VP of Software Engineering

Role overview

This is an executive leadership role reporting to the CEO and sitting on the leadership team, responsible for setting the technical and AI direction for a company that designs, builds, and operates classified physical and digital infrastructure for defense and national security customers. The VP will own three interconnected areas: software delivered under government contracts, the internal platform that site and operations teams depend on, and an enterprise-wide AI strategy that is central to winning work and running the business. The role combines building the engineering function with running it, shaping the operating model, scaling the team, and serving as the credible technical voice in front of government customers.

Responsibilities

- Lead, develop, and scale a software engineering organization accountable for delivery quality, security, reliability, and operational outcomes for both internal and external customers. - Define and evolve the engineering operating model, moving from project-based execution to outcome-based ownership with clear intake, prioritization, and delivery cadence. - Own the company-wide AI strategy, including AI capabilities embedded in delivered products and the integration of AI into how internal functions operate, with measurable adoption. - Oversee delivery against awarded software contracts, owning scope, schedule, cost, staffing, utilization, and customer confidence in technical capability. - Set technology strategy and architecture roadmaps for all software, including systems deployed into customer environments, and make build-versus-buy decisions. - Represent the company directly in delivery reviews and pursuit conversations with government customers, and partner with growth teams on technical approach, staffing models, and pricing for new bids. - Establish engineering metrics and reporting that give executives visibility into velocity, quality, AI adoption, and business impact. - Build the business case for engineering investment, including headcount, tooling, and vendor decisions, and manage the portfolio against it.

Requirements

- Eight or more years in software engineering with progressive leadership responsibility, including full ownership of an engineering or software product function. - Experience leading software delivery to U.S. government customers, with direct exposure to federal constraints around security, compliance, and controlled data. - Command of modern AI practice, including large language models, agentic frameworks, retrieval-augmented generation, orchestration, and AI governance. - Demonstrated ownership of delivery economics, including cost, staffing, and utilization against a fixed commitment, and experience building the business case for technology investment. - Track record of building and leading an engineering organization, including hiring, operating model design, and the shift toward outcome-based delivery. - Demonstrated ability to manage executive-level customer and cross-functional relationships.

Nice to have

- Background in defense, national security, or another regulated environment involving clearance, compliance, or controlled-data constraints. - Software capture experience, including technical approach and cost input on federal proposals. - Experience delivering software for field-based or operational users. - An active U.S. government security clearance.

Benefits and work setup

- Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and must be eligible for and committed to obtaining and maintaining a U.S. government security clearance as a condition of employment. - Published salary range of $230,000 to $275,000 USD.