Engineering Manager

Role overview

We are seeking a highly capable and entrepreneurial engineering manager to serve as the founding technical manager in a new AI-focused venture backed by a family office. As the first engineer on the ground, you will lead the design and development of AI-centric applications. You'll own end-to-end delivery, from backend systems to user interfaces, with autonomy and a high degree of influence.

Key responsibilities

1. AI application development

• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered software products that integrate with foundation models (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) or other AI services via APIs and on-prem LLMs.
• Train and fine-tune AI models for downstream tasks.
• Translate product ideas and strategic objectives into functional, scalable, and user-friendly applications.
• Build backend services, orchestrate workflows, and develop front-end interfaces to create seamless end-user experiences.

2. Systems & architecture design

• Architect modular and extensible systems that support rapid experimentation and deployment of new AI features.
• Make critical decisions on frameworks, libraries, data structures, and cloud-native design patterns tailored to AI applications.
• Prioritize maintainability, reusability, and performance.

3. Infrastructure & deployment for AI use cases

• Set up cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure) to host applications and manage secure, scalable data and API integrations.
• Implement lightweight DevOps workflows: CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and monitoring for deployed applications.
• Ensure infrastructure is optimized for latency, concurrency, scalability, and cost-efficiency of AI-powered systems.

4. Cross-functional collaboration

• Work directly with stakeholders and domain experts to define features and development priorities.
• Participate in product ideation and contribute to shaping the roadmap through technical insight.
• Provide clear, actionable technical feedback to non-technical decision-makers.

5. Engineering culture & best practices

• Establish coding standards, version control workflows, code reviews, and testing protocols appropriate for a lean startup.
• Document systems and maintain a developer-friendly environment for future hires.
• Act as a mentor and technical reference point for future engineering team growth.

Qualifications

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical discipline. 6-10 years of hands-on experience in full-stack or backend software development, ideally with exposure to AI-powered products.

Strong proficiency in Python is essential; experience with TypeScript, JavaScript, or Go is a plus.

Experience building applications that integrate with AI platforms (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Vertex AI).

Experience in building microservices, APIs, authentication/authorization flows, and backend orchestration.

Proficient with cloud services, containerization, and basic DevOps practices.

Proven track record of leading an engineering team to deliver AI applications and services.