Director of Engineering

Lifeblue; Plano (TX); Remote; USD 175,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

A vibrant digital agency is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead their backend development efforts. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in backend technologies including Node.js and PHP, focused on scalable systems and team development. Lifeblue values an inclusive workplace and offers flexible working conditions along with competitive pay and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

Robust healthcare package

401K with a 4% match

Paid parental leave

Unlimited time off

Home office setup stipend

Workplace Wellbeing stipend

Qualifications

• At least 8+ years of backend development experience and 3+ years in an engineering leadership role.
• Expert-level proficiency with Node.js, Typescript, PHP, and Laravel.
• Deep experience designing and developing RESTful and GraphQL APIs.

Responsibilities

• Lead backend engineering function with technical vision and delivery accountability.
• Recruit, onboard, and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers.
• Lead backend teams through agile development, optimizing workflows and delivery speed.

Skills

Node.js

Typescript

PHP

Laravel

RESTful APIs

GraphQL APIs

CI/CD

Linux

SQL database

NoSQL database

AI-assisted development

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

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This range is provided by Lifeblue. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$175,000.00/yr - $185,000.00/yr

Inspired by our partners, guided by our purpose

Lifeblue is a full-service digital agency and Certified B Corporation, home to a diverse family of brands, including CrateBind, an innovative app studio, and TurnStyle, a powerful SaaS ticketing and membership solution. We do it all — web development, design, data analytics, and content — creating seamless digital experiences that make an impact.

As a remote-first team, we get to work with amazing partners, from NBA teams to the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the National Corvette Museum, bringing big ideas to life.

Join our vibrant, collaborative crew and be part of Lifeblue’s 18-year journey of making technology more human, intuitive and inspiring.

Who you are

Are you a highly technical leader who thrives at the intersection of architecture, innovation, and team development? As our Director of Engineering, you’ll lead the technical vision and execution behind our Backend development systems, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. Our ideal candidate is equally comfortable zooming out to align systems with business goals as they are diving deep into code architecture and delivery process optimization.

This person will be the guiding force behind a high-performing backend engineering team, helping shape the tools, processes, and people that define our engineering team culture. If you’re passionate about scalable systems, AI-augmented workflows, and building a backend practice that drives business impact across every client engagement, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll do

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the backend engineering function with technical vision, delivery accountability, and alignment to business goals
• Architect scalable backend solutions using Node.js, Typescript, and PHP/Laravel
• Partner with leaders across Strategy, Design, and UX to influence digital strategy and technical architecture
• Evaluate and adopt the right technologies, frameworks, and AI-augmented workflows to accelerate delivery

Team Management & Development

• Recruit, onboard, and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers
• Conduct regular performance reviews and create clear growth paths for team members
• Build a collaborative engineering culture centered on technical excellence, innovation, and learning

Process Management

• Lead backend teams through agile development, optimizing workflows and delivery speed
• Define and document backend development standards, QA processes, and estimation best practices
• Architect and refine CI/CD pipelines for efficient, secure, and reliable deployments
• Identify and implement intra- and inter-departmental process improvements

Client Engagement & Business Development

• Represent backend engineering in client meetings, presenting and defending architecture decisions
• Collaborate with Strategists to ensure technical deliverables align with client expectations
• Lead technical discovery and contribute to proposals through backend architecture scoping and estimation
• Develop case studies and identify new opportunities for backend service offerings

Technical Oversight

• Oversee the development of RESTful and GraphQL APIs and manage cloud infrastructure in AWS and Heroku
• Balance tradeoffs between speed, cost, support, and security in backend platform design
• Define technical scopes, timelines, and resourcing plans for backend projects
• Ensure modern security practices are implemented, including OWASP Top 10 compliance

What you’ll need

• At least 8+ years of backend development experience and 3+ years in an engineering leadership role
• Expert-level proficiency with Node.js, Typescript, PHP, and Laravel
• Deep experience designing and developing RESTful and GraphQL APIs
• Advanced cloud infrastructure knowledge (AWS required; Heroku a plus)
• Proficiency with CI/CD, Linux, SQL/NoSQL databases, and secure development practices
• Excellent presentation and communication skills with strong project management abilities
• Proven ability to lead technical teams, mentor engineers, and foster a collaborative culture

Bonus Points

• Experience building and optimizing AI-assisted development workflows
• AWS Solutions Architect certification or similar credentials
• Understanding of modern frontend frameworks like React.js or Vue.js
• Familiarity with WordPress plugin development, Docker, or microservices architecture
• Background in client-facing technical roles or presales solutioning

Why us?

Lifeblue is committed to fostering an inclusive and flexible environment that encourages team members to thrive – both at work and outside of it. We care about your health, families, and future so our total rewards program offers a full range of benefits, including:

• A robust healthcare package to take care of you and your dependents
• A 401K with a generous 4% match to help you plan for the future
• Paid parental leave for new parents of any kind to focus on their growing families
• A flexible, results-focused work environment centered on trust with unlimited time off
• Virtual and in-person social events, including an annual all hands meetup
• A two-week holiday closure to end the year with restorative time away
• A new, company-provisioned laptop delivered before your first day so you can have a seamless start
• A home office setup stipend to ensure you have everything you need when you join our fully remote team
• An annual Workplace Wellbeing stipend that supports health, wellness, learning, and more!

If that sounds like a team that you’d like to join, we encourage you to apply, whether you check all the boxes or not. We’re focused on cultivating a community of people who can grow with us, and you might be the person we’re looking for, even if you don’t realize it yet. Notably, we encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ-identifying people, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Engineering and Information Technology

• Industries

  Technology, Information and Internet

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