Manager I, Applied AI - Distilled Models

At Datadog, a Most Loved Workplace® certified employer in the Technology space, Observe, Secure, and Optimize Modern Cloud Infrastructure at Scale.

<p>Applied AI is where Datadog's ambitious AI bets get built and shipped (<a href="https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/dash-2026-new-feature-roundup-ai/#search-analyze-and-take-action-across-Datadog-faster-with-bits-chat">Bits Chat</a>, <a href="https://updog.ai/">updog</a>). We sit at the intersection of research and product: turning promising capabilities from Datadog AI Research lab and the research community into production systems that reach real customers. The team builds specialized models that replace frontier models where they are not necessary, making AI capabilities faster, cheaper, and more secure. The mandate is to move fast from idea to customer impact, and when a product finds its footing, to set it up for growth.</p>

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<p>As a Manager I in Applied AI, you will lead a team of engineers and applied scientists working on one of these challenges. You will define technical direction, run short feedback loops, make deliberate decisions about what to pursue or stop, and work closely with product managers, research teams, and cross-functional partners to ship AI capabilities that matter.</p>

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<p>At Datadog, we place value in our office culture, the relationships and collaboration it builds and the creativity it brings. We operate as a hybrid workplace to ensure our Datadogs can create a work-life harmony that best fits them.</p>

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<p><strong>What You'll Do</strong> </p>

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<li>Lead and develop a team of engineers and applied scientists focused on cost-efficient specialized models and AI security capabilities</li>

<li>Work closely with product managers, research teams, and cross-functional partners to shape the team's bets from initial framing through to broader adoption, with a clear definition of success criteria at each stage<

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