Research Manager | Customization

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 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

You will lead a Customization Research team focused on advancing instruction‑following and personalization across DeepL’s core products—Translator, Write, and Voice. We sit at the intersection of cutting‑edge research and product delivery, transforming promising ideas into reliable, scalable features use every day.

We partner closely with peer research groups, Product, Engineering, and Go‑to‑Market to prioritize high‑impact problems and ship at scale. Our emphasis is on measurable quality and real‑world production impact.

<>Your responsibilities

As a Manager of a research team, you will own both people leadership and technical direction for a team of research scientists and data engineers. Together, you’ll shape the research agenda, build a high‑performance culture, and convert breakthroughs into production impact across DeepL’s products. In close partnership with Product, Engineering, and Go‑to‑Market teams, you will translate research advances into features with real‑world impact. Given the breadth of our Language AI work, your team owns the end‑to model lifecycle—from prototyping LLM capabilities and building curated, high‑quality datasets to model alignment and optimization using state‑of‑the‑art reinforcement learning techniques. In this role you will:

• Fuse cutting‑edge academic research with your team’s experiments to drive innovation in Language AI.

• Define and communicate your team’s strategic goals, roadmap, and success metrics in collaboration with key stakeholders.

• Create the conditions for rapid, reliable delivery by clar priorities and enabling effective cross‑team collaboration.

• Shape and prioritize the research agenda, balancing clear product outcomes with bold, longer‑term bets.

• Inspire, develop, recruit, and motivate a high‑performing team; build strong 1:1 relationships, set development plans, and foster a candid, non‑retaliatory feedback culture.

• Contribute hands‑on when needed—review code, design experiments, analyze results, and help unblock critical paths.

Qualities we look for

• You hold a (preferable PhD) degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a comparable subject.

• You have a proven track record of successfully leading and scaling teams, ideally in a global, high‑growth scale‑up, and research‑intensive environment.

• You have a solution‑oriented mindset and are able to navigate through ambiguity and change effectively.

• You have hands‑on experience in the following areas:

  • Software development, ideally in the context of data science, ML engineering, systems engineering, or distributed services

  • Technical and people leadership

  • Deep Learning

• You are open to finding pragmatic and efficient ways to collaborate at the team and track level, taking into account the demands of a research‑centric environment.

• You have excellent communication skills and the ability to closely collaborate with other teams across the organization.

• High level of English proficiency (knowledge of German and other languages is an advantage)

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.
• 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,—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.