VP Physical AI

About Toloka

At Toloka AI we create data that powers leading GenAI models and innovations. We work with frontier labs, big tech, renowned AI startups, enterprises and non-profit research organizations worldwide. We use a combination of Experts + Crowd + Tech Platform to teach AI models to reason and evaluate their efficacy and safety. We have experts in more than 50 different domains—from doctors and lawyers to physicists and engineers—and boast one of the most diverse global crowds, representing over 100 countries and speaking 40+ languages. We are a well-funded startup with an enviable portfolio of clients including Anthropic, Amazon, Microsoft, Poolside, Recraft, and Shopify.

Recently, we secured strategic investment led by Bezos Expeditions and Nebius Group with participation from Mikhail Parakhin, CTO of Shopify  and board advisor to leading GenAI companies, who now serves as our Chairman of the Board. Our remote-first team is globally distributed around the world: USA, UK, the Netherlands, Israel, Czech Republic, Serbia, and more.

About position

We are looking for talented  VP Physical AI  to join our fast paced and international team. This is a brand new role and will combine hands-on deep technical expertise in AI/ML with proven leadership abilities to drive the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge generative AI solutions. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, and ensure delivery of innovative, scalable, and high-performing AI products.

What you will own / what you will do? 

Physical AI data strategy and P&L

• Define and execute the Physical AI data roadmap across egocentric capture, humanoid robotics, industrial/warehouse automation, and autonomous vehicles
• Own the P&L of the emerging Physical AI business
• Anticipate what frontier robotics labs and hardware companies will need 12–18 months before demand becomes mainstream — and build toward it
• Ensure Physical AI methodologies feed back into the core QA platform

Lab leadership

• Own the operational lab: workforce, equipment, safety protocols, data capture workflows, output quality
• Scale lab capacity against commercial commitments — managing a mix of employees and external partners
• Establish QA standards for Physical AI data that integrate with the company's agentic LLM-QA verification system
• Drive continuous improvement in collection efficiency, annotation quality, and simulation environment fidelity

Partnerships and commercial development

• Build and own the partner ecosystem: robotics hardware manufacturers, simulation platform providers, academic institutions, domain experts
• Lead commercial relationships with Physical AI customers from scoping through delivery and expansion
• Identify and close strategic partnerships that extend capabilities — hardware access, proprietary environments, domain datasets
• Represent the company externally at industry forums and research conferences across Europe and the US

Team

• Hire, develop, and retain data engineers, robotics specialists, and project leads
• Structure the function to scale for both bespoke engagements and productized delivery
• Be the internal expert and evangelist for Physical AI — educate the wider org on what Wave 5 demands

What we're looking for

• Track record of building functions from early stage, not just managing mature organisations
• Direct experience building or scaling data pipelines for robotics, autonomous systems, or physical AI — not purely software AI
• Demonstrated ability to close and manage strategic partnerships — hardware vendors, research institutions, or enterprise clients
• Familiarity with robotics hardware: sensors, embodied data collection constraints, simulation-to-physical gaps
• Commercial fluency: scope, price, and negotiate complex data engagements with senior technical buyers
• Credibility in the Physical AI or robotics ecosystem — network and reputation that open doors

Nice to have

• Experience with egocentric/wearable data capture, humanoid robot training data, AV sensor fusion datasets, or warehouse automation environments
• Familiarity with RLHF/RLVR and how human feedback pipelines apply to physical systems
• Background in data services, annotation platforms, or AI infrastructure
• Active relationships with key Physical AI labs or hardware manufacturers (Tesla, Unitree Boston Dynamics, Figure, Apptronik, 1X, Waymo, Mobileye, or comparable)
• Ties to academic robotics programs (CMU, ETH Zurich, Oxford, MIT, or comparable)

What we can offer 

• You will be part of an international and dynamic environment driving innovation and setting new standards in the AI and technology sector.
• Competitive compensation package including  base salary, bonus and ESOP
• Paid PTO and benefits will vary depends on location 
• We offer full  remote or hybrid model (if you based in NL or Serbia) 
• IT set up  and home office allowances.
• You will be part of an international and dynamic environment driving innovation and setting new standards in the AI and technology sector.

Toloka is committed to providing equal opportunity and fostering an inclusive environment. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Selection decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and business need. 

[Important Notice] Scam Alert Regarding Fake Job Postings

It has come to our attention that an individual or group is fraudulently impersonating Toloka to post fake jobs and solicit personal information from applicants.Please be aware:

• Official Communication: Our recruiting team will only contact you from an official "toloka.ai" email address. We will NEVER use Gmail, Yahoo, Tolokainc, toloka.inc,  or other personal or seemingly business email accounts.
• Our Process: We will never ask for your bank account details, credit card number, or any fees as part of the application or interview process.
• Official Listings: All legitimate job openings are posted on our official careers page: https://toloka.ai/careers#job-list

What to do: If you see a suspicious job posting or have been contacted by someone you suspect is a scammer, please do not provide any personal information. Instead, report the incident to us directly at security@toloka.ai and report the profile/post to LinkedIn.We are taking this matter very seriously and are working with the appropriate parties to resolve it. 

Thank you for your vigilance!