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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Staff Technical Program Manager - **Company:** Duolingo - **Location:** Seattle, WA, United States - **Salary:** $181,600.0 - $272,400.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Systems Engineering, Big Data, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, AI Infrastructure, Large Language Models, Information Technology, Machine Learning Operations - **Published:** July 19, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=4e8bec2d88f079e3 ## About the Role * Proven experience as a TPM, Engineering Lead, or Engineering Manager. * B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science or equivalent degree or experience. * Demonstrated experience leading large-scale technical transformation programs with measurable organizational impact - you've shifted how engineering organizations think and work, not just shipped projects. * Strong executive presence and influence in a matrix environment - able to build conviction among skeptics, align competing priorities across senior leadership, and drive decisions without direct authority. * Deep technical credibility - enough to challenge architectural assumptions, spot delivery risks early, and earn the trust of strong engineers. * Proven ability to build and implement detailed plans that account for ambiguity, dependencies, and technical complexity - and to re-plan quickly when things change, without losing team confidence or momentum. * A track record of standing up new programs or practices from scratch in ambiguous, high-visibility environments. * Ability to relocate to Seattle, WA. * Exceptional candidates will have... * Strong knowledge of software engineering, systems engineering, or similar hands-on technical experience, in addition to program management experience. * Strong conceptual fluency in LLM-based products, AI infrastructure, and developer AI tooling - enough to ask the right questions, challenge technical assumptions, and identify delivery risks. * Experience running programs that include machine learning, large datasets, or AI/ML infrastructure. * Experience working with AWS at scale. ## Description This is a high-impact, high-visibility Staff TPM role at the center of one of Duolingo's most strategic engineering initiatives: dramatically reducing the effort required to get results and doubling developer productivity across the organization. You'll lead this initiative in close partnership with the Developer Amplification (DevAmp) Area, a team dedicated to accelerating how engineers work through better tooling, streamlined processes, and modern engineering practices. AI is one important lever - but the goal is the outcome: step-change improvements in how fast and effectively Duolingo engineers can build. This role is for a builder and a change agent: someone who can define what "doubling productivity" means in practice, align leadership and engineering teams around it, and drive the transformation to completion. If you thrive in ambiguity, have a bias for outcomes, and can bring people along through significant organizational change, this role is for you. You will... * Define and drive the roadmap for doubling developer productivity across Duolingo - aligning engineering, product, and data science around a shared vision, sequencing the work, and holding teams accountable to measurable outcomes. * Lead organizational change management as engineering teams adopt new ways of working - building alignment, communicating progress to executives and ICs alike, and helping teams internalize new processes and tooling. * Partner closely with Developer Amplification (DevAmp) Area leads to accelerate developer productivity through AI-powered tooling, ensuring programs have clear goals, measurable impact, and sustained momentum across engineering squads. * Lead the delivery of strategic, high-impact cross-functional initiatives from conceptualization to launch, operating with significant autonomy across multiple workstreams. * Partner with engineering, product, data science, QA, and executive leadership to ensure communication and alignment; serve as the connective tissue between Duolingo strategy and day-to-day execution. * Leverage deep technical expertise to develop detailed plans with key milestones and goals, identify and mitigate risks, resolve dependencies, remove blockers, and ensure timely and smooth launches. * Establish and evangelize engineering practices that drive step-change improvements in developer productivity - coaching engineering leads and TPMs on new ways of working and how to measure their impact. * Drive decisions when difficult tradeoffs must be made, including those with cross-organizational or company-level impact; model how to navigate hard problems with analytical rigor and a calm, decisive presence. * Identify systemic issues impacting delivery efficiency company-wide and take swift, collaborative action to resolve them. * Guide and develop other TPMs and engineering leads, scaling best practices across teams and continuously improving how the organization operates. ## Related Videos - [Alibaba Big Data and Machine Learning Technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/37-alibaba-big-data-and-machine-learning-technology) - [Introduction to Azure Machine Learning](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/368-introduction-to-azure-machine-learning) - [Building the Nervous System of AI - Michael Kagan (NVIDIA)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2133-building-the-nervous-system-of-ai-michael-kagan-nvidia) - [Successful talent development: A joint journey of executives and talents](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1002-successful-talent-development-a-joint-journey-of-executives-and-talents) - [PySpark - Combining Machine Learning & Big Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/44-pyspark-combining-machine-learning-big-data) - [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1209-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou) ## Related Articles - [What Are Large Language Models?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/304-what-are-large-language-models) - [Should Tech Managers Be Developers First? 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