Lead People Systems Engineer

Klaviyo is building an AI-first company—and that starts with how we support and scale our people.

We’re looking for a Lead People Technology Engineer to be the first dedicated AI engineer within our People Technology (KPPL) team. As an early leader in this space, you’ll reimagine how our People teams operate in an AI-first world by shaping our architecture, standards, and long-term vision.

You’ll partner across People Operations, Talent Acquisition, Talent, and Finance to design and build intelligent systems that transform how we hire, develop, retain, and support Klaviyos globally. This role is not just about applying AI it’s about defining how AI becomes embedded into the employee lifecycle at Klaviyo.

What You’ll Be Doing

AI-First People Systems & Architecture

Reimagine core People workflows (recruiting, onboarding, performance, daily tasks) through an AI-first lens, not just incremental automation

Design and build AI-powered workflows, copilots, and agents that automate and augment People processes across the employee lifecycle

Architect and implement systems that integrate across SaaS such as Workday, Greenhouse, Sana, and internal Klaviyo platforms

Partner with our internal IT AI team and establish best practices for:

Prompt engineering and evaluation

LLM system design and orchestration

Versioning, testing, security, and observability of AI systems

Enable AI Use Cases (copilots, assistants, automated workflows) that drive faster execution and better decision-making for People teams

Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business problems into scalable AI solutions

Driving an AI-First Operating Model

Identify high-leverage opportunities to replace manual workflows with AI-native solutions

Define and track success metrics tied to efficiency gains, time savings, and operational effectiveness

Help the People organization shift toward AI-augmented ways of working

Act as a thought partner to People leadership on what’s possible with AI, not just what’s requested

Responsible AI, Privacy & Governance: Design systems that handle sensitive employee data with security, privacy, and trust at the core

Partner with Security, Legal, and Global IT to ensure compliant and ethical AI deployment

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Enablement

Work closely with Security, IT, and GTM Systems to align on shared AI infrastructure and standards

Contribute to and adopt company-wide AI patterns, tooling, and best practices

Enable People teams to leverage AI by building:

Reusable frameworks and workflows

Playbooks and training materials

Help non-technical stakeholders confidently use and iterate on AI-powered tools

Technical Leadership

Advocate for scalable, well-governed AI systems that integrate cleanly into Klaviyo’s broader tech ecosystem

Act as a key voice in shaping how Klaviyo becomes AI-first internally, starting with People systems

What Makes You a Great Fit

Passion and Curiosity to experiment and reimagine People workflows

5+ years of engineering or data engineering experience, with 2+ years building AI/ML or LLM-powered delivering tangible business outcomes

Proven ability to set technical direction and build 0→1 systems with meaningful organizational impact

Strong experience with but not limited to:

Python, SQL, and modern APIs

LLM platforms (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, etc.)

LangChain and LangGraph

Designing AI-powered workflows, agents, or copilots

Experience integrating with enterprise SaaS systems (HRIS, ATS, etc.)

Experience designing scalable systems, automation frameworks, and internal tools

Experience working with sensitive data and implementing responsible AI practices

Strong ability to translate ambiguous business problems into scalable technical solutions

Bonus Points

Experience with People/HR systems (Workday, Greenhouse, Sana)

Familiarity with workflow automation platforms (e.g., n8n, Workato, Zapier)

Experience in high-growth SaaS environments

Contributions to AI governance, internal AI platforms, or experimentation frameworks

Why This Role Matters at Klaviyo

This is a foundational role in defining how Klaviyo becomes an AI-first company from the inside out.

You won’t just be implementing AI you’ll be:

Shaping how People teams operate with AI

Defining standards for responsible, scalable internal AI systems

Building the blueprint for how AI is embedded across the business

If you’re excited about building from scratch, influencing across functions, and applying AI to core business workflows, this role offers a unique opportunity to have outsized impact.

Massachusetts Applicants:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Our salary range reflects the cost of labor across various U.S. geographic markets. The range displayed below reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all our US locations. The base salary offered for this position is determined by several factors, including the applicant’s job-related skills, relevant experience, education or training, and work location.

In addition to base salary, our total compensation package may include participation in the company’s annual cash bonus plan, variable compensation (OTE) for sales and customer success roles, equity, sign-on payments, and a comprehensive range of health, welfare, and wellbeing benefits based on eligibility.

Your recruiter can provide more details about the specific salary/OTE range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Base Pay Range For US Locations:

$140,000—$210,000 USD