Director, Sovereign AI @ Cohere | Adjunct Prof. @ UofT
AI is analyzing your overall score…
Identifying your key strengths…
Evaluating your skill match against the job requirements…
Assessing your cultural and operational fit
Machine learning scientist. Experienced in materials informatics, large language models, engineering management, and software development. Co-authored 20+ research articles, cited 2k+ times with features in The Verge & MIT News. Led remote and distributed teams for 5+ years. Passionate about STEM outreach and open science. Equally happy working with bits or atoms.
University of Guelph
BS, Nanoscience
N/A – Present
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Materials Science
N/A – Present
Cohere
Director, Sovereign AI
January 1, 2026 – Present
Cohere
Sr. Manager of Technical Staff
January 1, 2025 – January 1, 2026
Vector Institute
Faculty Affiliate Researcher
July 1, 2023 – Present
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
University of Toronto
Adjunct Professor
December 1, 2022 – Present
Cohere
Manager of Technical Staff
July 1, 2022 – December 1, 2024
Xero
Principal Applied Scientist, Machine Learning Products
September 1, 2020 – July 1, 2022
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Citrine Informatics
Senior Data Scientist
January 1, 2019 – August 1, 2020
Redwood City, California
Pfizer
Machine Learning Consultant
January 1, 2016 – July 1, 2018
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research Assistant
September 1, 2014 – December 1, 2018
Cambridge, MA
Leadership Training for Results
Dale Carnegie Training
June 24, 2026 – Present
Cultural Fit Analysis
The candidate has a strong background in AI/ML, particularly in research and product development within large organizations (Cohere, Xero, Pfizer). Their experience as an Adjunct Professor and Faculty Affiliate Researcher indicates a commitment to knowledge sharing and continuous learning. However, the target role is 'Backend Engineer', and while the candidate has backend experience (Python, Flask, Docker, AWS microservices), the primary focus of their recent roles has been heavily on ML/AI model development and leadership rather than core backend system design and implementation. This might represent a slight mismatch with a pure backend engineering role, suggesting a stronger fit for an ML Engineering or AI/ML Lead role.
Soft Skills & Operational Fit
The candidate demonstrates strong leadership, team management, and strategic planning skills through their roles as Director, Sr. Manager, and Principal Applied Scientist. Their involvement in ERGs and leadership teams suggests strong communication and collaboration abilities. The experience in leading multi-year, seven-figure contracts indicates business acumen and operational effectiveness. The candidate's academic and research background also points to strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities.