Lab Director, AI Innovation Lab

Area15•New York, NY

About The Position

AREA15 is an immersive entertainment and event destination that blends art and music in a dynamic environment. We are a hub for creativity, innovation, and unique experiences. Join us and be part of a team that thrives on imagination and passion. The Lab Director is the operating leader of Fisher Brothers' AI Innovation Lab - a four-person team charged with finding, building, and deploying AI-powered solutions across the organization. This is not a research role or a strategy role. It is a technical execution role with a direct line to the CTO and clear accountability for outcomes. You bring genuine engineering depth alongside leadership capability. You can review the Vibe Coding Engineer's code, make architecture calls, and take a hands-on role in production deployments when needed. You understand what it takes to build something fast and what it takes to make it stable, secure, and maintainable - and you know the difference between the two in any given moment. At the same time, you run the Lab's day-to-day operations: aligning priorities with the Global CTO, ensuring the PM's build backlog reflects the highest-ROI opportunities the Analyst has surfaced, and owning the Lab's delivery commitments to business unit owners. You also co-lead the identification and incubation of new AI-focused business ventures. The Lab Director must be equally comfortable reviewing a production deployment checklist, evaluating a working prototype in a sprint review, and presenting ROI outcomes to the COO. You are the technical anchor and the business bridge of the Lab simultaneously.

Requirements

Applicants must be 21 years of age or older
Proof of eligibility to work in the United States
Comfortable working in a creative, entrepreneurial start-up environment, introducing new concepts and innovations.
7+ years of experience across software engineering, platform engineering, or technical leadership roles — with at least 3 years leading a team
Hands-on engineering experience: you have built and shipped production applications, not just managed teams that did
Proficiency in modern web development frameworks (React, Next.js, or equivalent) and server-side application development
Solid experience deploying and managing applications in cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure, or Vercel) — including monitoring, logging, and incident response
Strong working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, Git-based version control, and structured deployment practices
Experience with APIs, third-party integrations, and data services — and the judgment to know when to build vs. integrate
Understanding of application security fundamentals: authentication, authorization, data encryption, secrets management, and secure deployment practices
Demonstrated ability to manage a product or project backlog, make scope tradeoffs, and hold a team to delivery commitments
Exceptional communication skills — able to translate between engineers, business executives, and non-technical operators fluently
Comfortable in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment where the work is as much discovered as defined
Ability to understand, speak, read, and write the English language.
Computer skills in Microsoft applications. (Excel, Outlook, Word, etc.)
Availability for varied shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Ability to work in an environment subject to varying levels of noise, crowds, flashing lights, and smoke.
Ability to work in all weather conditions including but not limited to extreme heat, sun exposure, wind, rain, extreme cold.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools (Cursor, Claude, GitHub Copilot) used in real production workflows
Experience with agentic orchestration platforms such as Claude Cowork, Perplexity Computer, or Zapier AI
Prior experience building or leading an internal innovation lab, platform engineering team, or AI/automation practice
Experience in real estate, property management, professional services, or a multi-asset operating company
Track record of turning internal tooling or automation work into revenue-generating products or ventures
Familiarity with JD Edwards or enterprise ERP systems and the integration patterns required to work with them
Experience with network infrastructure, firewall configuration, or IT systems — enabling effective collaboration with the Infrastructure pillar

Responsibilities

Lead the AI Innovation Lab as a high-output, accountable team - setting pace, technical standards, and culture
Manage the PM directly; provide direction, remove blockers, and hold the team to sprint commitments
Run the weekly Lab cadence: backlog review, sprint planning, code review, and deployment tracking
Own delivery commitments to business unit owners - communicate proactively on timelines, scope, and outcomes
Establish and enforce Lab operating standards: approved tooling, code quality, documentation requirements, deployment practices, and security review gates
Review the Vibe Coding Engineer's code and architecture decisions - provide real technical feedback, not just directional guidance
Make or validate all significant architecture calls: framework selection, data storage approach, API design, authentication, and scalability considerations
Own the Lab's production environment: ensure all deployed tools are running in secure, monitored, and maintainable infrastructure
Establish and maintain CI/CD pipelines, version control standards (Git), and deployment processes that the Vibe Coding Engineer works within
Take a hands-on role in complex deployments, integrations with core Fisher systems (ERP, network infrastructure), or any situation where production stability is at risk
Define and enforce security standards for all Lab-built applications - including authentication, data handling, access control, and secrets management
Ensure deployed tools are properly documented for ongoing maintenance and can be supported by the broader Engineering or IT team post-handoff
Meet with the Global CTO monthly to align the Lab's project pipeline with Fisher's strategic priorities
Present the prioritized build backlog, active sprint status, infrastructure health, and outcome metrics clearly and concisely
Escalate resource conflicts, architectural dependencies, scope blockers, and cross-pillar coordination needs to the CTO
Translate CTO-level strategic direction into concrete Lab priorities the PM can spec and the Engineer can build
Represent the Lab in senior stakeholder conversations - with COO, CFO, and business unit leadership
Ensure business unit owners remain engaged and available throughout active sprints
Review the Analyst's opportunity pipeline to validate the Lab is pursuing the highest-impact work
Champion Lab results internally: present outcomes, savings, and case studies to build organizational buy-in
Coordinate with the Engineering Lead (JDE team) and Infrastructure Lead on data access, system integrations, and deployment infrastructure - working peer-to-peer on architecture decisions
Ensure Engineering and IT are engaged as sprint partners and fully briefed on Lab deployment requirements before hardening begins
Lead the technical component of the security review process with the cybersecurity vendor for all external-facing or production deployments
Partner with the Sr. Network Engineer on network access, firewall rules, and hosting requirements for Lab-deployed applications
Work directly with the Global CTO to identify, evaluate, and advance new AI-focused business opportunities
Evaluate the technical feasibility and scalability of venture concepts - provide an honest engineering assessment before significant resources are committed
Translate high-performing Lab tools into potential product or venture concepts, evaluating market fit, scalability, and commercial potential
Support early-stage venture buildouts: technical scoping, architecture design, team requirements, and prototype oversight
Be available to respond to time-sensitive matters.
Demonstrate ART! (AREA15's service standards) in every guest interaction.
Adhere to department and company policies and procedures.
Maintain a professional, polished appearance in line with AREA15 standards.
Work various shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Perform other work-related duties as assigned.