Manager, Human Data Operations

xAI

SpaceXAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates. ABOUT THE ROLE: You will lead the Human Data function responsible for delivering high-quality training data and evaluations that power SpaceXAI’s models. You will manage multiple Team Leads and their teams, set the standard for data quality at scale, and build the operational systems required to support rapid model development. This is a hands-on leadership role where you will have the opportunity to both improve existing processes and design new ones as we scale. RESPONSIBILITIES: - Own end-to-end quality and delivery for critical Human Data projects while ensuring accuracy, consistency, and guideline adherence at scale. - Lead, coach, and grow a team of Team Leads and AI Tutors (full-time and contractors), including performance management, career development, and talent pipeline building. - Manage a globally distributed workforce spanning multiple employment types (full-time employees and contractors), fostering strong collaboration and consistent standards across time zones. - Collaborate closely with Members of Program Staff, Go-to-Market teams, and Engineering teams to understand model needs and translate them into clear data requirements and labeling strategies. - Define and continuously improve operational standards, annotation guidelines, taxonomy, and quality assurance processes. - Drive efficiency and scalability by identifying and resolving bottlenecks, implementing process improvements, and leveraging metrics/KPIs to track performance (e.g., send-back rate, tutor utilization, lead time). - Recruit, hire, and develop top talent while maintaining a high-performance, meritocratic culture with strong accountability. - Build and iterate training programs, certification processes, and onboarding systems for new team members and leaders. - Act as the voice of the tutors while connecting Team Leads with Human Data Engineers to drive continuous improvement. - Report on program status, risks, and outcomes to senior leadership while fostering cross-functional alignment. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - 2+ years of people leadership experience, including managing Team Leads or equivalent managers, with a proven track record delivering high-quality operations at scale (e.g., in data annotation, AI training/evaluation, content quality, operations, or similar domains). - Basic understanding of AI/ML concepts and how high-quality training data impacts model performance. - Familiarity with project management tools such as Notion, JIRA, Linear, or Axiom. PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: - Strong track record of building and improving data quality systems and operational processes. - Demonstrated ability to manage performance, develop talent, and scale teams in a fast-paced environment. - Experience managing a globally distributed workforce with mixed employment types (full-time employees and contractors). - Proficiency in SQL and data analysis, with the ability to use metrics to drive continuous improvement (Lean principles or similar a plus). - Specialty or strong domain expertise in at least one of the following areas: Finance, STEM, Coding/Software Engineering, or other technical fields. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport quickly and align stakeholders. - Strong organizational skills with high attention to detail and a proactive, problem-solving mindset. - Previous experience building or scaling a Human Data / AI Tutors organization from early stages. - Strategic thinking combined with strong hands-on execution. - Experience creating training programs and certification frameworks at scale. - Passion for building high-performing, meritocratic teams. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: - Candidates must be based in one of the following countries where SpaceXAI has a physical office; remote work is also possible - United States - Dubai - Ireland - United Kingdom - Ireland - Japan - India - Indonesia - South Korea - Philippines - Singapore COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: US-based candidates: $108000 - $162000 depending on factors including relevant experience, skills, education, geographic location, and qualifications. International candidates: Information will be provided to you during the recruitment process. Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at SpaceXAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks. Benefits vary based on employment type, location and jurisdiction. Benefits for eligible U.S. based positions include health insurance, 401(k) plan, and paid sick leave. Specific details and role specific information will be provided to you during the interview process. SpaceXAI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice .