Technical Engineering Lead

At Slingshot Aerospace, we're on a mission to make space safer and more secure for everyone. Our work directly impacts global security, disaster response, climate monitoring, and the critical infrastructure that connects our world. We're a team of builders, thinkers, and problem-solvers who believe that the next generation of space operations will be powered by better data and smarter software.

We move fast, we're not afraid to fail, and we believe the best ideas can come from anywhere-whether you're in engineering, sales, product, or operations. If you want to work on something that truly matters, with people who care deeply about the impact we're making and help shape the future of an industry that's just getting started, you're in the right place.

We're seeking a Software Engineering Leader to provide technical leadership across our software engineering organization and establish the engineering operating model that transforms innovative ideas into reliable, production-ready systems. This role serves as the technical connective tissue between Data Science, Software Engineering, DevOps, Product, and Operations, ensuring that engineering teams execute consistently, deliver high-quality software, and scale effectively.

A key focus of this role is defining and owning the complete lifecycle for bringing AI models and advanced algorithms from research into production. You'll establish the processes, standards, architecture, and operational practices that enable repeatable, secure, and high-quality software delivery across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Lead technical execution across Data Science, Backend Engineering, Frontend Engineering, DevOps, QA, and Production Operations.

• Define and continuously improve the engineering lifecycle for moving AI models, algorithms, and data science outputs into production applications.

• Establish engineering standards for technical design, documentation, architecture reviews, testing, deployment readiness, and operational support.

• Partner closely with Product Management to translate roadmap priorities into executable engineering plans and delivery milestones.

• Provide architectural leadership across cross-functional initiatives while collaborating with backend and frontend technical leads on implementation decisions.

• Serve as the final technical decision-maker when cross-team architectural tradeoffs require alignment or escalation.

• Drive technical design reviews, architecture governance, and engineering best practices across the organization.

• Establish release readiness criteria, testing standards, operational runbooks, monitoring practices, and production support processes.

• Identify delivery risks early, remove cross-functional blockers, and communicate technical tradeoffs clearly to engineering leadership and stakeholders.

• Support engineering managers and technical leads through capability planning, organizational scaling, and technical mentorship.

• Serve as a technical advisor across future programs to promote architectural consistency, reusable engineering patterns, and shared platform capabilities.

• Drive reuse of shared services, interfaces, deployment practices, and operational tooling to accelerate delivery across multiple projects.

• Significant experience leading engineering organizations across multiple software disciplines or complex technical product environments.

• Strong systems architecture and technical design experience with the ability to balance scalability, reliability, maintainability, security, and delivery speed.

• Demonstrated experience taking AI, machine learning, data science, or algorithmic capabilities from research into production environments.

• Deep understanding of modern software engineering practices including backend systems, frontend development, DevOps, CI/CD, testing strategies, release management, and production operations.

• Experience partnering with Product Management to translate business priorities into engineering execution plans.

• Exceptional communication skills with experience defining engineering processes, documenting technical decisions, and aligning cross-functional teams.

• Active or prior TS/SCI clearance.

• Experience designing or improving engineering operating models, release management processes, and production support practices.

• Familiarity with AI/ML model governance, evaluation frameworks, monitoring, and production lifecycle management.

• Experience mentoring senior engineers, technical leads, and engineering managers.

• Demonstrated success delivering software within classified environments and supporting CTF/ATO authorization activities, including security evidence collection, package preparation, and stakeholder coordination.

• Comfortable building scalable engineering processes in fast-moving, ambiguous environments without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

You see systems-not silos-and understand how data science, software engineering, infrastructure, testing, security, and product strategy come together to deliver successful products.

You're a collaborative technical leader who earns trust through sound judgment, clear communication, and thoughtful decision-making. You know when to facilitate consensus and when to provide decisive technical direction.

You enjoy creating structure where none exists, transforming tribal knowledge into repeatable engineering processes, operational excellence, and scalable delivery practices.

Most importantly, you're passionate about helping engineering teams build high-quality software that reliably moves from innovation to mission-critical production.

Location: Remote, US (~20% travel to customer and Slingshot locations)

US-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following U.S. states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV We are unable to consider candidates residing in other U.S. states at this time.

Internationally-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following locations: United Kingdom. We are unable to consider candidates residing in other countries at this time.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are key to our success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds, who share a passion for creating a safer, more connected world. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity, but also national origin, citizenship, sex, color, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic that is part of one's identity. All of our employees' points of view are key to our success, and we embrace individuality.

Compensation Range: $175K - $260K