Output is one of the most influential and fastest-growing music creation software companies in the world used by the likes of Billie Eilish, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Coldplay to name a few. Our focus is to inspire a new generation of music makers with groundbreaking products, new sources of inspiration and sound. Here at Output, we are on an endless journey to revolutionize the way creators make music.
Output is seeking a dynamic and experienced VP of Engineering to lead our engineering function. Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Executive Team, the successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing a diverse team of 25 engineers covering Backend, Frontend, R&D, QA, Data, and Web engineering. This role is integral to our executive team and requires strong leadership skills, technical expertise, and a deep passion for music technology.
How you'll add value:
- Leadership and Vision: Provide strategic direction and leadership to the engineering team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Advocate for initiatives that will have lasting impact and contribute to the future direction of the company.
- Team Management and Mentorship: Manage and mentor engineering leaders, providing guidance and support to facilitate their growth and development. Foster an environment of learning and mentorship within the engineering organization.
- Technical Oversight and Guidance: Provide technical guidance and expertise, ensuring the successful execution of engineering projects while empowering team members to make autonomous decisions. Collaborate with engineering leaders to ensure alignment with company goals and priorities.
- Operations Management: Budgeting, procurement, and oversight of tools and services essential for efficient software development. Manage the streamlining of processes, negotiating of contracts, and optimizing resource allocation across a large stack of tools and services, ensuring operational efficiency.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with the VP, Product and other cross-functional leaders to align engineering efforts with product roadmap priorities and business objectives. Facilitate collaboration and communication across teams to drive successful outcomes.
- Process Improvement and Velocity: Drive process improvements within the engineering function, optimizing workflows, and implementing agile methodologies to increase efficiency and productivity. Advocate for the adoption of tools and technologies that enhance team effectiveness without unnecessary bureaucracy.
- Quality Assurance and Decision Making: Maintain a balance between speed and quality, ensuring the reliability, scalability, and performance of our software products. Facilitate fair decision-making processes and collaborate with stakeholders to prioritize initiatives that deliver maximum value.
- Innovation and Future Vision: Contribute to the development of the company's technical strategy and roadmap, identifying opportunities for innovation and growth. Stay informed about industry trends and emerging technologies, providing insights into where the music industry is heading.
- Team Health and Happiness: Foster a positive and inclusive work environment, prioritizing the well-being and happiness of team members. Promote a culture of empathy, collaboration, and mutual respect.
- Technical Thought Leadership: Lead efforts in external technical evangelism, representing Output in public forums, online communities, and industry events. Proactively engage in thought leadership activities such as writing articles, participating in podcasts, and speaking at conferences, to showcase our technical prowess and promote our brand as a leader in the music technology space.
What you'll need to be successful in this role:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
- Proven experience (minimum 8 years) in leading a software engineering function in both early/mid-stage startups and established businesses, with a focus on high-velocity development and complex product architectures.
- 8-10 years experience in several of the following languages, frameworks and technologies - Typescript, Node, C , Ruby/Rails, GraphQL, Postgres, Python, devops, security, CI/CD
- 5+ years experience leading teams who are building in several of the following areas - client applications, web applications, backend services, machine learning, audio, data engineering, data science, R&D, system architecture, recommendation systems, etc.
- 5+ years experience in cloud computing including GCP, AWS, Heroku, etc
- Experience shipping production products and services to 100,000+ users
- Deep passion for music technology and understanding of the music industry landscape
- Experience with AI and machine learning technologies is highly desirable.
- Excellent leadership and mentorship skills, with the ability to inspire and guide engineering leaders and team members. Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration, facilitate decision-making, and resolve conflicts.
- Experience with agile development methodologies, project management, and cross-functional collaboration. Ability to balance speed and quality in software delivery.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to non-technical stakeholders and resolve conflict between partners
- Visionary mindset with the ability to advocate for initiatives that will have lasting impact and drive the company's future direction.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment with a high degree of autonomy and adaptability.
Additional information:
- No Agency Recruiters
- In accordance with California law, the salary range for this role if filled within Los Angeles is $250,000 - $320,00. The range for the position in other geographies may vary based on market differences. The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law
- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Candidates must live in CA, WA, CO, NJ, NY or FL with strong preference for candidates residing in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- Output is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Output's employment decisions are made without regard with race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.