Director of Engineering - Social Native

Social Native is the leading content marketplace technology company that empowers marketers to source, activate, then optimize high-performing creator content through our content intelligence solution. Leveraging the world's first AI-powered creative platform, brands such as Unilever, Adidas, L'Oréal, Crocs and Nestlé Waters partner with Social Native to improve the performance of their paid and organic social strategy with a combination of Influencer Marketing, Custom Content, and Content Editing solutions.

We’re looking for a hands-on Director of Engineering who can seamlessly blend strategic vision with tactical execution. If you have a strong coding background, proven experience in AI implementation, and a product-focused mindset, we want you on our team!

Role Overview

As the Director of Engineering at Social Native, you’ll provide both leadership and hands-on technical expertise to deliver innovative solutions for our multi-platform UGC and AI-powered products. Reporting directly to the GM, you’ll drive the technical strategy, implement AI solutions, and establish a robust framework to track and measure team productivity. You’ll collaborate cross-functionally to deliver exceptional customer experiences and improve our operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage engineering activities, combining hands-on development with strategic oversight.
• Define and implement the technical strategy for Social Native’s UGC and AI initiatives, ensuring alignment with company goals.
• Establish an agile and iterative release cadence, focusing on customer experience and product usage metrics.
• Develop, track, and optimize engineering productivity and quality metrics, ensuring the team operates at peak performance.
• Implement best practices for the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), focusing on automation, AI-driven optimizations, and observability.
• Partner closely with Product Management, Design, and Customer Success teams to drive product roadmap execution.
• Contribute to architecture, design reviews, and hands-on coding when needed to accelerate product delivery.
• Evaluate and integrate AI technologies to enhance product capabilities and streamline engineering processes.
• Optimize cloud infrastructure operations, ensuring scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency.

Required Skills & Experience

• 8+ years of hands-on software development experience, with recent experience in coding and system design.
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership role, preferably in a fast-paced, startup environment.
• Proven experience implementing AI/ML solutions in a commercial setting.
• Strong understanding of modern web technologies (React, Node.js, GraphQL, Typescript) and cloud infrastructure (AWS, Kubernetes).
• Experience building and managing high-performance engineering teams, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on technical involvement.
• A product-minded approach, understanding the intersection of technology, customer needs, and business objectives.
• Proficiency in metrics and analytics to drive team performance, productivity, and product quality.
• Deep experience with Agile methodologies, fostering a collaborative and iterative development culture.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).

Preferred Skills

• Experience with APIs, integrations, and SaaS environments.
• Strong foundation in data-driven decision-making, with a focus on KPIs and performance tracking.
• Experience in applying AI for operational efficiency, personalization, and content ranking.
• Familiarity with UI/UX principles to collaborate effectively with design teams.
• Knowledge of database technologies, microservices architecture, and DevOps practices.

Perks

One of the best perks about Social Native is working with amazing talented people! Come see what it’s like to work at a fast-paced, venture-backed tech startup. We are looking for smart, driven, fun people that are eager to take ownership of exciting projects and be a part of building something great.

• Attractive health, dental and vision insurance coverage
• Competitive compensation structure and equity package
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Unlimited vacation policy
• Flexible work hours
• Casual work environment and fun work culture