Head of Engineering

Job Description

Location: Onsite in the Peninsula (Bay Area)
Compensation: Competitive cash + early-stage equity
Industry: B2B SaaS / Fintech / Infrastructure
Stage: Series A

The Opportunity

An early-stage, mission-driven SaaS company backed by top-tier investors is looking for a Head of Engineering to build and lead a world-class engineering organization. This is a high-ownership role for someone who thrives in high-performance, fast-paced environments, and who is excited to help scale a product that is reshaping a traditional industry with modern technology.

You’ll work directly with the founders and own everything from hiring and team development to shipping scalable, reliable software. The ideal candidate brings a rare combination of executional excellence, people leadership, and deep technical intuition.

What You’ll Do

• Build & Scale a high-performing engineering org
• Drive Predictable Execution — bring rigor to estimation, scoping, and delivery; reduce variance and improve team velocity.
• Be the Cultural Drumbeat — consistently reinforce engineering principles, quality standards, and the company’s approach to building.
• Set the Pace — lead from the front. Be the line chef who keeps quality high and the kitchen moving fast.
• Uphold a High Bar — set and protect a high standard of engineering excellence. Provide honest feedback and hold team members accountable.
• Foster Radical Candor — create an environment of direct, constructive feedback where engineers are empowered to speak up and grow.
• Bridge Engineering & Business — connect day-to-day engineering work to long-term business goals and customer impact.
• Own the Org — shape the long-term engineering structure, tooling, and processes needed to support scale.

Who You Are

• A Builder — you love the early-stage grind. You’ve seen what great looks like and know how to build it from scratch.
• A Pacesetter — you don’t just talk about shipping fast and raising the bar—you live it.
• A Talent Magnet — people you’ve worked with before want to work with you again. You’ve built and led high-performance teams.
• A Technologist — you have strong technical instincts, ideally with a background in Python and modern infrastructure.
• A Culture Carrier — you lead with clarity, conviction, and candor. You’re not afraid of tough conversations.
• A Systems Thinker — you’re consistent, operationally minded, and always looking to improve the machine.
• A Business-Minded Engineer — you care about customer outcomes and understand the “why” behind technical decisions.

Ideal Background

• 8–12+ years of experience in engineering roles, including time in both high-growth startups and larger tech companies
• Previously scaled an engineering org from ~10 to 40+ engineers
• Experience hiring, mentoring, and managing high-performing teams
• Based in or willing to relocate to the Peninsula / South Bay (non-negotiable)
• Strong alignment with performance-driven and feedback-rich cultures
• Prior exposure to fintech, infrastructure, or regulatory-heavy environments is a plus
• Startup builder DNA with a bias toward speed, ownership, and excellence