Adobe Inc.

Director, ML Engineering

Adobe Inc.$265K — $384K *
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in applied machine learning and ML systems, with 5+ years leading engineering organizations.
  • Demonstrated success in shipping generative AI products at enterprise scale.
  • Proven ability to collaborate with VP-level partners across multiple domains.
  • Experience building engineering talent and developing leaders within teams.
  • Deep understanding of generative model architectures and large-scale inference economics.

Responsibilities

  • Define and implement the technical strategy for enterprise-scale ML services.
  • Lead multi-team engineering organization and scale up talent acquisition as needed.
  • Establish engineering operating models for custom generative models across various media.
  • Own production SLAs and analytics for model pipelines to ensure quality and reliability.
  • Drive partnerships with GPU vendors and hyperscalers to support service capacity.

Benefits

  • Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
  • Collaboration with top-tier talent in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
  • Access to cutting-edge technology and resources for innovation.
  • Impactful work in a dynamic environment serving enterprise customers.
Full Job Description
The Opportunity

We are hiring aDirector, ML Engineeringto own the engineering function behindFireflyFoundrys model services at enterprise scale. This is a multi-faceted executive role with end-to-end accountability for howFireflyFoundrys models are productionized, served, andoperatedfor our enterprise customers and for the engineering organization that delivers that capability.

What this role owns

You will define and implement the technical strategy that turnsFireflyFoundryfrom a managed service for early-design partners into a platform capable of serving hundreds of enterprise customers concurrently each with their own IP, tenancy boundaries, and SLAs powering everything from franchise extensions and new IP development to modern GenAI workflows at production scale. Specifically, you will:

  • Set the engineering operating model for productionizing custom generative models across image, video, and 3D including the architectural patterns that simplify pipeline construction and let us absorb a heterogeneous mix of internal and external models without linear engineering cost.
  • Own the unit economics ofFireflyFoundryinference. Cost-to-serve, GPUutilization, and gross margin on the managed service are your numbers.
  • Define the tenancy and data-isolation architecture that lets us honor enterprise IP contracts under audit.
  • Drive the self-serve roadmap that broadensFireflyFoundrys reach and value beyond hands-on engagements.
  • Represent Adobe engineering in C-suite and senior technical conversations with studios, brands, and global enterprises including VPs of Production, CTOs, and Chief Digital Officers.

Who you will partner with
  • Applied Scienceto ensure inference quality matches the training environment, and to make prioritization calls on emerging techniques for multimedia
  • FireflyFoundryStudioto translate ambitious creative visions into reliable, high-performance ML systems that transform how content is conceived,produced, anddelivered, and into concrete roadmaps with clear milestones and success metrics.
  • Post-sales field organizationengagement managers and creative technologists in customer engagements, where you serve as the engineering leadership representative and educate the field on APIs and services.
  • AI Platform, and adjacent Adobe orgsto negotiate shared infrastructure, accelerator capacity, and serving primitives at platform scale.
  • Strategic partnersincluding GPU vendors andhyperscalers, where capacity planning, roadmap alignment, and partnership economics are part of your remit.

What you will do
Build and lead the engineering organization
  • Lead a multi-team engineering organization of ML engineers and engineering managers; recruit, hire, develop, andretainsenior technical and leadership talent, and build a culture of engineering rigor and delivery discipline.
  • Hiring at scale is a material part of this role FireflyFoundryis growing rapidly, and sustaining scaling momentum depends on it. You will integrate top technical and leadership talent into the organization at thepacethe business demands.
  • Establish the engineering bar, the bench, and the talent strategy that letFireflyFoundrysustain 10x growth incapabilitybreadth and traffic without linear headcount growth.
  • Define the operating rhythm goal-setting, exec reviews, and engineering reviews that keeps a fast-scaling org coordinated.

Define and own the technical strategy
  • Own the multi-year architecture for training and inference at scale: pipeline construction, data pipelines, evaluation frameworks, model lifecycle management, and acceleratorutilization(CUDA, NCCL, and the wider GPU stack).
  • Set the strategy for fast model deployment, parallel pipeline operation at scale, tenancy/data isolation, and self-serve capability buildout.
  • Make the build-vs-buy and prioritization calls on emerging GenAI techniques in partnership with Applied Science, based on material improvements in capability, cost, or speed.

Own production reliability and economics
  • Hold the line onproductionSLAs for orchestrated and deployed model services.
  • Own analytics and observability across every model pipeline quality, latency, cost, andutilization.
  • Drive cost-to-serve down on a multi-year curve while expanding capability.

Drive customer and partner outcomes
  • Represent engineering in technical customer engagements with enterprise customers translating creative and business requirements into ML roadmaps, milestones, and success metrics.
  • Co-design scalable, cost-efficientserving forreal-time on-set use cases and high-volume social content generation, in partnership with infrastructure and platform teams.
  • Steward the GPU vendor andhyperscalerrelationships that underwriteFireflyFoundrysserving capacity.

What you bring
Leadership scope
  • 10+ yearsin applied machine learning and ML systems, including5+ yearsleading engineering organizations with prior experience leading managers of managers.
  • Demonstrated success shipping generative AI products in production at enterprise scale.
  • Proven ability tooperateas a peer to VP-level partners across product, science, infrastructure, and field organizations, and torepresentengineering credibly in front of senior customer and partner executives.
  • Track recordof building engineering benches, defining career frameworks for emerging roles, and developing leaders who themselves become directors.

Technical judgment
  • Deep understanding of the modern generative model landscape (diffusion, transformers, VAEs, latent video models, control/adapters, or similar) enough to make architecture, investment, and prioritization calls with confidence, in close partnership with Applied Science.
  • Strong intuition for the economics and engineering reality of large-scale inference: accelerator stacks, model optimization and quantization, and the tradeoffs between quality, latency, and cost.
  • Experience designing and operating ML systems end-to-end data, training, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement at production scale.
  • Familiarity with high-resolution media pipelines (4K+ video, high bit-depth) or adjacent bandwidth- and latency-sensitive domains is a meaningful plus.

Communication and judgment
  • Executive presence and communication skills able to brief executives, customers, and partners credibly, and to work directly with creative, production, and business collaborators to turn ambiguous problems into clear technical plans.
  • Sound judgment under ambiguity comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and revising asnew informationarrives.

Education
  • MS or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience building and leading advanced ML systems.

#FireflyGenAI

About Adobe Inc.

The Omniture product suite provides an integrated set of services: advanced web analytics and segmentation (SiteCatalyst, Discover and Data Warehouse), search marketing (SearchCenter), optimization (Advanced Testing and Targeting -- Offermatica and TouchClarity), and the marketing integration platform (Genesis). They also have an iPhone application that allows customers to sign into their Omniture account and view statistics from anywhere.

Adobe Inc. Careers

Join Adobe Inc., a global leader in digital media and digital marketing solutions, and be part of a team that thrives on innovation and creativity. Adobe offers unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career forward in an environment that fosters growth and leadership. Work You’ll Do At Adobe, you will be immersed in an atmosphere of innovative solutions and exceptional leadership, contributing to projects that drastically change the landscape of digital content. Our team at Adobe is dedicated to empowering creatives and enterprises alike through cutting-edge technology and expertise. Transform the World with Your Creativity Adobe’s mission is to change the world through digital experiences. We are looking for professionals who are passionate about creativity, technology, and driving significant market evolution. Join a diverse team that values individuality and the fresh perspectives each member brings. Lead in a Culture of Innovation Adobe Inc. is synonymous with fostering a culture of innovation where your ideas can pave the way for groundbreaking digital solutions. Our leadership is committed to nurturing a dynamic and inclusive workplace that promotes career growth and development. Collaborate with the Best Work alongside a global team of talented professionals who are leaders in their fields. At Adobe, you will enhance your skills through collaboration and be inspired by the creativity and dedication of your teammates. Our networking opportunities within the company are designed to foster connections that lead to lasting professional relationships. Explore Career Opportunities Adobe Inc. offers a range of career paths from software engineering to marketing, customer experience to IT. Explore job opportunities and internships that align with your skills and passions. Adobe is committed to hiring the best talent and providing them with the training, benefits, and support needed to succeed. Innovate and Grow Drive innovation as part of the Adobe team and see firsthand how your work contributes to the company’s success and your personal growth. Engage in projects that push the boundaries of technology and creativity. Future-Proof Your Career Adobe is dedicated to the development of its employees at all stages of their careers. We offer comprehensive training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, to ensure you are equipped for the future. Our benefits package is designed to support the well-being and financial security of our team members and their families. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We look for driven, curious, creative, and solution-oriented team players. Start your journey with Adobe today by exploring our exciting career and internship opportunities. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the rewarding and exciting opportunities that await at Adobe Inc.
Learn more about Adobe Inc.
Size
25,988 employees
Market Cap
$154.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
$5.2 billion
Founded
1982
5 Year Trend
+21.9%
Revenue
$12.8 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Adobe Inc.

More Enterprise Technology Jobs

Find similar Director, ML Engineering jobs: