Director of Software Engineering

Overview A pioneering technology company at the forefront of geospatial intelligence is seeking a Director of Software Engineering in San Francisco, CA. This is a hands-on leadership role for an individual passionate about building platforms and data pipelines that interpret our world from a geospatial perspective. The position is hybrid, with approximately 75% individual contribution and 25% leadership, focusing on the core engineering teams responsible for the customer-facing platform and its advanced data processing engine.Opportunity to make a significant impact within a growth-stage company that leads in its field.
Base salary between $175,000 and $225,000, with meaningful equity, comprehensive health plan (health/dental/vision/wellness), disability and life insurance, and a 401K program.
Flexible time off and a collaborative hybrid work environment with a flexible in-office schedule, including lunch at the San Francisco headquarters (Tuesday to Thursday).
Commuter benefits, learning and development opportunities, a monthly stipend for expenses, and engaging team-building off-sites.
The Company My client is a cutting-edge geospatial intelligence company deploying an advanced constellation of satellites to capture and analyze unique satellite data, providing actionable insights for sectors aiming to change the world. They focus on proprietary analytics to promote sustainable operations and enhance global situational awareness.
The Role As a player-coach, you will move quickly, take calculated risks, and deliver customer value while maintaining a long-term view on scalability.
Design, develop, and maintain core systems across the customer-facing platform (APIs, customer delivery) and the data pipeline (imagery processing, derived analytics).
Write production-quality Python code and support the team in delivering robust, scalable geospatial products.
Own and operate the company's Jira Agile/Scrum process, including backlog management, sprint planning, and ensuring a consistent delivery cadence.
Lead, mentor, and grow a small, high-impact team of engineering managers and engineers.
Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with Product, Analytics, and Operations teams to align objectives and delivery.
Support hiring, career growth, and the development of a high-performing engineering culture.
BS in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
~10+ years of hands-on software engineering experience with progression into technical leadership roles.
~ Expert-level proficiency working with satellite imagery data including hyperspectral, multispectral, SAR, or equivalent.
~ Expert-level proficiency in Python with experience building data pipelines, APIs, and infrastructure.
~ Extensive knowledge of geospatial libraries for raster data (e.g., Comfortable with AWS technologies (CDK, Lambda, S3, ECS, RDS), Django, and Terraform.
~ Strong Agile/Scrum background with direct accountability for Jira workflows.
~ Experience building and operating customer-facing APIs and data processing systems.
~ Citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or eligible to obtain required ITAR authorizations.

Background in aerospace, defense, or intelligence-focused environments.
Experience in growth-stage startups or small technology companies.
How to Apply If you are interested in this role, please apply with your resume through this site.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, national origin, religion or belief, disability, pregnancy and maternity, marital status, political affiliation, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, or gender reassignment. Employment type Full-time
Job function Information Technology, Engineering, and Other
Industries Defense and Space Manufacturing, Space Research and Technology, Software Development

Check below to see if you have what is needed for this opportunity, and if so, make an application asap.
#Remote working/work at home options are available for this role.