Director of Software Engineering

job title
Director of Software Engineering

Job Description
Director of Software Engineering
About The Role

• We are seeking a software engineering leader (Director or an experienced Sr. Manager ready to grow into this role) to join our US Headquarters. This is a high-impact opportunity to help shape the technical and product direction of a fast-growing, AI-driven SaaS company that is transforming semiconductor design. In this role, you'll lead engineering teams at the heart of Cognichip's product delivery. You will work closely with Product Management, business stakeholders, and AI/chip engineering leaders to ensure that Cognichip's technology not only scales but also delivers clear value to customers. You'll be responsible for technical oversight, delivery ownership, and culture building. While you won't be coding daily, you'll remain close enough to the stack to mentor engineers, guide architecture, and participate meaningfully in design discussions. This role requires a leader who thrives at the intersection of engineering execution and product/business alignment.

Key Responsibilities
Lead & Scale Engineering Teams

• Build and grow high-performing engineering teams across multiple disciplines (frontend/IDE, backend/platform, ML/AI, devtools)
• Establish and reinforce a strong, collaborative, high-performance culture
• Recruit, develop, and retain top engineering talent; mentor technical leads and future managers

Stay Technically Engaged

• Maintain technical credibility in modern SaaS, cloud-native, and AI/ML stacks
• Participate in design and architecture reviews to ensure sound technical decision-making
• Champion best practices for testing, modularity, documentation, and performance

Drive Product & Business Alignment

• Partner closely with Product Management and business teams to shape roadmaps and ensure engineering delivery maps to customer and market needs
• Translate product strategy into executable engineering plans with measurable outcomes
• Balance technical innovation with business priorities and time-to-market pressures

Own End-to-End Delivery

• Drive delivery across value streams: from roadmap planning and design through execution, launch, and adoption
• Ensure scalability, reliability, and security are built into the product from day one
• Foster engineering excellence and accountability across teams

Bridge Technical & Cross-Functional Teams

• Collaborate with AI scientists, chip engineers, and product leaders to deliver cohesive solutions
• Act as a key communication link between engineering execution and business strategy
• Define engineering rituals, metrics, and collaboration practices that improve alignment across functions

Ideal Experience

• Proven leadership experience (Sr. Manager, Director, or equivalent) leading teams of 15+ cross-disciplinary engineers, with demonstrated ability to scale organizations
• 10+ years of professional experience, including progression from hands-on engineer → tech lead → organizational leadership
• Technical awareness and credibility in modern software stacks (cloud-native, AI/ML, SaaS), even if not coding daily
• Strong track record in end-to-end product delivery, including aligning engineering with product and business strategy
• Excellent people leadership skills: hiring, mentoring, and developing engineers and technical leaders
• Strong collaboration and communication skills; effective working across engineering, product, and business stakeholders
• Prior experience in enterprise SaaS, developer tools, or AI/ML infrastructure is strongly preferred

What We Offer

• A pivotal role in shaping Cognichip's core product and technical execution from the US HQ
• Direct partnership with Product Management, business leadership, and cross-disciplinary engineering leaders
• Work at the intersection of AI, semiconductors, and developer tools, solving technically challenging and high-impact problems
• Competitive compensation package, including early-stage equity in a fast-growing AI startup
• A high-trust, low-ego team culture that values ownership, curiosity, and collaboration

Level

• We are targeting candidates who are currently at the Director level for this role. However, if you are a Sr. Manager with proven experience as outlined in the "Ideal Experience" section and are ready to take the next step, we encourage you to apply.