Principal, Applied AI & Emerging Technology

At Deckers Brands, Together, Every Step is a promise kept that every employee can bring their authentic self, is valued and supported, as a whole person, at work and beyond. Together, Every Step is how we continue to deliver exceptional business results, experience an amazing place to work, and have a positive impact on the communities and world around us.
Job Title: Principal, Applied AI & Emerging Technology
Reports to: Director, Digital and Data Excellence
Location: Goleta, CA - Hybrid
The Role
Step into a high-impact, visionary position where you'll shape the future of Deckers Brands by harnessing the power of emerging technologies. As Principal, Applied AI & Emerging Technology, you'll operate with executive sponsorship and unmatched autonomy, tackling priority challenges at startup speed. You'll bridge strategy, engineering, and venture-style incubation-turning cutting-edge tech into real business results. Your work will drive innovation, empower teams, and unlock new possibilities for Deckers on a global scale. This is your opportunity to lead from the front, create lasting change, and build organizational capability that sets the standard for the industry.
We celebrate diversity--of your background, your experiences and your unique identity. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and equitable workplace where all of our employees can Come as They Are. We believe that when we bring our different perspectives to work, we are truly Better Together.
Your Impact

• Transform business strategy into action by identifying and scoping high-value opportunities, partnering with senior leaders to define clear hypotheses and measurable success criteria.
• Lead rapid prototyping cycles, bringing ideas to life with hands-on expertise in AI, computer vision, agentic systems, and modern software practices-delivering pilots that make a tangible difference.
• Empower teams across Deckers by sharing knowledge, advising the AI Center of Excellence, and upskilling stakeholders through hackathons, office hours, and collaborative workshops.
• Drive Deckers' innovation ecosystem by connecting with industry leaders, founders, and VCs, translating market intelligence into actionable insights that keep us ahead of the curve.
• Deliver real-world pilots that redefine what's possible in domains like Store of the Future, Internal Productivity, Commerce, and Speed to Market-ensuring solutions are scalable, responsible, and adopted globally.

Your work will be the spark that ignites transformation, inspires teams, and positions Deckers as a leader in applied AI and emerging technology.
Who You Are

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or similar; Master's degree preferred
• 10+ years driving digital transformation, emerging technology adoption, or product innovation in complex enterprises
• Hands-on expertise across AI/ML, data platforms, cloud, and modern software development, with the ability to distinguish signal from hype and apply technology pragmatically at enterprise scale
• Trusted partner to senior leadership, translating technical potential into business value and driving alignment, adoption, and execution across functions without direct authority
• Ability to connect experimentation to measurable business outcomes, prioritize opportunities based on impact and feasibility, and make disciplined decisions about where to invest or stop
• Demonstrated ability to personally lead or contribute hands-on to building and validating new products, prototypes, or capabilities-not solely leading through teams
• Proven ability to assess initiatives based on measurable outcomes, including deciding when to scale, pivot, or discontinue efforts

What We'll Give You -

• Competitive Pay and Bonuses - We've created a variety of competitive compensation programs to foster career development, reward success and to show our employees just how much they're valued.
• Financial Planning and wellbeing - No matter what financial goals our employees have set, we want to help them get there. Our plans provide powerful ways to protect income, pay for expenses and invest in the future.
• Time away from work - Sometimes we need time away to be with family, focus on our health or just simply recharge. Our plans support our employees' needs to get out, get healthy and come back stronger than ever.
• Extras, discounts and perks - Being a valued member of the Deckers Brands team means more than just a paycheck. From generous discounts to community-based programs, we offer a variety of cool extras
• Growth and Development - Deckers Brands was built on the idea of pursuing passion. That's why we offer extensive opportunities and support for personal and professional development.
• Health and Wellness - There's nothing basic about our comprehensive health and wellness programs and offerings. While at work and at play, we aim to support a healthy lifestyle

$137,500.00 - $185,600.00
The salary range posted reflects the estimated minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this role in:
Goleta, California
Individual pay will be determined by location and additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your preferred location during the hiring process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Diversity and inclusion are key to our success. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds who share a passion for our brands. We welcome qualified applicants regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, mental or physical disability, medical condition and all the other beautiful parts of your identity.