Pelago is the leading specialty substance use care provider, built on the belief that effective treatment means matching care intensity to what each member actually needs rather than defaulting to the most expensive intervention. Our programs guide members through every stage of the substance use spectrum, from unhealthy habits to active use disorders, delivering personalized treatment for tobacco, alcohol, opioid, cannabis, and stimulant use based on individual health, habits, genetics, and goals. With Sona, our voice-first AI Mental Health Specialist, Pelago now applies that same clinically-driven model to mental health, pairing deep clinical expertise with technology to expand access without compromising care quality.

We believe technology should make clinical care more precise and more human, not replace the judgment behind it. Pelago has scaled to helping hundreds of employers and health plans and has already helped more than 750,000 members better manage their substance use. If you're passionate about AI and making an impact on the health of others, join us and make it happen!

Overview of the Role: Pelago is the world's leading virtual clinic for Substance Use Management, and we are expanding the frontier of what virtual care can do through AI. As we build and scale the AI arm of our clinical operations, we are looking for a Director, Clinical AI to serve as the clinical backbone of this work, bridging care delivery, product development, and strategic partnership at a company-wide level. This is a director-level role for a clinician who is equally at home in a strategy conversation and a compliance review, and who can move fluidly between clinical, technical, and executive audiences.

This role sits at the intersection of clinical excellence and AI-driven product innovation. This is currently an individual contributor role with a clear path toward building and leading a team as the function grows. This is a hybrid role with a high-collaboration rhythm (3 days/week in our NYC office).

In This Role You Will: Clinical Operations Leadership Serve as the senior clinical decision-maker overseeing Pelago's AI-driven mental and behavioral health care programs.

Requirements

, and documentation. Manage clinical escalations and serve as the senior point of accountability for clinical decisions within the AI care program. AI Product Collaboration Work closely with product, design, and engineering teams to provide clinical annotation, structured feedback, and ongoing quality review of AI products.

Serve as the clinical voice in product design discussions, contributing insight that keeps AI tools grounded in evidence-based care delivery. Strategic Leadership Represent clinical priorities in cross-functional strategy discussions, standing in for the VP of Care Delivery when needed. Partner with the Chief Scientific Officer on clinical standards, research alignment, and innovation.

Help shape the long-term vision for AI-assisted care at Pelago. External Stakeholder Engagement Build and manage relationships with mental health agencies, clinical vendors, and external partners. Act as Pelago's clinical representative in external settings, upholding our standards and values.

Internal Alignment Facilitate alignment between Clinical and Product teams, ensuring consistent communication and coordinated execution. Work hand-in-hand with the Care Manager team to ensure continuity between AI-assisted and human-delivered care. The Background We're Looking For: Master's or Doctoral degree in a clinical field (LCSW, LPC, PsyD, PhD, or equivalent); active licensure required.

8+ years of clinical experience in mental or behavioral health, with at least 3 years in a leadership or manager-level role. Experience working at the intersection of clinical care and technology or digital health.