Director of Engineering

Summary
We are seeking an exceptional, visionary Director of Engineering to join our team at Subject. This role is for a proven technical leader who has scaled engineering organizations in early-stage startups and thrives in environments where speed, innovation, and impact are paramount. You will bring a deep passion for AI—not just as a technical capability, but as a transformative force for how products are conceived, built, and experienced. Your mission: lead our engineering team to new heights of velocity, quality, and innovation, delivering technology that empowers students and educators worldwide.

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About Subject

Subject is an educational technology startup on a mission to revolutionize classroom experiences. Backed by Kleiner Perkins, SoftBank Opportunity Fund, Owl Ventures, and others, we are building the future of learning by providing on-demand, engaging, and personalized educational experiences. Our fast-growing, LA-based team is driven to disrupt the education landscape with products that truly make a difference.

Mission: Maximize the potential of all learners and educators, regardless of zip code.
Vision: Empower students to outperform their current trajectory by several notches, creating a more educated society with higher graduation rates and better opportunities.

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Our Values
• Education Obsessed – Relentless focus on delivering the best learning experience possible.
• Championship Sports Team – We win together and hold each other to the highest standards.
• Speed – Velocity is a competitive advantage; we act quickly and decisively.
• Empathy – We value and support each other, and build products that connect with people deeply.

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The Opportunity

As Director of Engineering, you will:

• Scale and Lead – Grow and mentor a high-performing engineering team, instilling a culture of excellence, ownership, and speed.
• Drive AI Integration – Champion AI-first thinking across engineering and product, leveraging AI to accelerate development, personalize learning, and reimagine the user experience.
• Shape Technical Vision – Define and execute the technical roadmap in alignment with business strategy, balancing short-term velocity with long-term scalability.
• Elevate Product Experience – Partner with product, design, and content leaders to deliver delightful, impactful, and reliable learning experiences.
• Architect for Scale – Guide architecture decisions that support growth in users, complexity, and global reach.
• Lead from the Front – Stay hands-on enough to model technical excellence, but lead strategically to empower the team.
• Model Grind, Grit, and Talent - Live and breathe Subject. Lead from the front and help us improve the lives of millions of students through your hard work and commitment to the mission.

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What You’ll Do

• Strategic Leadership: Own the engineering vision and ensure alignment with product and company goals.
• Team Building: Recruit, coach, and retain top engineering talent, fostering career growth and team cohesion.
• AI Innovation: Identify and execute opportunities where AI can meaningfully enhance product capabilities, efficiency, and user delight.
• Delivery Excellence: Maintain high standards for code quality, reliability, and performance while enabling rapid iteration.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product, design, and data to deliver exceptional solutions at speed.
• Culture Champion: Cultivate a collaborative, mission-driven engineering culture that attracts top talent.

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What You Bring

• Proven Track Record: Experience as an engineering leader scaling teams in early-stage, high-growth startups.
• AI Nativity: Deep familiarity with modern AI technologies and their practical application in product development.
• Technical Breadth: Strong architectural skills with experience in scalable cloud infrastructure, modern front-end (Next.js/TypeScript), back-end (Node.js/Postgres), and CI/CD pipelines.
• Builder Mentality: A hands-on approach when needed, with a bias toward rapid iteration and shipping impactful features.
• Exceptional Leadership: Ability to inspire, develop, and lead engineering teams to peak performance.
• Customer-Centric Mindset: Passion for building products that meaningfully improve student and educator experiences.

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Equal Opportunity for All

Subject is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment.

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Total Rewards

We offer competitive compensation (including equity), comprehensive health and dental coverage, growth opportunities, and a mission-driven culture where your work will impact millions.

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If you are ready to lead with vision, scale with excellence, and transform education with AI, we’d love to hear from you.