Director of Software Engineering

Summary

Join Karat's Engineering team as a Director of Software Engineering based in Bengaluru, India. Lead and mentor a team of Software Engineers, contributing hands-on to software development and ensuring high-quality deliverables. Collaborate with global engineering teams across different regions. Drive agile development practices and implement cutting-edge technologies, particularly AI innovations. Foster an inclusive team culture and optimize engineering processes. This role requires extensive software engineering experience, strong technical skills, and proven leadership abilities. The position involves working a schedule overlapping with U.S. counterparts.

Requirements

• Extensive software engineering experience, with 5+ years building and managing engineering teams
• Strong technical background with current hands-on coding abilities, experience with modern development practices, and proven ability to make sound architectural decisions while maintaining active involvement in implementation
• Proven track record of building and leading engineering teams to deliver complex software projects on time and with high quality, including experience managing competing priorities and tight deadlines
• Experience working effectively with globally distributed teams, particularly with U.S.-based leadership, demonstrating strong communication skills and cultural adaptability
• Deep understanding of agile development methodologies with hands-on experience facilitating agile ceremonies and driving continuous improvement within engineering teams
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop software engineers, including providing technical guidance, career coaching, and performance management that drives individual and team growth
• Strong commitment to engineering excellence, including experience with code quality practices, testing methodologies, and maintaining high standards while delivering at pace
• Demonstrated interest in AI/LLM technologies through hands-on experimentation, personal projects, or technical exploration

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, mentor, and develop a team of Software Engineers in India, providing hands-on technical guidance and people management to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality features and solutions aligned with company objectives
• Actively participate in software development activities, including code reviews, architectural discussions, and technical problem-solving while maintaining a leadership perspective that drives team productivity and quality standards
• Own end-to-end execution of assigned engineering initiatives, ensuring your direct team consistently meets deadlines and quality standards while maintaining alignment with global engineering practices and customer needs
• Partner effectively with engineering teams across the U.S., LATAM, and Sweden, serving as the primary liaison for India-based engineering activities and fostering seamless collaboration across time zones in our fully remote environment
• Drive agile development practices within your team, facilitating sprint planning, demos, and retrospectives while ensuring rapid iteration and continuous improvement in an environment that values both speed and quality
• Collaborate with global leadership to implement cutting-edge technologies, particularly AI innovations, translating strategic technical vision into practical solutions delivered by your team
• Foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture that embodies Karat's company principles, supporting the professional growth of your direct reports
• Continuously improve local engineering processes, development workflows, and team practices to enable high-velocity feature delivery while maintaining technical excellence and alignment with global standards

Benefits

• Private healthcare available (100% premium coverage for employees and eligible dependents)
• Generous India time off policies
• Vacation: 18 days of vacation per year (accrued at 1.5 days per month)
• Sick Leave: Three (3) work weeks per calendar year
• Karat ‘No Questions Asked’ Leave: one (1) work week per calendar year
• Public Holidays: 7 days
• Floating Holidays: 4 days
• Karat Summer Break: 5 days - July
• Karat Winter Break: 5 days - December