Head of Engineering (Director/VP) – VC Backed Startups

At SignalFire, we partner with top early-stage startups that are shaping the future of technology. Our portfolio spans 200+ innovative companies across AI, cybersecurity, healthtech, fintech, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS.

We’re looking to connect with exceptional Heads of Engineering (Director/VP-level leaders) who are excited about building and scaling engineering teams, driving technical vision, and leading execution at high-growth startups. By joining SignalFire’s Talent Network, your profile will be shared with our portfolio companies, giving you visibility into exclusive early-stage opportunities that may not be publicly listed.

? This is not an application for a specific job. Instead, this is a way to get on the radar of VC-backed startups that are actively hiring engineering executives and senior leaders. If a company is interested in your background, they may reach out directly.

Who Should Join?

We’re looking for leaders who are:

? Passionate about scaling engineering teams, processes, and technology in high-growth environments

? Experienced in technical strategy, execution, and organizational leadership

? Excited to partner with founders and executives to drive product and business impact

Typical Roles & Responsibilities

• Build and scale high-performing engineering teams, hiring and developing top technical talent
• Define and drive technical strategy, execution, and long-term roadmap alignment with business objectives
• Oversee architecture, infrastructure, and best practices for scalable, reliable systems
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Own engineering operations, ensuring high-velocity product development and delivery
• Establish engineering processes, CI/CD workflows, and DevOps best practices
• Collaborate with founders, product, and business teams to shape company-wide strategic direction
• Drive cross-functional collaboration across engineering, product, and design teams
• Lead initiatives for performance optimization, security, and cost efficiency

Common Qualifications

While each startup has its own hiring criteria, many Head of Engineering (Director/VP-level) roles in our network look for:

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 4+ years in leadership roles
• Proven experience managing and scaling engineering teams in high-growth startup environments
• Expertise in backend, full-stack, or infrastructure development with modern cloud technologies
• Strong knowledge of scalable architectures, distributed systems, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Track record of hiring, retaining, and developing top engineering talent
• Ability to balance hands-on technical leadership with high-level strategic decision-making
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies, engineering execution, and product development lifecycles
• Experience in venture-backed startups or fast-scaling technology companies

? Technologies You Might Work With:

• Languages & Frameworks: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Ruby, Golang, Java, React, Node.js, Django, Flask, FastAPI, Spring Boot
• Cloud & DevOps: AWS (EKS, ECS, Lambda), GCP (GKE, Cloud Run), Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, Jenkins, GitHub Actions
• Databases & Storage: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, DynamoDB, Redis
• Other Tools: GraphQL, REST APIs, Kafka, RabbitMQ, Elasticsearch

What Happens Next?

• Submit your application to join SignalFire’s Talent Ecosystem.
• We review applications on an ongoing basis to identify strong candidates.
• If there’s a match, a SignalFire talent partner or a leader from one of our startups may reach out directly.
• No match yet? We’ll keep your profile on file for future engineering leadership roles in our portfolio.

Compensation Range: $180K – $300K