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Vice President Machine Learning Jobs in California

Steg.AI

VP of Engineering

Irvine, CA · On-site

$180 - $280/hr

AI is looking for a highly motivated Vice President of Engineering with a passion for leading teams to create groundbreaking machine learning products for watermarking, steganography, or media ...

Hikinex

Vice President, Robot Learning

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

This is an opportunity to define the robot learning strategy at a company where machine learning is central to the product roadmap. The Role We're seeking a Vice President of Robot Learning to lead ...

HIKINEX

Vice President, Robot Learning

Palo Alto, CA

This is an opportunity to define the robot learning strategy at a company where machine learning is central to the product roadmap. The Role We're seeking a Vice President of Robot Learning to lead ...

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All JobsVice President Machine Learning JobsVice President Machine Learning Jobs in California

Vice President Machine Learning information

See California salary details

$35K

$113.2K

$179.1K

How much do vice president machine learning jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for vice president machine learning in California is $113,226.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,800.00 and $141,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a vice president of machine learning?

To thrive as a Vice President of Machine Learning, you need advanced expertise in machine learning, data science, and computer science, typically backed by a master's or PhD and extensive industry experience. Proficiency with platforms like TensorFlow, PyTorch, cloud computing services, and experience managing large-scale AI projects are crucial, along with a track record in leading technical teams. Exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and strong communication skills set outstanding candidates apart by enabling effective cross-functional collaboration and innovation. These skills are vital for driving organizational AI strategy, ensuring technical excellence, and delivering scalable business impact.

What does a vice president of machine learning do?

A Vice President of Machine Learning leads and oversees the strategic direction of machine learning initiatives within an organization. They manage teams of data scientists, engineers, and researchers to develop and deploy AI-driven solutions that support business goals. This role involves collaborating with other executives, setting research agendas, ensuring best practices, and staying updated with the latest advancements in the field. The VP also plays a key role in resource allocation, talent acquisition, and scaling machine learning systems across the company.

What are some common challenges faced by a vice president of machine learning when leading cross-functional teams?

A Vice President of Machine Learning often encounters challenges such as aligning diverse teams on technical priorities, managing expectations across product, engineering, and business units, and ensuring effective communication between stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise. Balancing the need for innovation with practical business objectives and resource constraints is also a frequent challenge. Cultivating a collaborative culture and fostering ongoing professional development are key to overcoming these hurdles and driving successful outcomes.

What is the difference between Vice President Machine Learning vs Director of Machine Learning?

AspectVice President Machine LearningDirector of Machine Learning
Required CredentialsAdvanced degrees (Master's/PhD), extensive experience in MLSimilar educational background, less senior experience needed
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership, cross-departmental collaborationProject management, team oversight
Employer & Industry UsageLarge tech firms, enterprises with AI focusTech companies, startups, research labs
Search & Comparison IntentHigh overlap in responsibilities and qualificationsRelated but more operational role

The Vice President Machine Learning typically holds a senior leadership role focused on strategic planning and cross-functional collaboration, while the Director of Machine Learning manages day-to-day projects and teams. Both roles require advanced degrees and experience in machine learning, but the VP is more involved in high-level decision-making and industry strategy.

Is vice president machine learning a high paying job?

The Vice President of Machine Learning is typically a high-level executive role with a competitive salary that reflects expertise in AI, data science, and leadership. Salaries often range from six to seven figures depending on the industry, company size, and location.

What are the most commonly searched types of Machine Learning jobs in California?

The most popular types of Machine Learning jobs in California are:

What job categories do people searching Vice President Machine Learning jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Vice President Machine Learning jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Vice President Machine Learning jobs?

Cities in California with the most Vice President Machine Learning job openings:

Vice President Machine Learning jobs near you

VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI) Required, Work From Home

Next Step Systems

San Francisco, CA • Remote

$116K - $147K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Re-posted 5 days ago

Job description

Job Description

VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI) Required, Work From Home

The VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML) will own the research and intelligence direction of this system. The VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML) will define how Artificial Intelligence (AI) reasons, evaluates, and improves in a product used with high frequency.  This position is 100% Remote.

VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML) Responsibilities:

- Set and evolve the research direction for the core intelligence, including context representation, memory, reasoning, planning, and orchestration.

- Decide when to design new model architectures versus adapting or leveraging frontier open-source or commercial models.

- Define evaluation frameworks that measure real-world usefulness, robustness, safety, and long-term behavior, not benchmark vanity.

- Own alignment, safety, and guardrail strategy as first-class product concerns.

- Guide exploration of frontier techniques such as retrieval-augmented training, mixture-of-experts, distillation, multi-agent orchestration, and multimodal systems.

- Shape early product intelligence direction in close partnership with product and application engineering.

- Set the technical bar for research rigor, judgment, and taste across the organization.

Qualifications

VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML) Qualifications:

- Deep experience building or evolving real Machine Learning (ML) systems used in production.

- Artificial Intelligence (AI) experience required.

- Strong technical judgment around model behavior, failure modes, and long-horizon trade-offs.

- A builder's mindset, you care about systems that work in the real world, not just ideas.

- Comfortable making irreversible or high-impact decisions with incomplete information.

- Obsession with evaluation, correctness, and how systems behave over time.

- High ownership mentality; you operate as a founder, not a manager.

- Tech Stack:  GPU-based training and inference system, JAX, Python, and PyTorch.

Benefits include medical insurance, Dental, Vision, Savings Plan Options, PTO, etc.

Keywords:  San Francisco CA Jobs, VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML), AI, Artificial Intelligence, GPU, JAX, ML, Machine Learning, Python, PyTorch, Work From Home, Remote, California Recruiters, IT Jobs, California Recruiting

Looking to hire a VP of Research, Machine Learning (ML) in San Francisco, CA or in other cities?  Our IT recruiting agencies and staffing companies can help.

We help companies that are looking to hire VPs of Research, Machine Learning (ML) for jobs in San Francisco, California and in other cities too.  Please contact our IT recruiting agencies and IT staffing companies today!

Additional Information

Please check out all of our jobs at www.nextstepsystems.com.

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