Head of Internal Tools Engineering, Artificial Intelligence

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the complete strategy and roadmap for all internal tools, platforms, and automation, treating internal technology as a product rather than a cost center.

• Make informed build-vs-buy decisions, understanding when a custom-built solution provides a sustainable advantage and when a SaaS tool is the appropriate choice.

• Analyze current and future process flows across the entire internal toolchain and spearhead systems transformation for internal teams.

• Design and oversee the entire engineering lifecycle for internal platforms, from ideation and design to deployment, iteration, and eventual deprecation.

• Create seamless, API-first ecosystems that connect internal tools across HR systems, finance platforms, knowledge management, CRM, and developer infrastructure.

• Ensure system reliability and operational resilience by establishing success metrics for uptime, performance, and employee productivity.

• Develop scalable, secure architectures that utilize cloud-native principles, microservices, and modern integration patterns.

• Lead the strategy for incorporating AI and LLMs into internal workflows, reimagining the sharing of knowledge, support for decision-making, and execution of work within the organization.

• Implement intelligent automation tools, including AI when suitable, to enhance internal processes and facilitate better decision-making.

• Assess and integrate AI-assisted troubleshooting, proactive recommendations, and intelligent automation into the internal platform layer.

• Stay at the forefront of technology trends and promote continuous experimentation; focus on building prototypes instead of slide decks.

• Minimize cognitive load for internal users by offering golden paths, standardized workflows, and self-service capabilities.

• Guarantee seamless onboarding and integration across the tool ecosystem.

• Evaluate platform success through adoption rates, user satisfaction, DORA metrics, and productivity impact rather than mere feature count.

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of engineers and engineering managers.

• Foster a collaborative engineering culture grounded in ownership, speed, and craftsmanship.

• Deliver technical mentorship and establish growth paths for both individual contributors and managers.

• Promote psychological safety and a feedback-driven environment that enables individuals to perform at their best.

• Collaborate with leadership from People, Finance, Engineering, Legal, and Operations to translate complex business requirements into a cohesive technical vision.

• Act as a liaison between business stakeholders and the engineering team, fluent in both languages.

• Align internal platform investments with the broader company strategy and demonstrate measurable ROI.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 12 years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in engineering leadership roles (managing teams or managing managers).

• Required experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• Strong hands-on technical expertise; you have built production systems and are capable of credibly reviewing architecture, code, and system design.

• In-depth understanding of cloud-based systems (AWS, GCP, or Azure), APIs, microservices, data pipelines, and modern infrastructure.

• Proven success in building and scaling internal tools or platforms that support cross-functional business teams, not just engineering.

• Experience in making build-vs-buy decisions and managing a portfolio of custom-built and third-party tools.

• Strong proficiency in designing and developing internal platforms and automation systems.

• Solid product thinking: you measure success in terms of user outcomes and business impact, rather than technical output.

• Experience navigating the entire SDLC from ideation to deprecation, knowing when to build, iterate, and retire.

• Excellent communication skills: you can convey complex technical concepts to non-technical executives and convert business challenges into engineering roadmaps.

• Experience in a high-growth technology or AI-native company that scaled rapidly is a plus.

• A background in platform engineering, developer experience, or internal developer platforms (IDPs) is advantageous.

• Familiarity with HRIS, ERP, and business systems integration (Workday, Salesforce, NetSuite, etc.) is beneficial.

• Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices and compliance frameworks for internal systems is a plus.

• Previous experience leading internal technology through M&A integrations or multi-entity consolidation is a plus.

• Exposure to knowledge management systems, internal search, and enterprise AI assistants is a plus.

• Experience in integrating AI/LLMs into internal workflows or productivity tools is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical insurance

• Dental

• Vision

• Savings Plan Options

• PTO