Strategic Projects Lead, Handshake AI
Role Overview
This senior-level role involves developing operational strategies to recruit and manage high-skill talent like PhDs and domain experts for AI data projects. The Strategic Projects Lead drives large-scale initiatives, optimizes workforce platforms, and manages customer relationships to ensure seamless execution and revenue growth. Working cross-functionally with product, engineering, and operations teams, the hire will have a significant impact on scaling Handshake AI's expert network and delivering high-quality data solutions.
Perks & Benefits
This position is fully remote with no explicit time zone restrictions, offering flexibility in work location. Benefits include equity, a 401(k) match, medical/dental/vision coverage, mental health support, a $500 wellness stipend, and a $2,000 learning stipend for career growth. The culture emphasizes ownership, innovation, and connection through team outings, with a focus on thriving in a fast-paced, AI-driven environment.
Full Job Description
About Handshake AI
AI is reshaping how skills are built, how work gets done, and how careers begin. Static credentials and résumé-based hiring no longer reflect how people actually learn or contribute.
Handshake is bridging that gap.
Built on a trusted SaaS platform connecting 22M+ students and alumni, 1,600+ universities, and 1M employers, Handshake is expanding into AI-native work through Handshake AI—partnering with frontier AI labs and leading technology companies to build the human data that powers modern AI systems.
Why join Handshake
Shape how careers work in the AI economy—at global scale
Work with world-class AI labs and Fortune 500 partners
Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir
About the Role
This is a high-ownership execution role working directly with frontier AI labs.
As a Strategic Projects Lead (SPL), you will run large human data programs for leading AI labs and technology companies. You’ll coordinate hundreds to thousands of expert Fellows, deliver work under tight timelines, and make decisions that directly affect revenue, margins, quality and customer relationships.
The role is hands-on. You are expected to take responsibility for outcomes, make calls with incomplete information and adapt quickly as projects change.
What you’ll own
Double-digit millions in ARR-equivalent scope across active projects
End-to-end execution of multi-week to multi-month programs tied to customer model training and evaluation cycles
Accountability for delivery timelines, quality, margins and customer outcomes, including shaping scope and expanding programs through execution
On a day-to-day basis, you’ll decide how teams are staffed, how incentives are structured, how workflows run and how gaps are handled when systems fall short.
Growth and Scope
Our business is growing extremely fast, and we expect SPLs to grow with us - you'll develop quickly in this role and get promoted quickly. Over time, scope expands beyond individual projects and may include ownership of a major customer relationship or responsibility for launching and running a new data type or vertical. Progression is driven by the size, complexity and importance of the work you are trusted to run. You'll develop GM-style skills, with extreme ownership over outcomes, working across functions to drive large scale impact on projects.
Desired Capabilities
4+ years of experience in generalist or operational roles (strategy and operations, product, management consulting, finance, or startups).
Strong analytical and data driven problem solver, with a first principles approach to scaling and operational challenges.
Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, able to work closely with technical teams and customers while juggling multiple high priority projects.
Entrepreneurial, high ownership mindset, with a high degree of agency, comfort with ambiguity, and pride in end to end outcomes.
Fast learner with deep curiosity about AI, able to quickly pick up complex and technical concepts and stay up to date on LLMs and AI trends.
This role works well for people who:
Want ownership and are comfortable being accountable for results
Can make decisions with incomplete information
Move between high-level problem solving and detailed execution
Are comfortable working directly with senior leaders and demanding customers
It is not a good fit if you need fixed hours, heavy structure or a long ramp period. There are periods of high intensity, including occasional weekend work. Priorities can change quickly.
People in this role often come from:
Investment banking, private equity or management consulting
Early-stage or high-growth startups with real operational responsibility
Product or operations roles with direct accountability for outcomes
Prior experience in AI is not required.
Benefits & Perks
Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life.
The below benefits are for full-time US employees.
🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company
💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching
🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching
💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend
📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development
💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office
🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days
🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses
Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.
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