Head of Engineering (Hands-On, AI-Powered Fintech Platform)
Location: New York City — Onsite 4 days/week
Compensation: $280,000–$320,000 base + meaningful equity
About Our Client
Our client is building the next generation of investing infrastructure—an AI-powered wealth platform designed to deliver a highly personalized, real-time investing experience. They’ve raised $20M+ from top-tier investors (including Y Combinator and other notable backers) and are scaling rapidly post-Series A. The product is already used by 2M+ investors, and the company is entering a build-and-scale phase where technical leadership is the multiplier.
The Role
Our client is hiring a high-octane, hands-on Head of Engineering to own technology vision and execution end-to-end. This is a rare opportunity to architect and scale a modern fintech platform from the ground up—covering core systems, data architecture, AI capabilities, reliability, and engineering culture.
This is not a “manage from the sidelines” role. You’ll operate at every altitude—writing code, making architectural decisions, and building a high-performing team—while partnering directly with the founders to define the roadmap and ship fast without compromising quality.
What You’ll Do
- Architect and scale a modern, AI-powered fintech platform, owning end-to-end technology strategy across platform, data, and AI
- Lead, hire, and mentor a high-performing engineering team while remaining hands-on in the code
- Drive product velocity by establishing best practices for code quality, testing, release management, and developer experience
- Improve reliability and observability for real-time systems (e.g., trading, pricing, portfolio updates) with strong operational rigor
- Partner with founders to define product roadmap, technical strategy, and execution plans that bring the company vision to life
Product Surface Area You’ll Own
This platform is designed to feel modern, approachable, and personalized—particularly for next-generation investors. Core product capabilities include:
- Investing “Playlists”: users bundle groups of stocks, customize allocations, and create themed portfolios
- Expert-built portfolios: curated, diversified options built by financial experts
- Automated investing: recurring contributions and schedules to build wealth over time
- Subscription model: premium wealth management experience via an annual subscription
- AI-powered financial coaching: an in-product “copilot” experience that explains concepts simply and suggests tailored strategies
What Our Client Is Looking For
- Proven experience leading engineering in a high-ownership environment (startup/scale-up preferred)
- Deep technical strength: backend/platform architecture, data systems, and building reliable production systems
- Comfort operating in real-time and high-trust domains (fintech experience is helpful but not required if fundamentals are strong)
- Strong judgment balancing speed vs. correctness, and the ability to create execution clarity in ambiguity
- Track record building teams: hiring, mentoring, leveling, and establishing a high-performance culture
- Strong communication skills and a collaborative operating style with product and business leadership
Why Candidates Join
- Foundational leadership seat with full ownership of engineering strategy and execution
- Real traction and scale with a product already used by millions
- Modern AI-enabled product experience with clear room to expand capabilities
- Strong investor backing and momentum post-Series A
- Direct partnership with founders and meaningful influence on roadmap, culture, and outcomes