About the Role
Altera is seeking a visionary and hands‑on Director of AI Transformation & Engineering Excellence to lead enterprise‑wide AI initiatives that accelerate productivity, modernize engineering workflows, and drive innovation. In this role, you will architect advanced AI/ML solutions, build and scale Altera’s AI Office, and elevate engineering excellence across the organization.
This position is ideal for a deeply technical leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, execution, and organizational transformation.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the strategic planning, design, and execution of AI‑driven transformation initiatives across Altera.
Architect scalable, production‑grade AI/ML systems that improve engineering throughput and business productivity.
Build and mentor an AI Office team focused on innovation, enterprise enablement, and continuous improvement.
Partner with technology, product, and business leaders to identify and develop AI opportunities with measurable ROI.
Champion engineering excellence—coding standards, MLOps best practices, automation, and performance optimization.
Stay ahead of advancements in AI, LLMs, generative models, and intelligent automation to guide technology direction.
Engage in hands‑on prototyping, model development, and technical reviews.
Define KPIs, metrics, and dashboards to track the impact of AI transformation efforts.
Foster a culture of collaboration, experimentation, and a strong can‑do attitude.
Salary Range
The pay range below is for Bay Area California only. Actual salary may vary based on a number of factors including job location, job-related knowledge, skills, experiences, trainings, etc. We also offer incentive opportunities that reward employees based on individual and company performance.
$206,400 - $290,000 USD
We use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants for the position. Applicants must be eligible for any required U.S. export authorizations.
Required Qualifications
10+ years of hands‑on AI/ML engineering or applied research leadership.
MS or PhD in Machine Learning, AI, Computer Science, or related field.
Deep expertise in designing, developing, and deploying large‑scale AI/ML solutions.
Strong proficiency in Python, and frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit‑learn.
Experience leading technical teams and building AI capabilities from the ground up.
Proven track record in driving AI‑enabled productivity improvements or engineering transformations.
Excellent communication, cross‑functional leadership, and stakeholder alignment skills.
A collaborative mindset, high ownership, and a team‑first, can‑do approach.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience launching or leading an AI Center of Excellence (CoE).
Expertise in LLMs, generative AI, RAG systems, and vector retrieval technologies.
Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and scalable distributed systems.
Publications, patents, or research contributions in ML/AI.
Skills Required
- 10+ years of hands-on AI/ML engineering or applied research leadership
- MS or PhD in Machine Learning, AI, Computer Science, or related field
- Deep expertise in designing, developing, and deploying large-scale AI/ML solutions
- Strong proficiency in Python, and frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit-learn
- Experience leading technical teams and building AI capabilities from the ground up
- Proven track record in driving AI-enabled productivity improvements or engineering transformations
- Excellent communication, cross-functional leadership, and stakeholder alignment skills
- A collaborative mindset, high ownership, and a team-first, can-do approach
Altera (altera.com) Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Altera (altera.com) and has not been reviewed or approved by Altera (altera.com).
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Retirement Support — Feedback suggests retirement programs are robust, with offerings such as a 401(k) and a pension. This breadth supports long-term financial security.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Feedback suggests time-off policies are generous, including PTO, paid sick days, and paid holidays. Wellness initiatives like gym memberships further support balance.
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Parental & Family Support — Feedback suggests parental leave is generous. Family-building support, including fertility benefits and adoption reimbursement, is highlighted as part of the package.
Altera (altera.com) Insights
What We Do
Altera: Accelerating Innovators Altera provides leadership programmable solutions that are easy-to-use and deploy in applications from cloud to edge, offering limitless AI possibilities. Our end-to-end broad portfolio of products including FPGAs, CPLDs, Intellectual Property, development tools, System on Modules, SmartNICs and IPUs provide the flexibility to accelerate innovation. Altera is helping to shape the future through pioneering innovation that unlocks extraordinary possibilities for everyone on the planet.
