AfterQuery — Marketing Lead

Type: Full-time | On-site | San Francisco, CA Compensation: $160,000–$220,000 + competitive equity Hiring count: 1 Visa sponsorship: None available Reports to: Spencer, CEO (LinkedIn not provided). Partners closely with Jake, Head of Sales (LinkedIn not provided).

About AfterQuery

AfterQuery is an applied research lab curating data solutions for foundation model development, serving every frontier AI lab with a mission to deliver the best data to power the best models. The work sits directly in the loop of how those systems improve. Since raising a $30M Series A at a $300M valuation, AfterQuery has grown to a well-over-$100M revenue run rate. NVIDIA recently reposted AfterQuery's work, building credibility with the foundation-model labs that make up the customer base.

Founded: 2025 | Team size: 11–50 | Total funding: $30M Series A (at $300M valuation) Industry: Consumer Tech (as tagged on Contrario; reads as a data/AI research lab — noted for accuracy) Website: afterquery.com Office: San Francisco, CA Backers: Altos Ventures, BoxGroup, Y Combinator, and angels from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta Superintelligence Labs, and Microsoft AI

Why Candidates Should Join

• First marketing hire, zero-to-one mandate: Build the entire brand and GTM function from scratch — marketing today is effectively nil (occasional founder posts, ad hoc reposts, merch).
• Elite backing and real traction: $30M Series A at $300M, $100M+ revenue run rate, NVIDIA amplification, and an angel roster from the top frontier labs.
• Serves every frontier lab: Direct line into the foundation-model ecosystem, with a brand inspiration of Anthropic and Surge — "if you know, you know."

Intake Call Summary

An intake video is embedded on the Contrario role page, but no transcript or written intake summary was included in the source HTML. Not available — not fabricated.

The Role

AfterQuery is hiring its first Head of Marketing / Marketing Lead to build the marketing function from scratch and establish a clear AfterQuery brand across two audiences. The brand has a two-pronged target: (1) talent perception, so AfterQuery becomes a tier-zero destination for top researchers, engineers, and ops candidates; and (2) customer/researcher perception, so frontier-lab researchers associate AfterQuery with "highest data quality, knows deeply what they're doing, research-led," generating inbound from teams that currently require bottoms-up sales outreach. This is an IC seat for the foreseeable future, with a team build expected within months if the foundation is strong.

What You'll Be Doing

• Build AfterQuery's brand and go-to-market function from scratch across LinkedIn, X, content, events, launch videos, and positioning
• Drive two-pronged perception: tier-zero talent destination and highest-data-quality customer perception with researcher-led credibility
• Generate inbound: shift sales from bottom-up researcher outreach to inbound requests from labs and customers
• Represent AfterQuery at 4–5 major AI conferences per year (Rio, South Korea, comparable industry events)
• Partner with Spencer (CEO) and Jake (Head of Sales) on customer-facing content, technical messaging, case studies, and press

Tech stack: N/A (marketing function build)

Requirements

• 2-5 years marketing at B2B or technical company
• Deep AI / ML / foundation model fluency
• Generalist: LinkedIn, X, content, events, positioning
• Strong technical-audience communication
• Hands-on builder, IC mentality
• SF in-person, 4-5 major AI conferences per year

Green Flags

• Generalist with proven ability to spike in whichever channel proves highest leverage.
• Demonstrated fast ramp ability.
• Deep AI/ML/foundation model fluency that goes beyond surface-level awareness. Can communicate to technical audiences without faking
• The 6 culture traits: good person, high agency, bias to action, ambiguity comfort, intellectual horsepower, work ethic. Will-test: someone you'd grab a coffee or beer with
• Strategic + executor profile.
• Experience writing to technical audiences (ie researchers)

Red Flags

• AI tourist with no real depth. Fintech or other-industry marketer who rebranded their company as "AI-focused" without genuine landscape fluency.
• Plan-only operator without execution chops.
• Sharp-elbowed or cutthroat communication style.
• Requires 30-90 days to ramp
• Pure consumer brand or B2C marketing background without B2B or technical-audience translation.

Nice-to-Have (from role brief)

• Experience marketing products or services to AI labs or technical researchers
• Familiarity with developer-focused or open-source marketing
• Background in technical writing or communications
• Prior experience at a hyper-growth startup that built its marketing function from zero

Role Details

• Salary — $160,000–$220,000 (flex above for exceptional senior candidates)
• Equity — Competitive equity
• On-site policy — SF in-person; travel to 4–5 major AI conferences per year
• Visa sponsorship — None available
• Employment type — Full-time
• Location — San Francisco, CA
• Experience — 2–5 years

Required Candidate Q&A (Contrario submission form)

1. LinkedIn Profile
2. Are you legally authorized to work in the country where you are applying?
3. Will you now or in the future require visa sponsorship for employment?

No separate call-only Screening Questions were provided in the source HTML.

Interview Process

Stage 1 — Pending Approval — Candidates awaiting initial approval. Stage 2 — Initial Screen — Initial screen. Stage 3 — First Round — First round. Stage 4 — Second Round — Second round. Stage 5 — Offer — Offer extended. Stage 6 — Hired — Candidate accepts and starts.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary and equity
• UberEats and ride-share stipend
• Comped Equinox membership
• 401K with match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible work arrangements
• Opportunity to shape the marketing function at a high-growth research lab
• Work with a passionate, world-class team