and licensing.
• Vendor & Project Management: You will lead high-level data vendor management by negotiating Master Services Agreements (MSAs) and Statements of Work (SOWs) while overseeing partnerships for data annotation, evaluation, and specialized collection projects. Additionally, you will drive cross-functional alignment between technical leads and researchers to ensure the data strategy directly supports the company’s product roadmap.

What you'll bring...

• 10+ years experience in senior data leadership roles within AI/ML environments, managing a team of engineers across different timezones.
• Deep expertise in data licensing, intellectual property rights, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong technical background in managing massive datasets, AWS S3 (or equivalent) storage, and data engineering workflows.
• Proven track record of negotiating high-value contracts and managing external vendor relationships.
• Ability to collaborate with research and legal teams to balance technical needs with legal constraints.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is between $238,000 and $260,000 USD. Individual pay within the range is based on factors like job-related skills and experience. Total compensation also includes stock options and benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or other legally protected statuses.