About Us
Academia.edu is the world’s leading platform for researchers and scholars to share their work, discover research and connect with fellow academics globally. Our bold vision: to democratize and accelerate the world's research, enhancing the speed of scientific discovery and technological progress for the benefit of everyone. We imagine a world where accessing academic papers is effortless, keeping track of cutting-edge research is seamless and collaborating with researchers is easier than ever before. Our platform empowers hundreds of millions of scholars worldwide to push the boundaries of human understanding. We believe in the power of knowledge to change lives and the world, and our commitment to this mission drives everything we do.
Join us as we continue to redefine what's possible in the world of research. Discover careers that challenge, inspire and propel you toward a future where your ideas can truly change the world. At Academia.edu, we're not just shaping the future of research—we're shaping the future of possibilities.
Please note that this role is in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We're excited to have a packed and lively office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Twice a week those of us in the Bay Area come to our office located in the Financial District for All Hands, intense collaboration, brainstorming activities, and fun events. There are small rooms for 1-1 mentoring sessions or heads down work, and larger rooms for team activities. We continue to support a flexible work environment for all of life’s surprises and needs with generous time off and flexible daily work schedules.
The Role
We are seeking a Senior Product Manager for our Paper Recommendations team. In this pivotal role, you will lead a newly formed team focused on optimizing our recommendation algorithms to ensure users receive the most relevant and high-quality research. As a subject matter expert in ranking systems, you will bring best practices and techniques to the team, guiding and mentoring both colleagues and the organization. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data science, engineering, and UX, to enhance our recommendation system and improve the user experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Build out the first product roadmap for this newly formed team
- Define and navigate the explore-exploit trade-off in recommendation systems and how to balance user exploration with personalized content exploitation
- Educate the product organization on ranking/recommendations best practices
- Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering and data
- Manage product lifecycle from ideation to launch and post-launch optimization
- Drive business impact (i.e. more engagement with research through better recommendations)
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a related field; advanced degree preferred
- 5+ years of experience in product management, preferably in edtech or media-tech
- Strong understanding of recommendation systems, machine learning, and data science principles
- Proven track record of successfully launching and managing recommendation products
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral
- Customer-centric approach with a knack for data-driven validation
- Self-starter with a proactive approach to identifying and solving problems
- Demonstrated ability to make a significant business impact
- Previous startup experience is essential
Nice to Haves
- A stint in growth-stage tech companies during a ‘high-growth’ period, particularly with a subscription model
- Background in working with Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Passion for education and academic research
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.
Benefits
Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents
Generous Time Off: 21 paid vacation days, 12 paid company holidays, and unlimited sick days; paid parental leave and other leaves for life’s needs; 6-week paid sabbatical every 4 years
Flexible Work Arrangements: Flexible daily schedules within a hybrid work environment, annual remote-office budget, and monthly WFH internet stipend
Competitive Compensation: Competitive salary, 401k plan, and stock options
Mission-Driven Company: Join a mission-driven company to accelerate and democratize the world’s research
Learn more on our Careers Page!
What We Do
Academia.edu has built and is expanding the premier distribution and peer review platform for academic research. Guided by our mission to democratize and accelerate the world’s research, Academia aims to make every academic paper ever published available for free online and accessible by anyone in the world. This is just the start of our long-term vision and we are growing fast!
Academia’s platform has registered more than 250 million users (still growing at 2-3M monthly), and has many millions of unique visitors every month, including over 100M logged-in monthly active users (MAU). We have over 300,000 paying premium subscribers, which has contributed to us being profitable YOY the last three years in a row.
Academia has attracted $39 million in investment from leading VC firms including Khosla Ventures, True Ventures, Spark Capital, and Tencent. Our work has garnered favorable attention from trade and mainstream media including UK Times, Fortune, Wired, EdTech, Venture Beat, San Francisco Business Times, The Economist, The Washington Post, TechCrunch, Scientific American, and Forbes.
Academia is a proud equal opportunity employer and we are committed to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Why Work With Us
At our San Francisco office, experience a blend of picturesque workdays and remote flexibility. Our consistent positive cash flow, strategic executive hires, and recent $23M series D funding underline our stability and innovation. Engage with a passionate team; we've grown to ~110 employees with ~45 dedicated engineers.
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Academia.edu Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
All new employees based in North America to work hybrid: 2 days in-office on Tuesdays and Thursdays at our San Francisco, California office and may work from home for the rest of week.
