AI/ML Team Lead

Location: Kfar Sava,IL (hybrid)

NEXT's mission is to help entrepreneurs thrive. We're doing that by building the only technology-led, full-stack provider of small business insurance in the industry, taking on the entire value chain and transforming the customer experience.

Simply put, wherever you find small businesses, you'll find NEXT.

Since 2016, we've helped hundreds of thousands of small business customers across the United States get fast, customized and affordable coverage. We're backed by industry leaders in insurance and tech, and we still have room to grow — that's where you come in.

We are seeking a Team Lead to manage a group of AI and backend engineers responsible for high performance services and AI driven capabilities. The role combines technical leadership with people management.

What You'll Do:

Lead and mentor a team of AI and backend engineers.
Drive delivery of team projects from requirements through deployment
Provide technical guidance, review designs and support hands on development when needed
Define priorities and coordinate with product and cross functional partners
Establish clear processes for planning, execution and quality
Maintain focus and clarity in fast moving or ambiguous environments
Promote innovation in AI architecture, tools and workflows, Identify opportunities for improvement and proactively drive new initiatives.
Encourage a culture of experimentation, learning and continuous advancement

What We Need:

5+ years of experience leading engineers
3+ years of experience in integrating AI or ML models into production
[Bouns] 3+ years of backend engineering experience with high performance or distributed system
Strategic thinking and ability to prioritize initiatives effectively
Excellent communication, collaboration and planning skills
Proven ability to operate effectively under ambiguity and drive results
experience in agentic AI (Bonus)

Note on Fraudulent Recruiting
We have become aware that there may be fraudulent recruiting attempts being made by people posing as representatives of Next Insurance. These scams may involve fake job postings, unsolicited emails, or messages claiming to be from our recruiters or hiring managers.

Please note, we do not ask for sensitive information via chat, text, or social media, and any email communications will come from the domain @nextinsurance.com. Additionally, Next Insurance will never ask for payment, fees, or purchases to be made by a job applicant. All applicants are encouraged to apply directly to our open jobs via the careers page on our website. Interviews are generally conducted via Zoom video conference unless the candidate requests other accommodations.

If you believe that you have been the target of an interview/offer scam by someone posing as a representative of Next Insurance, please do not provide any personal or financial information. You can find additional information about this type of scam and report any fraudulent employment offers via the Federal Trade Commission's website (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams), or you can contact your local law enforcement agency.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some underrepresented people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NEXT, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

One of our core values is 'Play as a Team'; this means making sure everyone has an equal chance to participate and make a difference. We win by playing together. Next Insurance is an equal opportunity employer and prioritizes building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants of any type and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job-related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state, and local laws. Next's policy is to comply with all applicable laws related to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.