Sr Dir, AI Technology - Feature Engrg Lead

Job Description

Job Summary PayPal seeks an accomplished Senior Director of Engineering with a robust background in AI & Machine Learning (ML) engineering to lead the global AI Feature Engineering team, reporting directly to the VP of AI Technology. In partnership with other leaders within this org, the successful candidate will be responsible for driving the development and execution of PayPal s AI Feature engineering lifecycle strategy and platform delivery and leading the global team responsible for building the tools and capabilities. This position is responsible to oversee the architecture, innovation, delivery and production feature platforms, including batch, online, graph-based, vector and near real-time engines. The ideal candidate will possess deep technical expertise, strategic vision, and leadership abilities to drive advancements in AI feature engineering. We foster a culture of experimentation and consistently strive for improvement and learning. You will work in a collaborative, trusting, and thought-provoking environment that encourages diversity of thought and innovative solutions that serve the best interests of our customers. Job Description Job Responsibilities Lead the global AI Feature Engineering team, and responsible for driving the development and execution of PayPal s AI Feature engineering lifecycle strategy and platform delivery and leading the global team responsible for building the tools and capabilities. Leadership in Feature Engineering Architecture to develop robust platforms for real-time, near real-time, batch processing, and integration with vector/graph database technologies. Hands-on thought leadership for building on-premise and cloud-based feature data platforms for Risk, Consumer, and Merchant segments. Prototype and deploy cutting-edge feature engineering tools to optimize AI workflows, including building prototypes for demonstration or illustration purposes for peer groups, business partners, or senior leaders. Influence senior business and technology stakeholders across the organization to promote adoption and alignment with technology strategies. Define and execute strategies for feature discovery, lifecycle optimization, and maintaining high-performance feature stores. Partner with business stakeholders, model training teams, AI infrastructure groups, and product owners to streamline feature integration, resolve production issues, and define firmwide technology strategies and roadmaps. Establish systems for data health monitoring and alerting of solution events related to performance, scalability, availability, and reliability. Drive innovation to maximize the business benefits of adopting market-leading technology capabilities by rapidly evaluating, piloting, and scaling new innovations where appropriate. Build, mentor, and inspire a global team of engineers, partner with product managers, and ML Ops specialists to deliver operating excellence and achieve organizational goals. Lead the organization in implementing self-service capabilities for rapid feature creation and deployment by data scientists and engineers. Ability to build global teams and a passion for fostering an innovative culture. Qualifications/ Education/Experience/Skills Bachelor s/Master s degree in Computer Science, AI/ML, Software Engineering, or related field, with 15+ years of experience. Proven expertise in feature engineering lifecycle management using tools and technologies on-prem or cloud based. Strong technical proficiency in big data platforms, cloud architecture (e.g., AWS, GCP), and vector/graph databases. Experience deploying large-scale ML pipelines with high reliability and uptime. Background with Machine Learning Frameworks , Realtime systems, and Big Data technologies such as Hadoop. Effective people management skills, with the ability to attract, retain and inspire a global high- performance engineering team. Effective cross-functional collaboration skills, bridging technical and business stakeholders in dynamic environments. Strong communication and strategic influencing skills, with an executive presence. Must be able to translate and distill complex data concepts to different audiences concisely. Ability to juggle multiple priorities and effectively deliver in a fast-paced, dynamic environment Comfortable working in an Agile and collaborative environment. Behaviors Consistently demonstrates PayPal s core values, which include Collaboration and Inclusion Partnership - organizational awareness, engages widely with peers and senior leadership across PayPal. Innovate - leads effectively in a dynamic, fast-changing environment, challenges convention. Deliver Stand out Results - develops decisive strategies that deliver tangible results. Execution - focuses the business area on strategic priorities; operates clear, simple systems. Enable and Grow Talent - builds capability and a succession pipeline. Leadership - contributes to the business leadership agenda; sets business area vision.