Director, Engineering and Research

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Director, Research and Engineering page is loaded## Director, Research and Engineering locations:
Bellevue, Washington time type:
Full time posted on:
Posted Yesterday job requisition :
1029031
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* Job Description:

**** Rakuten Group, Inc.** (TSE: 4755) is a global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses, and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to 2 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has around 30,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions.

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* Job Summary:

** Rakuten Americas’ AI & Data Division (AIDD) is seeking a passionate and experienced Director, Engineering and Research to play a pivotal role in bridging cutting-edge research with robust engineering capabilities to solve critical business needs. AIDD’s mission is to build world-class AI experiences that serve as the digital core of Rakuten’s global  this role, you will focus on AI applications such as agent experiences, search, recommendation, personalization, and the broader customer experience—delivering meaningful impact for nearly 2 billion Rakuten users.

Inspired by our CEO’s vision, “No AI, No Rakuten,” you will help ensure AI is embedded at the heart of everything we do.

You will define and execute multi-year technical and research roadmaps that align foundational research with real-world engineering execution. You will lead interdisciplinary teams, scale operations, and oversee the full lifecycle of innovation—from early-stage prototypes to production-ready, large-scale systems. The role requires close collaboration with executive stakeholders across Research, Product, Business, and global Rakuten teams to drive integrated, high-impact AI initiatives.
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* Key Responsibilities:

**** Strategic Leadership & Interdisciplinary Vision
*** Define and drive multi-year technical and research roadmaps, ensuring seamless integration of scientific discovery with scalable engineering implementation.
* Champion a culture of deep collaboration between research and engineering, breaking down silos to accelerate innovation and solution delivery.
* Guide architectural direction, modern engineering practices, and the adoption of technologies emerging from internal and external research.
* Provide expert leadership on the transition from research prototypes to reliable, secure, production-grade systems.
* Establish cross-functional standards and processes that support both research excellence and engineering efficiency.
** Organizational & People Management
*** Build, mentor, and scale high-performing interdisciplinary teams, including both ICs and managers.
* Lead talent strategies—recruitment, retention, performance management, and career development—for a diverse, technically excellent organization.
* Communicate vision, goals, and priorities across functions, ensuring strong alignment and shared ownership.
* Optimize resource allocation across multiple product lines and initiatives, balancing delivery velocity with long-term innovation.
* Accountable for resource planning and budgetary oversight.
** Cross-functional Collaboration & Business Impact
*** Partner with executive stakeholders in Research, Product, Business, and Operations to align on technical direction and deliver integrated solutions.
* Drive cross-functional initiatives by uniting research and engineering contributions toward shared business goals.
* Serve as a technical and scientific ambassador internally and externally, representing the team’s innovation and capabilities.
* Identify and support strategic partnerships and business development opportunities that leverage the team’s research-engineering synergy.
** Qualifications
* * To perform this job successfully, an individual must demonstrate excellence across the following domains. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
* Exceptional leadership in defining, communicating, and executing multi-year technical and research roadmaps for complex,…