We are seeking a Sr. Engineering Manager to join our 200+ product development organization and lead our ML Foundations team. This team focuses on solving complex machine learning problems and developing proprietary models for a range of AdTech use cases across our product suite.

As part of the AI Platform organization, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of Data Scientists, ML Engineers, and Software Engineers working to accelerate AI adoption and development across Smartly’s Media, Creative, and Intelligence suite. The team ensures compliance with privacy, security, and ethical guidelines.

This is an opportunity to define the vision and strategy for ML and Data Science applications, drive execution on ambitious goals, and champion AI and ML excellence throughout Smartly.

Smartly is proud to be ranked as a leader in The Forrester Wave™ for Creative AdTech. This recognition reflects our commitment to transforming ad experiences through intelligent creativity, standing as the only platform honored by both Forrester and validated by PwC to be recognized for ad technology to power performance.

To get an idea of some of the work we do, see for example these blog posts:

How We Productized Bayesian Revenue Estimation with Stan

Optimizing Conversions with Predictive Budget Allocation

Here’s What You'll Do:

• Lead and grow the AI Foundations team, providing technical direction, strategic vision, and hands-on leadership.
• Drive the development of AdTech-specific ML models and foundational AI capabilities and explore novel approaches that can be applied across Smartly’s products. Optimize existing models for performance, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with other teams to ensure AI-driven features deliver measurable business and customer impact.
• Ensure compliance with privacy, security, and ethical AI standards in ML applications.
• Foster a strong engineering culture focused on innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor team members through coaching, 1:1s, and career development plans.
• Remove obstacles to enable your team to thrive and deliver exceptional results.
• Partner with recruiting to help scale the team by actively sourcing and closing the best talent. 
• Partner with other leaders in the AI Platform to shape Smartly’s long-term AI strategy and architecture.

Here's What We're Looking For…

• 7+ years of experience in building services and products.
• 5+ years of experience in applying machine learning to real-life problems.
• 3+ years of experience in leading teams.
• Competent with key technologies in ML; PyTorch, TensorFlow, Python, SQL.  
• Able to mentor, coach, and develop data scientists and machine learning engineers
• Proven experience in delivering scalable ML systems in production.  You will need to be hands-on when coaching the team members to new technical and professional heights, which can involve code reviews, pair programming, etc.
• A pragmatic mindset. We always aim to create value to our customers. We're also working on production systems and our customers' business depends on it.
• Curiosity and the drive to continuously learn through study and experimentation on the job.  
• Ability to drive both technical excellence and cross-functional collaboration.
• Understanding of security and compliance requirements when working with personal data.
• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in a relevant field (Mathematics, CS, AI, Physics, …).
• Excellent communication skills, written and spoken English and ability to work 3 days/week onsite at our Helsinki office

What we offer you…

• Ownership Culture: Make a significant impact on our products with autonomy and ownership.
• Industry Collaboration: Collaborate with leading online marketers and platforms like Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and Google.
• Professional Development: Access opportunities for growth through mentorship, training, and resources to enhance your skills.
• Wellbeing Focus: Prioritize your health with comprehensive healthcare packages and mental health services, plus a healthy work-life balance.
• Total Rewards: Everyone at Smartly is an owner with our equity options program and performance-based grants. We recognize success with compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities. 
• We work in a flexible hybrid work model, including the option to work abroad for up to 30 days.

Smartly is committed to being the best place to work for growth-minded individuals to thrive - explore more in our Culture Handbook!

What to Expect from Our Recruitment Experience:

• Meet your Recruiter: Get to know each other and learn about working at Smartly.
• Meet the Team Manager: Gain deeper insights into your future team.
• Meet the Team in Subject Matter Interviews: Engage in a case study and showcase your domain knowledge.
• Meet the Leadership in a Final Meeting: A brief discussion with our Chief Technical Officer.

Apply now and shape the future of digital advertising!

The Role

As the Global Events Manager, you are the lead producer of Aiven’s physical and virtual brand experience. You don't just book booths; you architect high-impact environments that cut through the noise of the industry. You are a master of high-velocity project management, capable of juggling a diverse portfolio from large 3rd party conferences (AWS re:Invent, Kafka Summit) to intimate 1st party Aiven-hosted events (Customer Advisory Boards, User Roadshows, Annual Sales Kick-off). We are looking for a high-agency, creative powerhouse who will dive deep into Aiven’s value proposition and personas to ensure every event is perfectly aligned with our audience. You are a natural brand ambassador, as comfortable managing a construction vendor as you are welcoming a CTO to our lounge.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of Aiven’s global event portfolio, encompassing 3rd party industry trade shows and 1st party proprietary programs.
• Own the "Aiven Experience" for our internal and external 1st party events, including Customer Advisory Boards (CABs), Aiven’s User Conference, localized Community Roadshows and our Annual Employee Kick-off.
• Go beyond the logistics. You will study our core personas (Developers, Architects, CTOs) and our internal culture to ensure every event, from a technical user conference to an internal summit, is tailored to the specific audience.
• Develop out-of-the-box concepts that make Aiven the most talked-about brand on-site. You aren't afraid to take risks to ensure our physical presence reflects our status as a market leader.
• Lead end-to-end execution for multiple concurrent events globally. You are the source of truth for timelines, budgets, and deliverables, ensuring zero loss in quality under pressure.
• Act as a proactive host on the event floor. You will learn Aiven’s high-level value prop to comfortably engage prospects, qualify their interest, and facilitate seamless introductions to our technical and sales teams.
• Direct a network of global vendors and boutique agencies with high standards. You ensure every asset, from a sticker to a 40x40 booth, is Aiven Gold Standard.
• Partner with Revenue Marketing and Ops to ensure every event has clear, measurable goals. Set performance targets, own lead capture, and deliver impact reports that quantify ROI, pipeline influence, or customer expansion to guide future investment decisions.

Ideal Candidate:

• 6+ years in tech event management. Proven experience running both large-scale trade show presences and high-touch proprietary events (User Conferences/SKOs).
• Proven ability to track and report on funnel impact. You are comfortable analyzing ROI and making evidence based recommendations on where to invest the event budget.
• Obsessive attention to detail. You have a "one-inch-off-is-wrong" mentality, spotting small errors in seating charts or booth graphics before they become problems.
• You thrive in fast-paced environments and are a power user of project management tools and processes to keep multiple plates spinning.
• A track record of thinking laterally to solve problems and create unique, un-missable experiences.
• High agency and problem solving. On-site, you are the person who makes it happen, finding solutions to the impossible while maintaining a calm, professional demeanor.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn a technical product’s value proposition and speak confidently about it at a high level.
• Willingness to travel. Ready to be on the ground globally (30-40%) to lead from the front.

Amazing! What’s next:

If you think Aiven is the place for you and that our Values align with yours, send us your resume and we’ll get in touch!

Global Benefits:

Our global benefits are designed to help you thrive and grow, personally and professionally:

• Participate in Aiven’s equity plan.
• Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
• Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
• Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
• Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
• Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.

How to Recognize and Avoid Employment Scams:

There has been a rise in fake job postings used by scammers to get personal information. At Aiven, all of our emails relating to recruitment come from an @aiven.io, @greenhouse.io or @eu.greenhouse.io domain and all of our interviews are conducted by video call or in person.  Our interviews will never occur via text or chat. If you’re unsure of the legitimacy of a job opportunity/offer pertaining to Aiven, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

Equal Opportunities:

Aiven provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, marital and family status or without regard to any other similar personal attributes. Aiven complies with applicable local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, training and any other terms and conditions related to employment.

At Aiven we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in our working environment and job application procedures. We make all reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or who otherwise need support to thrive in the workplace. We are committed to continuously improving workplace accessibility. There is an option to request a discussion in the application process but if you have any questions before applying please write to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

#LI-Hybrid

At Aiven, our vision is to help developers and builders bring their ideas to life with speed and simplicity by providing a data platform that makes open-source infrastructure easily accessible to everyone. We are now embarking on one of our most ambitious strategic bets to ensure open-source thrives on European cloud infrastructure.

The Role

We are looking for a Head of Public Policy to shape the regulatory and institutional landscape around European sovereign cloud infrastructure and lead Aiven’s company-wide policy work. Your mission is to influence how ‘sovereign cloud’ is defined in European policy, ensuring that sovereignty means more than data residency. In practice you will be creating the narrative and forming the landscape for a new category around truly sovereign and open-source cloud infrastructure.

What You'll Do

Policy Strategy & Ownership

• Define and execute Aiven's public policy strategy centred on true European sovereignty and open-source 
• Ensure this strategy is tightly integrated with Aiven's roadmap and commercial objectives

Create the True Sovereign Cloud category

• Push the open-source sovereignty narrative into new audiences like government decision makers, universities, and the next generation of public sector technology leaders to build long-term category ownership
• Position Aiven as a credible and trusted voice in European cloud sovereignty and AI infrastructure policy through exceptional thought leadership

Government & Institutional Relationships

• Engage with EU institutions, national governments, and standards bodies to advocate for sovereign cloud definitions that prioritise European ownership, control and open-source principles 
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with senior government officials and institutional stakeholders

Policy Intelligence & Strategic Action

• Track certification timelines, procurement frameworks, budget signals, and political developments across European markets
• Translate these into actionable intelligence that enables Aiven to engage earlier and more effectively than competitors

Cross-functional Partnership

• Partner with marketing to ensure policy positions feed into public narrative and thought leadership
• Partner with product and engineering to ensure Aiven’s offering meets evolving certification and compliance requirements
• Engage directly with early design-partner customers in regulated industries to validate requirements and understand the customer needs first hand

What We're Looking For

You have deep experience working at the intersection of technology policy, government relations, and European regulation. You understand how EU policy gets made not just in theory, but through direct involvement in shaping frameworks, certification schemes, or procurement standards. You have existing relationships with senior government officials, EU institution stakeholders or defence and security procurement leaders.

You understand cloud infrastructure and open-source technology well enough to engage credibly with both policymakers and engineering teams. You have excellent taste and conviction on why open-source and European-controlled infrastructure matters and the seniority to turn that into simple narratives for a minister, a procurement officer, or a room full of policy advisors.

You have true passion to create an European category king in the cloud market, thrive in ambiguity and move fast without waiting for permission. 

Amazing! What’s next:

If you think Aiven is the place for you and that our Values align with yours, send us your resume and we’ll get in touch!

Global Benefits:

Our global benefits are designed to help you thrive and grow, personally and professionally:

• Participate in Aiven’s equity plan.
• Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
• Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
• Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
• Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
• Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.

How to Recognize and Avoid Employment Scams:

There has been a rise in fake job postings used by scammers to get personal information. At Aiven, all of our emails relating to recruitment come from an @aiven.io, @greenhouse.io or @eu.greenhouse.io domain and all of our interviews are conducted by video call or in person.  Our interviews will never occur via text or chat. If you’re unsure of the legitimacy of a job opportunity/offer pertaining to Aiven, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

Equal Opportunities:

Aiven provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, marital and family status or without regard to any other similar personal attributes. Aiven complies with applicable local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, training and any other terms and conditions related to employment.

At Aiven we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in our working environment and job application procedures. We make all reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or who otherwise need support to thrive in the workplace. We are committed to continuously improving workplace accessibility. There is an option to request a discussion in the application process but if you have any questions before applying please write to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

#LI-Hybrid

We’re a global team of over 400 people, working together to push the boundaries of open-source technology and multi-cloud solutions. Our vision is to help developers, builders, and creators bring their ideas to life with speed and simplicity, by providing a cloud data platform that makes open-source databases, search, streaming, and application infrastructure easily accessible to everyone. 

The Role

As Head of Legal, you will be Aiven’s most senior legal leader, reporting to the CFO and working as a trusted partner across the executive team. You’ll lead and develop a small, world-class legal team that enables the business to move fast, win commercially, and scale globally.

Aiven has ambitious goals to build the AI infrastructure that developers want. We make open source databases, search, streaming, and application infrastructure accessible to every developer. In a world where AI has made building easier than ever, we handle the underlying complexity so builders can focus on what they're actually building.

At Aiven, we believe legal is a business accelerator — not a gatekeeper. You’ll be here to find the best path forward together with your stakeholders. You’ll bring commercial savviness, a genuine partnership mindset, and the judgment to lead your team in managing risk and drive impactful results with stakeholders. You’ll be embedded in the business, shaping deals, guiding strategy, and helping the company grow with confidence.

What You’ll Do

• Own and shape Aiven’s global legal strategy, partnering closely with the CFO, CEO, and executive leadership to align the legal function with business objectives and growth priorities — and lead and develop a small, high-performing legal team with a culture of speed, pragmatism, and commercial acumen.
• Lead the team in driving all commercial legal work: overseeing the negotiation and closing of complex SaaS agreements, strategic partnerships, reseller and OEM arrangements, and enterprise customer contracts, while building the scalable frameworks and playbooks that let the business move fast with the right guardrails.
• Provide expert counsel across corporate governance, compliance, data protection, IP, and open-source licensing, and personally lead the legal support for M&A, fundraising, and other corporate transactions alongside the finance and executive teams.
• Manage Aiven’s approach to regulatory and compliance obligations across all operating markets, oversee global external counsel relationships, and guide the team in advising on employment matters across our international footprint — all with a business-forward approach to risk.

What We’re Looking For

• A qualified lawyer with significant in-house experience at a fast-paced technology or SaaS business — you know how software companies work, how deals get done, and how to operate at pace without losing rigor.
• A genuine partnership mindset and strong commercial instincts: your colleagues see you as a business partner first and a lawyer second, and you’re known for translating complex legal matters into clear, actionable guidance and finding paths forward rather than raising barriers.
• Proven experience across multiple international jurisdictions, with a track record of supporting or leading M&A transactions, strategic partnerships, and financing rounds. Experience with open-source software licensing is a strong advantage.
• Proven experience leading and developing small, high-impact legal teams in a high-growth environment, with the executive presence to influence and challenge constructively at the highest levels of the organization.

Amazing! What’s next:

If you think Aiven is the place for you and that our Values align with yours, send us your resume and we’ll get in touch!

Global Benefits:

Our global benefits are designed to help you thrive and grow, personally and professionally:

• Participate in Aiven’s equity plan.
• Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
• Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
• Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
• Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
• Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.

How to Recognize and Avoid Employment Scams:

There has been a rise in fake job postings used by scammers to get personal information. At Aiven, all of our emails relating to recruitment come from an @aiven.io, @greenhouse.io or @eu.greenhouse.io domain and all of our interviews are conducted by video call or in person.  Our interviews will never occur via text or chat. If you’re unsure of the legitimacy of a job opportunity/offer pertaining to Aiven, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

Equal Opportunities:

Aiven provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, marital and family status or without regard to any other similar personal attributes. Aiven complies with applicable local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, training and any other terms and conditions related to employment.

At Aiven we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in our working environment and job application procedures. We make all reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or who otherwise need support to thrive in the workplace. We are committed to continuously improving workplace accessibility. There is an option to request a discussion in the application process but if you have any questions before applying please write to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

#LI-Hybrid

We’re a global team of over 400 people, working together to push the boundaries of open-source technology and multi-cloud solutions. Our vision is to help developers, builders, and creators bring their ideas to life with speed and simplicity, by providing a cloud data platform that makes open-source databases, search, streaming, and application infrastructure easily accessible to everyone. 

The Mission:

At Aiven, we are moving from being "the open-source database cloud" to the AI infrastructure provider for future developers. Trust is our product, but security is a business partnering function. Your mission is to ensure that as we innovate at high velocity in AI and agentic workflows, security is built into our product DNA, not bolted on as an afterthought.

We are moving away from an "external auditor" model toward an embedded security model. You will lead a high-talent organization that builds security champions within our product squads, ensuring that we move fast without breaking our promise to customers.

What You’ll Do:

• Embedded Security Leadership: Transition the security function from an outside observer to an internal partner. You will build the frameworks and tooling that allow developers to own the security of their code, turning your team into enablers rather than gatekeepers.
• Commercial Acceleration: Partner closely with our sales leaders to win and retain enterprise customers. You will act as the "Face of Trust," personally engaging with customer CISOs to navigate complex security assessments and accelerate the sales cycle.
• Operational Efficiency: Manage and lead our global security team (currently ~20 people). You will be responsible for defining, defending, and optimizing the service and productivity ratios that determine the efficiency of the security function.
• Business Partnering Mindset: Operate with the understanding that you are a partner to GTM and Product. You help our teams win by providing transparent, precise security data and professional humility, rather than building a siloed "fortress."
• AI & Product Innovation: Define the security guardrails for our next-gen AI services (LLMOps, agentic permissions). You ensure our internal use of AI tools—like coding assistants—is safe and accelerates our engineering output.
• Compliance & Precision: Oversee our core compliance (SOC2, ISO 27k, PCI-DSS) and incident response capabilities, ensuring we meet the highest standards of data residency and operational autonomy for our European sovereign cloud initiatives.

What We're Looking For:

• The Humble Expert: You have deep technical roots but no ego. You don't need to be the "smartest person in the room." You win trust by helping others succeed.
• A Commercial Ally: You understand that a secure product that nobody buys is a failure. You lean into customer conversations and view sales success as part of your own scorecard.
• A Bridge Builder: You know how to heal organizational friction. You move past "throwing rocks" at engineering and focus on shared outcomes.
• Data-Driven Leader: You don't ask for budget or headcount based on "gut feel." You use metrics to show how security spend correlates to risk reduction and business velocity.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience leading security in a high-growth SaaS, Cloud, or Infrastructure company.
• Track record of partnering with GTM functions to close high-ACV enterprise deals.
• Experience implementing "Security Champion" or embedded security programs.
• Experience managing distributed teams across multiple time zones (Europe, North America, APAC).
• Deep familiarity with the European regulatory landscape (GDPR, NIS2, etc.).

Amazing! What’s next:

If you think Aiven is the place for you and that our Values align with yours, send us your resume and we’ll get in touch!

Global Benefits:

Our global benefits are designed to help you thrive and grow, personally and professionally:

• Participate in Aiven’s equity plan.
• Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
• Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
• Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
• Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
• Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.

How to Recognize and Avoid Employment Scams:

There has been a rise in fake job postings used by scammers to get personal information. At Aiven, all of our emails relating to recruitment come from an @aiven.io, @greenhouse.io or @eu.greenhouse.io domain and all of our interviews are conducted by video call or in person.  Our interviews will never occur via text or chat. If you’re unsure of the legitimacy of a job opportunity/offer pertaining to Aiven, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

Equal Opportunities:

Aiven provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, marital and family status or without regard to any other similar personal attributes. Aiven complies with applicable local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, training and any other terms and conditions related to employment.

At Aiven we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in our working environment and job application procedures. We make all reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or who otherwise need support to thrive in the workplace. We are committed to continuously improving workplace accessibility. There is an option to request a discussion in the application process but if you have any questions before applying please write to us at recruitment@aiven.io.

#LI-Hybrid