Director of Software Engineering

About Voyant Photonics
Voyant Photonics is redefining machine perception with compact, high-performance LiDAR devices that fit in the palm of your hand. Leveraging cutting-edge silicon photonic chips, our sensors deliver unparalleled accuracy in range, velocity, and reflectivity, at a fraction of the cost of traditional LiDAR systems. By transforming high-precision sensing into an accessible technology, we are enabling new applications in robotics, autonomous systems, industrial automation, and beyond.

At Voyant, we are not just building products, we are advancing an industry. Our breakthrough technology bridges the gap between research and real-world deployment, making high-performance LiDAR scalable and commercially viable.

The opportunity
Voyant Photonics is redefining machine perception with compact, high-performance LiDAR systems powered by proprietary silicon photonics. Our mission is to bring advanced 3D sensing to every device that moves.

We are seeking an exceptional Director of Software to lead Voyant's software organization through its next phase of growth. This is a unique opportunity to build and scale a world-class software team that bridges hardware and perception, delivering powerful, elegant APIs and tools that make our LiDAR sensors intuitive and accessible for customers.

You'll define the roadmap for Voyant's perception software, guide the architecture that connects our hardware to real-world applications, and play a pivotal role in enabling customer success across diverse use cases. You will build a cohesive execution plan and development cadence for the software team while establishing metrics to track software reliability, customer satisfaction, and product adoption. This is a career-defining leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of hardware & software.

Location:
New York City, NY (on-site). We offer relocation assistance and are flexible in supporting your transition to New York City.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Voyant's software organization, including perception, and API teams.
• Define and execute a software roadmap aligned with company objectives.
• Oversee software architecture spanning device configuration, API functionality, and point cloud output.
• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Sales to translate customer needs into scalable solutions.
• Deliver robust, customer-facing software that supports Voyant's Carbon platform and future perception products.
• Implement best practices for code quality, deployment cadence, Security, and defect reduction.
• Ensure the software team operates with clarity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Provide hands-on technical guidance and mentorship to the team.
• Support enterprise clients through software integrations and technical sales cycles.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software development experience, including leadership of multi-functional teams.
• Proven success managing Director-level or higher software organizations.
• Hands-on experience with one or more programming languages: C++, Python, Rust.
• Background in data science, machine learning, or computer vision.
• Demonstrated ability to ship software for hardware products, including OTA firmware updates.
• Strong strategic thinking, capable of aligning software initiatives with company-wide goals,
• Track record of building scalable teams and processes from early-stage through growth.
• Deep understanding of software quality metrics (e.g., deployment frequency, defect density).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading software organizations through scaling events (e.g., growth, IPO).
• Exposure to enterprise customer support, technical sales enablement, or customer success.
• Familiarity with perception systems, LiDAR, or sensor-based products.
• Demonstrated success operating in fast-paced, resource-constrained startup environments.
• Knowledge of modern tools and systems such as GitHub and Google Workspace.
• A mindset of continuous learning and innovation, curious, adaptable, and hands-on.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity package
• Comprehensive health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Unlimited PTO and paid company holidays
• Flexible work environment (Hybrid or remote with travel)
• Team events and company meetups
• Complimentary lunch provided daily at the office

Equal Opportunity Employer
Voyant Photonics is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or partnership status, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, or any other characteristic protected by law.