Head of Tooling

Meet DeepL

DeepL is a global communications platform powered by Language AI. Since 2017, we've been on a mission to break down language barriers. Our human-sounding translations and intelligent writing suggestions are designed with enterprise security in mind. Today, they enable over 100,000 businesses to transform communications, reach new markets, and improve productivity. And, empower millions of individuals worldwide to make sense of the world and express their ideas.

Our goal is to become the global leader in Language AI, building products that drive better communication, foster connections, and make a real-life impact. To achieve this, we need talented individuals like you to join our exciting journey. If you're ready to work with a dynamic team and build your career in the fast-moving AI space, DeepL is your next destination.

What sets us apart

What sets us apart is our blend of modern technology, competitive benefits, and an open, welcoming work culture that enables our people to thrive. When we share what it's like to work at DeepL, the reactions are overwhelmingly positive. This may be because of our products that have helped countless people worldwide or our shared mission to improve communication for individuals and businesses, bringing cultures closer together. What we know for sure is this: being part of DeepL means joining a team dedicated to innovation and employee well-being. Discover what our teams have to say about life at DeepL on LinkedIn, Instagram and our Blog.

Meet the team behind this journey

The Research Tooling Unit is the engineering backbone of our AI Research department. Comprising four distinct teams (Linguistic Tooling, Data Tooling, Compute/Processing, and Research Infrastructure), our mission is to provide the critical software, data, and infrastructure that enables our researchers to build and train cutting-edge AI models. We are a team of ~19 engineers and specialists dedicated to enabling research success by delivering the right tools at the right time.

As the Head of Tooling, you will provide the strategic leadership and direction needed to scale our impact. This is a new, high-impact role created to provide stronger representation for tooling, drive alignment across horizontal initiatives, and offer dedicated leadership to our highly-skilled tooling managers. You will report to the Chief Scientist and be instrumental in shaping the engineering culture and practices within our research department.

Your responsibilities

• Define and drive the strategic vision and technical roadmap for the Research Tooling Unit, ensuring alignment with the fast-evolving needs of our AI research teams.

• Lead, mentor, and develop the managers of our four distinct tooling teams, empowering them to build high-performing, happy, and collaborative teams.

• Provide clear career development pathways, coaching, and support for your team leads.

• Act as the primary representative for Tooling within the Research department, managing expectations, defining scope, and communicating priorities to senior stakeholders (including the Chief Scientist).

• Create and implement robust planning structures that align tooling initiatives with broader research priorities and identify horizontal synergies across the department.

• Champion the adoption of tooling deliverables, clearly demonstrating their value and impact on research productivity and innovation.

• Balance the need for rapid delivery in a research context with the long-term reliability and sustainability of engineering solutions.

• Lead hiring efforts to scale the teams, particularly in areas supporting foundational model training.

Qualities we look for

• Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role (e.g., Head of, Senior Engineering Manager) within a fast-paced, research-heavy organisation.

• A strong technical background as an individual contributor (e.g., Software Engineer, Data Engineer) earlier in your career.

• Demonstrable experience managing multiple "platform" or "tooling" teams that serve internal technical customers (like researchers or other engineers).

• A successful track record of managing other managers and team leads, with a genuine focus on their career development and growth.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to create alignment, manage expectations, and navigate a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.

• Strong strategic and planning skills, capable of translating ambiguous, high-level visions into concrete technical roadmaps.

• An empathetic, people-first leadership style, focused on building trust, coaching reports, and fostering a positive team culture.

• High adaptability and pragmatism, with the ability to make decisive choices in an uncertain, rapidly evolving environment (both at DeepL and in the wider AI field).

What we offer

• Diverse and internationally distributed team: joining our team means becoming part of a large, global community with people of more than 90 nationalities. We're more than just colleagues; we're a group of professionals with a shared mission to connect diverse cultures. Our global presence is growing–we've doubled in size nearly every year, with our employees based in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the US, and Japan, and we continue to expand our network.

• Open communication, regular feedback: as a language-focused company, we value the importance of clear, honest communication. We value smooth collaboration, direct and actionable feedback, and believe that leading with empathy and growth mindset makes us better together.

• Hybrid work, flexible hours: we offer a hybrid work schedule, with team members coming into the office twice a week. This allows you to engage directly with your team and experience the unique energy of our workspace, while still enjoying the flexibility and comfort of working from home. With flexible working hours and trust in your productivity, we are in sync with your team's general locations and time zones to foster effective and seamless collaboration.

• Virtual Shares - An ownership mindset in every role. We believe everyone should share in our success, and that's why every employee receives Virtual Shares, linking your contribution directly to DeepL's growth and rewarding you with a stake in our future.

• Regular in-person team events: we bond over vibrant events that are as unique as our team, from local team and business unit gatherings, to new-joiner onboardings, to company-wide events that bring us all together–literally.

• Monthly full-day hacking sessions: every month, we have Hack Fridays, where you can spend your time diving into a project you're passionate about and get the opportunity to work with other teams–we value your initiatives, impact, and creativity.

• 30 days of annual leave: we value your peace of mind. With 30 days off (excluding public holidays) and access to mental health resources, we make sure you're as strong mentally as you are professionally.

• Competitive benefits: just as our team spans the globe, so does our benefits package. We've crafted it to reflect the diversity of our team and tailored it to align with your unique location, to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.

If this role and our mission resonate with you, but you're hesitant because you don't check all the boxes, don't let that hold you back. At DeepL, it's all about the value you bring and the growth we can foster together. Go ahead, apply—let's discover your potential together. We can't wait to meet you

We are an equal opportunity employer

You are welcome at DeepL for who you are—we appreciate authenticity here. Our product is for everyone, and so is our workplace. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all succeed, contribute, and think forward So bring us your personal experience, your perspectives, and your background. It's in our diversity that we will find the power to break down language barriers in the world.

---