How to Become an
AI Engineering Manager

AI Engineering Managers lead AI engineering teams. Your job is making the team successful, not doing the technical work yourself. Day-to-day: running 1:1s with reports, hiring and interviewing, performance reviews and feedback, unblocking engineers, aligning with product and leadership, shaping technical direction, managing project delivery, developing people's careers. You still need AI knowledge to guide technical decisions, but you're not the one implementing. Success is measured by team outcomes, not personal output.

Choose management if: you get energy from helping others succeed, you're frustrated by only impacting your own work, you're interested in organizational challenges, you're willing to give up hands-on coding. Stay IC if: you love the technical craft, you want to go deep not wide, you don't enjoy administrative work, you derive satisfaction from personal technical contributions. Neither is better—they're different paths. Many engineers try management and return to IC, which is totally valid.

People skills: giving feedback, coaching, having difficult conversations, building relationships, resolving conflict. Management skills: running effective 1:1s, performance management, hiring, onboarding, delegation. Strategic skills: prioritization, roadmapping, stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration. Technical credibility: enough AI knowledge to guide direction and earn respect. Emotional intelligence becomes more important than technical prowess.

Typical path: 5-8 years as an engineer, 2-3 years as a senior/tech lead, then transition to management. Faster path: 4-5 years if you've demonstrated leadership informally. First management role is hardest to get—often requires internal promotion or joining a startup. New managers typically need 12-18 months to become effective. The first year is a struggle for most—expect a learning curve.

First-level manager: $180K-$260K. Senior manager (managing managers): $250K-$350K. Director: $300K-$450K+. VP of AI Engineering: $400K-$600K+. At FAANG/top AI companies, add 30-50% for total comp. Engineering managers typically earn comparable to senior/staff engineers they manage. The comp advantage comes at director+ levels. Don't become a manager for money—do it if you want to lead.

Build management experience while an IC: mentor extensively, lead projects, run team initiatives, participate in hiring. Express interest explicitly to your manager and ask for stretch opportunities. Internal transitions are most common—you have credibility and relationships. Alternative: join a startup in a player-coach role where you both code and lead. Some companies have 'trial management' where you manage temporarily to see if it fits before committing.

Minimum: 4-5 years as an engineer with proven track record. Strong: 6-8 years with tech lead or mentoring experience. You need enough experience to guide technical decisions and earn team respect. Engineers won't follow a manager who lacks technical credibility. Leadership experience (mentoring, project leadership, hiring involvement) is as important as tenure.

Start practicing now: mentor others, lead projects, run meetings, give feedback. Read about management: 'The Manager's Path,' 'High Output Management,' 'Radical Candor.' Take on management responsibilities informally. Seek feedback on your leadership. The transition is easier if you've been doing leadership work before the title. Most successful managers were 'acting managers' before officially promoted.

You become a member of the AI Native Engineer community, and you stay and keep going. Career transitions take different amounts of time for everyone, and I'm not going to abandon you if things take longer. You get ongoing support through good times and bad.

Online courses give you content. 1:1 coaching gives you a personalized roadmap, direct feedback on your work, career strategy, interview prep, and accountability. You get answers to your specific questions and guidance tailored to your unique situation instead of generic advice meant for everyone.

Investment details are discussed during the 30-minute strategy call, where we'll assess your goals and create a custom plan. The program is designed to pay for itself quickly through your increased salary. Most AI engineers see a 20-50% pay increase.

Absolutely. Most of my clients work full-time and make steady progress. We'll schedule calls at times that work for you and create a realistic plan that fits your schedule. Consistency matters more than intensity.