---
title: 'Seattle Site Lead at Handshake'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/seattle-site-lead-handshake-seattle-de5v43et24w5'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-21'
---

# Seattle Site Lead at Handshake

- **Company:** [Handshake](https://feeny.ai/companies/handshake)
- **Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-19
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-21
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/handshake/647c13c6-1329-4e5f-a6d9-bea653605d86

## Job description

## About Handshake

Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions. In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month.

Why join Handshake now:

- Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel
- Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions
- Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders
- Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

## About Handshake AI

Human data is the core infrastructure to AI advancement. Frontier AI labs currently improve model capabilities with various data-intensive post-training techniques. We believe that data spend for AI training will increase by 3-5x in the next few years and continue for much longer as models take on new domains. Handshake AI supports all of the frontier AI labs, working on their most complex data at the largest scale.

## Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Site Lead to oversee the day-to-day operations, workforce management, and workplace standards of our AI Trust & Safety operation. This role will initially be responsible for approximately 200 employees, supported by 3–4 Area Managers, with the potential to scale over time. The Site Lead will be accountable for maintaining a secure, efficient, and wellbeing-first workplace while building a strong management culture and continuously improving our operating standards.

## Key Responsibilities

1. Site Operations & Security Compliance

- Ensure strict adherence to facility security protocols, including clean-room check-in and check-out procedures.
- Oversee compliance across employees and third-party security contractors, identifying and addressing gaps proactively.
- Maintain operational readiness for customer visits, audits, and inspections in partnership with the Workplace Experience Manager.

1. People Leadership & Hiring

- Directly manage and develop 3–4 Area Managers overseeing an initial workforce of approximately 200 people.
- Serve as the hiring manager for multiple functions across the AI Trust & Safety portfolio.
- Build leadership capabilities, accountability, and consistent management practices across teams.

1. Workplace Culture & Employee Wellbeing

- Uphold and continuously improve workplace norms that prioritize employee safety, wellbeing, operational efficiency, and professionalism.
- Establish consistent workforce management standards across the site and Seattle-based teams.
- Identify opportunities to improve employee experience, engagement, and the overall effectiveness of the workplace.

1. HR, Legal & Employee Relations

- Serve as the primary operational point of contact for HR and Legal partners on employee conduct matters and workplace investigations.
- Ensure workplace issues are escalated appropriately, handled consistently, and addressed in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws.

1. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

- Develop and refine site-level performance metrics, reporting, and operational standards.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to implement reporting tools, improve visibility into workforce performance, and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Use data and operational insights to drive better decisions, stronger management practices, and scalable processes.

Ideal Candidate

- Experienced people leader: Demonstrated success managing managers and leading large, operationally complex teams.
- Sound judgment in employee relations: Working knowledge of employment and labor laws, with the judgment to resolve routine matters independently and recognize when HR or Legal expertise is required.
- Analytical and technically capable: Comfortable working with reporting tools, analyzing operational data, developing metrics, and partnering with technical teams to implement improvements.
- Operationally disciplined: Strong attention to security, compliance, process consistency, and accountability.
- People-first leadership style: Committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive workplace, particularly in environments involving sensitive or potentially distressing content.
- Strong cross-functional partner: Able to collaborate effectively with Security, Workplace Experience, HR, Legal, Recruiting, and senior operations leadership.

What Success Looks Like A successful Site Lead builds a secure, well-run, and people-centered operation where managers are effective, employees feel supported, compliance standards are consistently met, and the site is always prepared to represent our organization to customers and partners.

## Perks

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life. The below benefits are for full-time US employees. 🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company 💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching 🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching 💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, wellness stipend 📚 Growth: Learning stipend, ongoing development 💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office 🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days 🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at [joinhandshake.com/careers](http://joinhandshake.com/careers).

## About Handshake

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Handshake is the career network for the AI economy, connecting job seekers with internships, full-time roles, freelance gigs, and AI training work through a three-sided marketplace.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series F; total funding $434M across 6 rounds)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2014
- **Founders**: Garrett Lord (CEO), Ben Christensen, Scott Ringwelski

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Career platform / Job marketplace / AI workforce infrastructure
- **Target customers**: B2C (job seekers, from students to experienced professionals) and B2B (employers including 100% of Fortune 500 and all foundational AI labs; also educational institutions)
- **Mission**: Expand access and improve outcomes for job seekers, helping the workforce stay ahead in the AI economy.

## Products & Services
- **Handshake Core Platform**: A three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ schools, and 1 million employers. Features dynamic profiles, intelligent job matching, and interactive skill-building.
- **Handshake AI Enterprise**: AI-powered tools for employers and job seekers, including AI-driven matching, safety features, and pay management.
- **AI Trainer Gigs**: Paid, flexible, remote work for individuals to train and evaluate AI models (e.g., AI Evaluation Specialist, up to $40/hr) – no prior AI experience required.
- **Handshake Network**: Community events, career advice, and networking for students, experts, and professionals in AI and other fields.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $434M (6 rounds); annual revenue $56.5M (LinkedIn estimate)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Board includes representatives from General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins, EQT Ventures, True Ventures, and Niantic. Strategic partners include 100% of the Fortune 500 and foundational AI labs.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount at 5,272 employees (+708.8% YoY per LinkedIn); 1M+ companies on platform; 25M users; expansion into AI trainer gig economy; new roles in HAI (Handshake AI Enterprise) such as Applied AI Engineer, AI Platform Engineer, and Forward Deployed Engineer.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Network effects**: The only three-sided marketplace linking students, employers, and educational institutions at scale.
- **AI-first positioning**: Deep integration of AI into job matching, skill-building, and new freelance training roles – creating a unique ecosystem for the AI economy.
- **Trusted by elite institutions**: 1,600+ partner schools and every Fortune 500 company provides unparalleled reach into early-career talent.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI economy expansion**: Building the “career network for the AI economy” – expanding beyond college students to all knowledge workers, and adding AI training gigs as a new revenue and engagement stream.
- **Product innovation**: Heavy investment in Handshake AI Enterprise (HAI), including AI matching, safety, and pay infrastructure.
- **Global scaling**: Offices in San Francisco, New York, UK, and Bangalore; operating in 32 countries.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “Students first,” “Leave nothing to chance,” “Own the outcome,” “Invent and reinvent,” and “Olympic pace.” Emphasis on ownership, urgency, and constant evolution.
- **Remote/Hybrid policy**: Many roles are based in San Francisco or New York, but some positions (e.g., Trust & Safety Specialist, Support Specialist) are remote in the US. Recent openings show both office and remote options.
- **Benefits**: Health & wellness support, financial support, time off, modern offices with meals, snacks, and social activities. Strong focus on career growth and learning.
- **Career growth**: Rapid headcount growth suggests ample internal mobility; roles range from engineering (ML, AI, data) to customer success, partnerships, and product management.

## Sources
1. [joinhandshake.com/about](https://joinhandshake.com/about/)
2. [joinhandshake.com/careers](https://joinhandshake.com/careers/)
3. [linkedin.com/company/team-handshake](https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-handshake)
4. [joinhandshake.com](https://joinhandshake.com/)

## Other roles at Handshake

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- [Senior Data Analyst, Finance and Payments](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-data-analyst-finance-and-payments-handshake-san-francisco-x9p5f568dwtq) — San Francisco, CA
- [Director, Product Marketing](https://feeny.ai/job/director-product-marketing-handshake-san-francisco-x9p5q99fjawd) — San Francisco, CA
- [AI Product Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-product-counsel-handshake-san-francisco-2e48y3fqa18w) — San Francisco, CA
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