Director of Engineering, Backend Platforms

Summary

Join Onebrief, a revolutionary platform for military staff workflows and operational planning, as their new Director of Engineering. Lead backend platform teams, including Data Platform, API & Integrations, and Applied AI teams. Guide the people and systems behind data storage, information movement, and powering smart workflows. Report to the VP of Engineering and collaborate with leaders across Product, Design, and Infrastructure. Shape the vision for data, APIs, and AI enablement, turning it into focused initiatives. Support and scale engineering teams, investing in technical quality and building a healthy team culture.

Requirements

• 2+ years leading managers in backend or platform teams
• 6–10+ years of engineering experience, with significant depth in backend or infrastructure domains
• Experience growing healthy teams, mentoring EMs, and designing org structures that support autonomy and focus
• Clear communicator across functions and async-first teams
• Strong grasp of backend platforms: Node.js, Postgres, Redis, Kubernetes, AWS
• Experience with data pipelines, secure ingestion, API ecosystems, and system design at scale
• Familiarity with observability, cost optimization, and reliability patterns
• History of driving multi-quarter platform roadmaps in product-led companies
• Comfort shaping team scopes, defining SLAs, and guiding technical standards
• Ability to translate complexity into clarity, and align cross-functional teams around the work that matters

Responsibilities

• Set direction and connect the dots. Shape the vision across data, APIs, and AI enablement, then turn that vision into focused, sequenced initiatives
• Support and scale great teams. Coach 2–3 Engineering Managers (and their teams of ~8 engineers). Help them grow, navigate ambiguity, and scale their own leadership
• Invest in technical quality. Make sure our backend systems are observable, secure, performant, and cost-aware. Raise the bar on architecture without slowing down delivery
• Collaborate deeply. Work with PM, Design, and other eng leaders to shape quarterly plans, unblock cross-team delivery, and align technical work with real user outcomes
• Make systems better over time. Guide the evolution of our microservices, cloud infra, and AI foundations. Balance speed with sound engineering judgment
• Build a healthy culture. Model low-ego, context-rich leadership. Create rituals that help teams plan, reflect, and work asynchronously without burning out

Preferred Qualifications

Bonus: experience enabling AI/ML teams or building infra for LLM-powered features