Sr. Technical Product Manager, AI/ML

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.

The AI/ML teams are seeking a Senior Technical Product Manager to help us achieve architectural and measurable operational excellence. The ideal candidate for this role will have experience managing AI/ML products and services, with a strong focus on API management, internal tool development, and strategic infrastructure and data initiatives. This candidate must have demonstrated a track record of both strategic thinking and practical execution. They have led projects from idea/inception to delivery with measurable customer value realized and are passionate about inventing new technologies with a big-picture vision, grounded in a practical, realistic approach.

Your Responsibilities:

• AI/ML Services API - Own and manage the lifecycle of AI/ML Services APIs to ensure they meet the needs of internal developers and external stakeholders. Drive the documentation, versioning, and governance of APIs and oversee the development, deployment, and continuous improvement of internal apps.
• Infra & Data Strategy Leadership - Lead the strategic direction for infrastructure and data strategy, aligning with Upwork's long-term goals. Collaborate with engineering and data science teams to ensure scalable, efficient, and secure AI/ML infrastructure.
• Partnerships - Form strong partnerships and productive working relationships with engineers, product teams, and stakeholders across the organization. Appreciate the importance of strong bonds and collaboration for successful product management.
• Customer Focus - Maintain a deep understanding of both internal and external customers, owning services that drive intelligent and collaborative experiences across all product surfaces.
• Metrics and Data-Driven Decision Making - Focus on key input and output metrics for your areas, driving experimentation and data-driven decisions. Ensure dashboards are up-to-date and reflective of current data and models.
• Backlog & Roadmap Management - Manage incoming requests and backlogs for your areas, maintaining a strategic outlook for upcoming quarters.
• Operational Excellence - Define and improve processes and standards for AI/ML workflows, from training to serving to monitoring, with a focus on efficiency and measurable outcomes.
• Acceptance Testing - Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure AI/ML standards are met and validated before product releases.

What it Takes to Catch our Eye:

• Strong Communication - Exceptional written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with a proficiency in producing and iterating on architecture diagrams and managing comprehensive documentation.
• Creator at Heart - 0 to 1 builder/creator with a proven track record of taking ideas from inception to reality. You’re both a thinker and a doer and enjoy every step of the process.
• Experience with AI/ML Products - Proven track record in product management for AI/ML products, including API management and internal tool development. Familiarity with the build and deploy process for AI/ML features. Strong knowledge of the infrastructure needed to serve AI and ML technologies.
• Strategic and Analytical Thinking - Ability to dive deep into experiments, tooling, data, sharing insights across the business, and making informed strategic decisions.
• Collaboration and Leadership - Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and leading initiatives on a global scale. Ability to mentor and guide teams through complex project landscapes.

The annual base salary for this position in California and Washington ranges from $160,000 - $215,000. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salary for this position in California and Washington, and individual base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Additionally, this position is eligible for the annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan and eligibility to participate in our long term equity incentive program

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals.  While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also support hiring of corporate full-time employees in 19 states in the United States. Please speak with a member of our recruitment team to determine whether you are located in a state in which we are hiring corporate full-time employees. 

At the core of our vibrant culture are shared values that form the foundation of our organization. These values revolve around trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence. Our overarching mission is to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster an environment where individuals are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, nurturing personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and participation in Upwork Belonging Communities.

We take pride in providing exceptional benefits to our employees. These include comprehensive medical insurance coverage for both you and your family, unlimited paid time off, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. To explore these benefits in detail, as well as gain insights into our company values, working principles, and the overall employee experience, we invite you to visit our Life at Upwork page.

Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.