Director of Engineering

CGS; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

In-person LA day

Job summary

CGS is seeking a Director of Engineering to build and scale the software organization for its automated aerospace and defense manufacturing platforms. This hands-on leader will define architecture, mentor engineers, and drive AI/ML-enabled systems from the factory floor to production.

You’ll collaborate closely with the CEO and factory teams, stay deeply involved in architecture and coding, and help shape a fast-growing, well-funded company at a pivotal stage.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of engineering experience with meaningful technical leadership and team-scaling responsibility.
• Experience applying frontier technology (e.g., AI) at scale in a successful company.
• Track record of growing engineering teams while shaping underlying architecture.
• Strong software engineering and system-design skills; comfortable coding.
• Experience building production systems involving ML, optimisation, data products, or complex software platforms.
• Ability to recruit strong engineers via an established network.
• Hands-on leadership style; comfortable with architecture discussions, code reviews, hiring, and factory floor.
• Willingness to work in person in Los Angeles with US work authorization (no visa sponsorship).

Responsibilities

• Build and scale the engineering organisation as the company expands.
• Define the software architecture and technical standards needed to support growth.
• Lead, mentor, and recruit high-performing engineers.
• Remain hands-on with system design, coding, and critical technical decisions.
• Apply AI, ML, optimisation, and data systems to manufacturing challenges.
• Work closely with factory teams to turn operational needs into robust software solutions.
• Drive engineering execution balancing speed, reliability, and long-term scalability.

Skills

Engineering leadership

System design

Hands-on coding

AI/ML experience

Team scaling

Recruiting & mentorship

Job description

Build and scale engineering for automated aerospace and defense manufacturing | $200,000-$350,000 base + equity

We're looking for a Director of Engineering to build and scale the software organisation at a fast-growing company operating its own automated factories for the aerospace and defense industries.

The company has grown from $0 to $14 million in revenue in its first year and is well funded. This is an opportunity to join at a pivotal stage, shape the engineering organisation, and apply advanced technology to complex, real-world manufacturing challenges.

We're looking for a hands-on engineering leader who can set technical direction, build a high-performing team, and remain deeply involved in architecture and software development. You'll work closely with the CEO and factory teams, connecting software decisions directly to operational outcomes.

What you'll do

• Build and scale the engineering organisation as the company expands.
• Define the software architecture and technical standards needed to support growth.
• Lead, mentor, and recruit high-performing engineers, drawing on your existing network.
• Remain hands-on with system design, coding, and critical technical decisions.
• Apply advanced technologies, including AI, machine learning, optimisation, and data systems, to manufacturing and industrial challenges.
• Work closely with factory-floor teams to turn operational needs into robust software solutions.
• Drive engineering execution, balancing speed, reliability, and long-term scalability.

What we're looking for

• Approximately 5-10 years of engineering experience, including meaningful technical leadership and team-scaling responsibility.
• Experience applying frontier technology, such as AI or another breakthrough technology, at scale within a company that has demonstrated significant success.
• A track record of helping grow an engineering team while establishing or shaping the underlying architecture.
• Strong software engineering and system-design skills, with the ability and willingness to continue coding.
• Experience building production systems involving machine learning, optimisation, data products, or complex software platforms.
• The ability to recruit strong engineers and attract talent through an established professional network.
• A hands-on leadership style: comfortable moving between architecture discussions, code reviews, hiring, and the factory floor.
• Willingness to work in person in Los Angeles, with existing US work authorisation and no need for visa sponsorship.

Experience in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, robotics, logistics, or industrial software is particularly valuable. Candidates from high-performing technology and hardware organisations who have transitioned into software leadership may be especially relevant.

• Build the organisation: Shape the engineering team, culture, architecture, and technical roadmap.
• Solve consequential problems: Develop software for automated factories supporting aerospace and defense.
• Join a proven growth story: Help scale a well-funded company that reached $14 million in revenue in its first year.
• Stay technically involved: Combine leadership and hiring with architecture and hands-on engineering.
• Make a direct impact: Work closely with the CEO and factory teams, with a clear connection between engineering and business outcomes.

Location and compensation

• Experience: Approximately 5-10 years.
• Base salary: $200,000-$350,000, depending on experience and fit.
• Equity: 0.1-1%.
• Initial conversation with the hiring lead.
• An in-person day in Los Angeles, including dinner, time on the factory floor, and a working session with the CEO.
• Offer.

Interested in building an engineering organisation where software meets advanced manufacturing? If you've helped a successful technology company scale, can attract exceptional engineers, and want to lead without stepping away from the technical work, this could be an excellent next step.