About this role
A hands-on leader who thrives as an IC-first player-coach will genuinely enjoy steering the data function at Think of Us. Operating within the Technology & Innovation department, this leader spends the first six to twelve months contributing directly alongside the data team before management responsibilities expand. The organization transforms the child welfare system by pairing data with the insights of 51,000-plus individuals to build scalable solutions and drive policy shifts.
This role exists to turn a proprietary dataset into a durable technical advantage while overseeing end-to-end data strategy, architecture, and AI evaluation. Daily priorities include designing evaluation frameworks for the ConnectMe platform, maintaining HIPAA-adjacent compliance, and partnering with executive leadership on technical direction. Ideal candidates have built a small data team before, bring direct experience with applied AI, and care deeply about systems change within human services.
What you will do
- Define and drive the organization's overarching data strategy and technical roadmap centered on the Lived Experience Engine.
- Direct the architecture of the Databricks data lake while setting rigorous standards for data quality and platform reliability.
- Build evaluation frameworks using LangFuse and custom solutions to measure the performance and accuracy of AI pipelines and agents.
- Establish and maintain data governance postures, privacy policies, and HIPAA-adjacent compliance standards for sensitive PII.
- Directly manage a small data team consisting of a data engineer and an applied data scientist while planning for future team growth.
- Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and program leadership to translate research questions into actionable data priorities.
What you need
- Bring seven or more years of professional experience in data, analytics, or machine learning roles.
- Possess at least two years of direct leadership or team-building experience managing small data teams.
- Demonstrate direct, hands-on experience with applied AI technologies including RAG, agents, and LLM evaluation.
- Remain technically credible with the ability to design data architecture, review Python code, and evaluate AI pipeline quality.
- Show a deep commitment to learning about systems impacting youth and families while approaching the work with humility and care.
Nice to have
- Experience with Databricks, Delta Lake, or similar modern data lake platforms
- Experience with LLM observability and evaluation platforms like LangFuse
- Background in civic tech, public health, human services, or mission-driven organizations
- Experience with data governance or HIPAA-adjacent compliance
- Prior experience as a player-coach who remained hands-on while building a team
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the location and remote work policy for this role?
The position is hybrid and based in Washington, DC. Team members are required to work from the office a minimum of 3 days per week.
What does the initial period of the role look like regarding management versus hands-on work?
The role is IC-first for the first 6 to 12 months, allowing the leader to contribute hands-on alongside the existing data team before the management load grows.
What does the data team currently consist of?
The data team currently includes a Senior Data Engineer and a Senior Applied Data Scientist, with plans to grow the team over time.
What technologies and AI tools make up the data stack?
The stack includes Python, SQL, and Databricks utilizing a bronze, silver, and gold tier approach. The AI pipeline runs on Anthropic Claude and OpenAI, with LangFuse utilized for observability and evaluation.