Head of Machine Learning

Job Description

Toast is recruiting on behalf of a fast-growing public safety technology company that is transforming the global water rescue industry. Their flagship product is a handheld sonar device with built-in AI detection that helps first responders locate drowning victims faster and more effectively. As the company expands its global reach and develops new product lines, they are looking for a driven, hands-on Head of Machine Learning to lead ML strategy, oversee end-to-end development, and solve some of their most challenging embedded ML problems. This role sits at the centre of the company's core technology and strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the machine learning strategy in line with evolving product and business objectives
• Lead the design and evolution of signal processing and machine learning architectures for production systems
• Establish technical standards, best practices, and development processes for ML systems
• Evaluate emerging ML technologies and identify opportunities to strengthen product capabilities and competitive advantage
• Provide technical leadership on architecture decisions, model selection, and system performance optimization
• Oversee the development, validation, deployment, and lifecycle management of machine learning models
• Oversee the design, optimization, and scalability of signal processing pipelines
• Define model performance metrics and drive continuous improvement through rigorous evaluation and experimentation
• Ensure production ML infrastructure, data pipelines, and supporting databases are robust, maintainable, and scalable
• Oversee ML Ops practices including model versioning, reproducibility, and monitoring
• Set standards for dataset acquisition, quality, governance, and lifecycle management
• Lead planning and execution of field data collection initiatives to meet product development and validation goals
• Innovate on methods for data labeling, preprocessing, quality assurance, and representativeness across operational scenarios
• Continuously expand and refine training datasets to improve model accuracy and generalization
• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, and executive leadership to define the AI roadmap and prioritize initiatives
• Translate customer needs and operational challenges into innovative ML solutions and product capabilities
• Provide technical leadership during customer demonstrations, field trials, and critical deployments
• Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on machine learning, advising on technical direction and product strategy
• Lead and mentor a high-performing machine learning team within the product development group
• Set project priorities, resource allocation, and development plans to deliver on strategic objectives
• Drive project execution through effective planning, risk management, and tools such as Jira
• Build a culture of technical excellence, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning through technical reviews and knowledge sharing
  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field
• 5 to 10 years of experience in machine learning, AI, and software development
• Proven track record leading machine learning teams and delivering quality products
• Experience with embedded ML on hardware or IoT devices
• Experience translating real-world applications and customer needs into ML solutions
• Strong proficiency in Python, with hands-on experience using PyTorch and Scikit-learn
• End-to-end ML project experience, including data pipelines, data cleaning, preprocessing, model design, training, validation, and deployment
• Experience with project management tools such as Jira
• Experience working with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
• Strong technical communication, documentation, and organizational skills
  
  

Nice to haves

• Familiarity with sonar systems and sonar data would be a plus
• Familiarity with signal processing is considered an asset
• Experience with computer vision, such as object detection and Fourier transforms, would be a plus
• Experience with IP strategy in AI innovation is considered an asset
• Comfort working in open water settings year-round (with appropriate PPE) would be a plus
  
  

Benefits

• Salary range of $160,000 to $180,000, plus performance-based incentives
• Employee ownership opportunities, so you share in the value you help build
• Health, dental, and vision coverage
• 4 weeks paid vacation plus a company-wide closure from December 24 to January 1
• Relocation support available for candidates based outside of Vancouver
• Flexible and dynamic work environment
• Own the core algorithms behind a device first responders use in real rescues, where faster detection means victims are found sooner
• Shape the AI roadmap as the company expands globally and launches new product lines
• Build and lead the ML team from the ground up, with direct influence on the design and development of the end product
• Application Review
  
  

Submit your application, including your resume and cover letter, through our online portal. Our team will carefully review your qualifications and experiences. We take pride in responding promptly, so if your application aligns with our current opportunities, you’ll hear back from us with next steps. Your journey with Toast begins here, and we’re excited to see what you bring to the table!

• Vetting Call
  
  

If your application is successful, we’ll schedule a vetting call with a member of the Toast team. This 30-45 minute informal conversation is designed for us to get to know you better and assess your skills. Be prepared to discuss your past projects, the challenges you’ve tackled, and the impact you’ve made. This is your chance to shine and show us why you’re a great fit for the roles we offer.

• Profile Creation
  
  

Once you’ve impressed us in the vetting call, we’ll create an unbiased profile that highlights your experience while minimizing common biases. Instead, we focus on your skills, industry experience, and the impact you’ve made. This way, your profile reflects your true potential and accomplishments.

• Client Submission
  
  

After crafting your unbiased profile, we submit it to our trusted clients. We work closely with these clients to ensure they understand the value you bring. Throughout their interview process, we remain by your side, providing support and guidance. Our goal is to help you navigate the hiring process smoothly and confidently, ensuring you have the best chance to secure a role that fits your skills and aspirations.