---
title: 'Technical Program Manager, AI Infrastructure at Character.AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-ai-infrastructure-character-ai-redwood-city-3ty4trwmewr9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Technical Program Manager, AI Infrastructure at Character.AI

- **Company:** Character.AI
- **Location:** Redwood City, CA
- **Compensation:** $220k–$260k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-04-20
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/fd023b84-a746-4fe9-8a9d-277899e67a78/application

**Skills:** Program Management, AI Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure, Distributed Systems, GPU Clusters, AI Accelerator Chips, Data Analysis, Capacity Planning

> Lead high-impact AI infrastructure programs powering model development and serving systems at scale. Partner with engineering, research, and product teams to shape infrastructure strategy, align roadmaps, and drive end-to-end execution for critical initiatives across training, evaluation, and inference.

## Job description

## About the Role

We’re hiring a Technical Program Manager, AI Infrastructure to lead high-impact programs that power [Character.AI](http://Character.AI)’s model development and serving systems at scale. In this role, you’ll partner closely with engineering, research, and product teams to shape infrastructure strategy, align roadmaps, and drive end-to-end execution for critical initiatives across training, evaluation, and inference. You’ll help ensure our systems are reliable, efficient, and capable of supporting rapid iteration as we scale AI experiences to millions of users. This role is a good match for someone who thrives in technically complex environments, enjoys bringing structure to ambiguous problem spaces, and can drive alignment across deeply cross-functional teams. You’ll often operate at the intersection of research and production, helping teams navigate tradeoffs between speed, quality, and reliability. You should be comfortable influencing without authority, anticipating risks early, and keeping large, interdependent efforts moving forward.

## What You’ll Do

- Lead planning and execution of major AI infrastructure initiatives spanning training pipelines, data systems, model evaluation, and inference/serving
- Build structures that keep teams aligned: scopes, goals, requirements, timelines, risks, and success metrics
- Partner with engineering, research, and product to translate model and product needs into infrastructure roadmaps and priorities
- Drive cross-functional accountability and communication across teams working on tightly coupled systems
- Track key infrastructure metrics (e.g., reliability, latency, throughput, cost efficiency) and define reporting that surfaces progress and risk
- Identify bottlenecks in infrastructure workflows and lead efforts to improve tooling, automation, and developer velocity
- Support capacity planning and resource allocation to ensure infrastructure scales with model and product growth
- Develop repeatable frameworks and operational patterns that improve execution quality across infrastructure programs
- Serve as a strategic partner to leaders on prioritization, sequencing, and tradeoffs across infrastructure investments.
- Work closely with AI cloud providers and serve as the primary bridge between internal engineering teams and external partnership efforts.
- Technical understanding of GPU clusters, AI accelerator chips, and cloud providers to effectively evaluate requirements and guide infrastructure decisions.

## What You’ll Bring

- 5–8 years of experience in program management, technical operations, or product execution in a fast-moving, technical environment
- Proven ability to lead complex, multi-team initiatives spanning engineering and infrastructure systems
- Strong communication skills with the ability to bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Experience working closely with engineering teams on distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, or platform development
- Ability to break down ambiguous problem spaces into clear plans and drive alignment across teams
- Analytical mindset with experience using data to inform decisions and measure impact
- Strong ownership and execution mindset, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

## About Character.AI

[Character.AI](http://Character.AI) empowers people to connect, learn and tell stories through interactive entertainment. Over 20 million people visit [Character.AI](http://Character.AI) every month, using our technology to supercharge their creativity and imagination. Our platform lets users engage with tens of millions of characters, enjoy unlimited conversations, and embark on infinite adventures.

In just two years, we achieved unicorn status and were honored as Google Play's AI App of the Year—a testament to our innovative technology and visionary approach.

Join us and be a part of establishing this new entertainment paradigm while shaping the future of Consumer AI!

At Character, we value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly uphold a non-discrimination policy based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability. Your unique perspectives are vital to our success.

## About Character.AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Character.AI builds a full-stack, direct-to-consumer platform where users interact with AI-powered "Characters" for open-ended conversation, storytelling, and entertainment.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture Capital-Backed)
- **Headquarters**: Menlo Park, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Entertainment Software, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, SaaS (B2C)
- **Target customers**: B2C — millions of monthly active users seeking virtual companions, creative storytelling, and interactive entertainment.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Empower people to connect, learn, and tell stories through interactive entertainment."

## Products & Services
- **Character.AI Platform**: A web and mobile application that allows users to create, discover, and converse with AI Characters. The platform supports user-generated content, enabling users to build heroes, settings, stories, and challenges. It sits at the intersection of storytelling, gaming, social connection, and creative expression.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest known round: Secondary Transaction - Private, completed at "Generating Revenue" stage per PitchBook).
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding raised — **$193M** (Series A: $43.1M in 2022; Series A extension/round: $150M in March 2023).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz, Google, Greycroft, SV Angel, Elad Gil, and 8 total investors. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/characterai)
- **Growth Signals**: 
    - Millions of monthly active users.
    - Headcount of ~130 employees as of 2026.
    - Offices in Silicon Valley (HQ), Seattle, and New York.
    - The company completed a "Reverse Acqui-Hire" transaction, signaling strong talent acquisition interest from larger players.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep Technical Talent**: Founded by AI pioneers Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, who bring deep expertise in machine learning and natural language processing.
- **Full-Stack AI Platform**: Unlike many chatbot APIs, Character.AI owns the entire stack from model inference to consumer interface, giving them control over user experience and data.
- **Strong User Engagement & Community**: The platform has built a passionate community of creators and users who generate and share content, creating a network effect moat.
- **Brand Recognition**: One of the leading independent consumer AI platforms globally, with a clear identity as an entertainment-first product.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI-driven Entertainment**: The company is focused on redefining entertainment through generative AI, moving beyond simple chatbots into immersive, interactive experiences.
- **User-Generated Content (UGC)**: Empowering users to create their own characters and worlds is a core strategic priority, differentiating them from single-purpose AI tools.
- **Monetization & Scale**: Moving from a free product toward a sustainable business model (subscription tiers like c.ai+) while scaling the platform to serve a global user base.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring across ML research, engineering, and safety to build out the next generation of their product.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge generative AI and shape the future of entertainment for millions of users.
- **High-Impact Environment**: Described as a "small, passionate team" where individuals can have significant ownership and influence.
- **Strong Compensation**: Competitive salaries (e.g., Research Engineer, AI Safety & Alignment: $225K–$400K + equity). [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/)
- **Comprehensive Benefits**:
    - **Parental Leave**: 20 weeks paid for birthing parents, 12 weeks for non-birthing parents.
    - **Retirement**: 401(k) match up to $5,875/year (25% of contributions up to IRS cap).
    - **Time Off**: 20 days accrued PTO, 12 company-paid holidays, plus accrued sick time.
    - **Health**: 100% premium coverage for medical (PPO or HSA), dental, and vision for employees; 80% for dependents. Life, AD&D, and LTD insurance fully covered.
    - **Perks**: Daily lunch in all offices, monthly DoorDash credit, monthly commuter allowance ($50), and a quarterly wellness stipend.
- **Work Policy**: Hybrid (offices in Menlo Park, Seattle, New York).
- **Culture Values**: "Users First" (users > company > team), "Think Transformational," and a focus on collaboration and high performance.

## Sources
1. [character.ai/about](https://character.ai/about)
2. [character.ai/careers](https://character.ai/careers)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/)
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/characterai)
5. [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/512290-54)

## Other roles at Character.AI

- [Technical Program Manager, Product Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-product-experience-character-ai-redwood-city-m9zmhkmgt1qy) — Redwood City, CA
- [Principal Research Engineer, Post-Training](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-research-engineer-post-training-character-ai-redwood-city-92f6f7sk06h1) — Redwood City, CA
- [Technical Program Manager, Model Alignment and Deployment](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-model-alignment-and-deployment-character-ai-redwood-brmkpc2gvra0) — Redwood City, CA
- [Staff Data Scientist, Monetization](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-data-scientist-monetization-character-ai-redwood-city-51hmwhgh6e2k) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Backend/Applied ML (Safety & Integrity)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-applied-ml-safety-integrity-character-ai-redwood-city-4q5mdjeptsz5) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Applied ML (Discovery, Recommendation & Search)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-applied-ml-discovery-recommendation-search-character-ai-5r4a2m0v7fzq) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Backend](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-character-ai-redwood-city-kx5x7rxznvz7) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Monetization](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-monetization-character-ai-redwood-city-4wjqzcp5e490) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Core Product](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-core-product-character-ai-redwood-city-h676pc9pz8k1) — Redwood City, CA
- [Research Engineer, AI Safety & Alignment](https://feeny.ai/job/research-engineer-ai-safety-alignment-character-ai-redwood-city-p2gtwtpvekg7) — Redwood City, CA