Director of Platform Engineering

Huxley; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 225,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid leave

Job summary

Huxley is seeking a Director of Platform Engineering to lead and scale a next-generation AI platform in a mission-driven organization. This role involves hands-on technical leadership, working directly with executives to ensure the delivery of robust cloud-native systems.

The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in platform engineering, and strong expertise in distributed systems and cloud architecture. The position offers a hybrid work environment and competitive compensation, including a base salary of $225K-$300K and total cash compensation up to $400K.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in platform engineering or related roles.
• Experience leading engineering teams while remaining hands-on technically.
• Strong background in cloud architecture and scalability.

Responsibilities

• Lead platform engineering efforts for a next-gen AI product.
• Drive architecture, scalability, and reliability across cloud-native systems.
• Own delivery of complex systems working with unstructured data.

Skills

Leadership in platform engineering

Cloud engineering

Hands-on technical contributions

Distributed systems expertise

Scalability and reliability

Job description

Director of Platform Engineering | Mission-Driven Defense & AI Company

We're looking for a Director of Platform Engineering to lead and scale a next‑generation platform within a fast‑growing, mission‑driven organization operating at the intersection of AI, cloud, and national security. This is a highly hands‑on leadership role, working directly with executive leadership to build and deliver an agentic AI platform.

What you'll do

• Lead platform engineering efforts for a next‑gen AI product (agentic AI platform)
• Drive architecture, scalability, and reliability across cloud‑native systems
• Act as both a technical leader and hands‑on contributor (coding required)
• Partner closely with executive leadership and external stakeholders
• Own delivery of complex systems working with unstructured data in high‑stakes environments
• Support platform growth from R&D into production‑scale environments

What we're looking for

• 10+ years in platform engineering, cloud engineering, or related roles
• Experience leading engineering teams while remaining hands‑on technically
• Strong background in distributed systems, cloud architecture, and scalability
• U.S. Citizenship required (clearance is a plus)

Compensation: $225K-$300K Base + Bonus ($300K-$400K total cash)

Work Environment: Hybrid (~1 day/week onsite + occasional travel)

EOE Statement: Specialist Staffing Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

In addition to base pay, direct-hire employees may be eligible for client offered benefits such as medical, dental, and vision coverage, and paid leave where required by applicable law. Eligibility may vary based on factors such as location and hire date and is subject to change.