Technical Program Manager, GenAI

As a Technical Program Manager at Google DeepMind, your key responsibilities will include scoping, planning, and delivering technical programs for model development. You’ll drive cross-functional teams to advance state-of-the-art research in Gemini models while proactively identifying and managing risks and dependencies. Your role will require you to apply technical knowledge to execute pragmatic solutions, ensuring seamless delivery of models in collaboration with research and engineering teams.

To be considered for the Technical Program Manager position at Google DeepMind, candidates typically need a technical degree or advanced working knowledge, alongside proven industry experience focusing on technical strategy and successful program delivery. An excellent understanding of language models and software engineering as well as strong communication skills to convey complex technical ideas to various audiences are also essential qualifications.

The work environment for a Technical Program Manager at Google DeepMind is dynamic and fast-paced, fostering collaboration and creativity. You’ll be engaged with cross-functional teams in a culture that values flexibility and innovation, enabling you to navigate and address complex challenges while enhancing workflow processes. Engaging with senior leadership and a diverse range of stakeholders is a usual part of the role that helps in maintaining the program’s success.

At Google DeepMind, continuous improvement is a top priority for Technical Program Managers. The organization encourages a culture of learning and professional development, emphasizing the importance of enhancing domain knowledge in evolving areas like AGI. You’ll be expected to proactively identify areas for improvement in processes, workflows, and governance models to enhance team efficiency and success.

Technical Program Managers at Google DeepMind will work on advancing cutting-edge generative AI models, including frontier model capabilities in Gemini research. This role involves partnering closely with researchers and engineers to apply novel modeling techniques, ensuring that all projects are aligned with the mission of using AI for widespread public benefit while prioritizing safety and ethics in all technological advancements.

In answering this question, focus on specific projects where you successfully coordinated technical programs from inception to delivery. Describe your approach to planning, managing resources, and ensuring communication among teams, emphasizing any significant challenges you overcame.

Discuss your proactive risk management strategies, including how you identify potential risks early, communicate them effectively to stakeholders, and implement solutions. Provide examples of previous projects where you successfully mitigated risks and how you adapt to evolving dependencies.

In your response, highlight your familiarity with both Agile and Waterfall methodologies, explaining which situations you believe each is best suited for. Share experiences where your choice of methodology led to enhanced project outcomes.

Describe your approach to prioritization by using frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix or MoSCoW method. Provide an example of how you successfully managed competing priorities in a previous role while keeping the team focused on key objectives.

Outline your technical education and any relevant work experience that equips you to communicate effectively with engineering and research teams. Highlight specific technical concepts or technologies you've worked with that are relevant to the AI or machine learning field.

Explain your strategies for creating an inclusive and collaborative environment, such as establishing regular check-ins, encouraging open communication, and facilitating knowledge sharing among team members with varying expertise to drive project success.

Choose a challenging project where unforeseen issues arose and explain the steps you took to navigate through them. Highlight your problem-solving abilities and how you involved stakeholders to reach a resolution effectively.

Reflect on attributes such as excellent communication skills, strong organizational abilities, technical acumen, and adaptability. Provide examples of how these traits have contributed to your success as a program manager.

Discuss tools and techniques you use to maintain team focus, such as regular status updates, goal referencing, and celebrating small wins to keep morale high. Share a specific instance where you successfully led a team through a complex challenge while keeping them engaged.

Explain how you define success metrics at the beginning of the project, track progress against them, and solicit feedback from stakeholders. Use a specific project as an example to demonstrate how you measured success and adapted based on the evaluation.