Engineering Manager

Second Front Systems; Annapolis (MD); Remote; USD 210,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

401(k)

Equity

Remote work

Professional development

Parental leave

Referral Bonus

Job summary

Second Front Systems is seeking an ambitious Engineering Manager to lead a distributed team building our Game Warden platform for U.S. government-scale deployments. You will shape engineering strategy, mentor engineers, and collaborate with Product, Platform, and Security to advance scalable, secure SaaS solutions.

This role prefers candidates in approved hubs (DC/Maryland/Virginia) or remote with hub proximity. The team values initiative, collaboration, and impact as we scale toward Series D.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• 2+ years leading distributed engineering teams.
• Experience in high-growth or startup environments.
• Strong cloud, CI/CD, and modern software practices.
• U.S. citizenship; ability to obtain security clearance preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a distributed team of engineers, fostering excellence and collaboration.
• Drive execution across initiatives that improve scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Partner with Product, Platform, and Security to define roadmaps and milestones.
• Provide architectural guidance and ensure compliance with best practices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate strategy into actionable plans.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop engineering talent aligned with our mission and culture.
• Contribute to evolving engineering processes and delivery frameworks as we scale.

Skills

Software engineering

Distributed teams leadership

Cloud infrastructure

CI/CD pipelines

Strategic thinking

Security clearance eligible

Tools

GoLang

Typescript

React

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Git/Gitlab

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Second Front Systems (2F) is seeking an ambitious and visionary Engineering Manager to join our mission-driven team. We are a dynamic, fast-growing entrepreneurial company at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and national security, committed to delivering transformative solutions that empower our nation's defenders. This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of a company that is redefining the way software is delivered and secured in the defense sector. At 2F, we thrive on innovation and purpose, combining a startup's agility with a clear mission to support national security. You will be at the forefront of driving the engineering strategy behind the deployment and scaling of our revolutionary Game Warden platform-an industry-leading tool that is accelerating the secure adoption of mission-critical SaaS solutions for the U.S. government. If you're ready to contribute to a team that values ingenuity, collaboration, and impact, we want to hear from you.

NOTE: Additionally, candidates must reside in one of our approved hiring hubs: DC/Maryland/Virginia, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC, Denver/Colorado Springs, CO, Dallas/Fort Worth/Austin, TX.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead and mentor a distributed team of engineers, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive execution across key technical initiatives that enhance scalability, reliability, and performance of 2F's core platforms.
• Partner closely with Product, Platform, and Security teams to define roadmaps, prioritize work, and deliver against milestones.
• Provide technical guidance and architectural oversight, ensuring alignment with best practices and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate strategic objectives into actionable engineering plans.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop top engineering talent in alignment with 2F's mission, values, and culture.
• Contribute to the evolution of 2F's engineering processes, tooling, and delivery frameworks as we scale toward Series D and beyond.

SKILLS YOU'LL BRING TO OUR TEAM

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 2+ years managing or leading technical teams.
• Demonstrated success leading distributed teams in high-growth or startup environments.
• Deep understanding of modern software development practices, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong technical acumen paired with strategic thinking and effective communication.
• Proven ability to balance execution, people leadership, and technical excellence.
• U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance preferred.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience building and scaling SaaS or platform products within highly regulated or security-sensitive industries (e.g., defense, government, healthcare).
• Familiarity with secure software development frameworks (e.g., NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, SOC 2).
• Prior experience with infrastructure-as-code, observability, and automation frameworks.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives in collaboration with Product, Security, and Operations.
• Strong understanding of agile methodologies and experience driving continuous improvement across teams.

OUR TECH STACK

• Backend: GoLang
• Frontend: Typescript and React/Next
• Platform: Docker/Containers/Kubernetes
• Cloud: AWS/GCP/Azure
• SDLC: Git/Gitlab

The expected base salary range for this role is $210,000-$230,000. Final compensation will be based on factors such as experience, skills, level, and geographic location. This role may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and equity grants as part of the total compensation package.

SUCCESS AT 2F LOOKS LIKE

• Viewing obstacles as opportunities for growth.
• Having a bias toward action and tangible, measurable results.
• Striving to be both compassionate and direct with your feedback.
• Being team-oriented and inclusive with your actions.

PERKS & BENEFITS

• This role is full time.
• Competitive Salary.
• 100% Healthcare, vision and dental coverage.
• 401(k) + 3% company contribution.
• Additional benefit perks (One Medical membership, mental health resources and family planning assistance).
• Equity incentive plan.
• Tech + office supplies stipend.
• Annual professional development stipend.
• Flexible paid time off + federal holidays off.
• Parental leave.
• Work virtually, near one of our hub locations.
• Referral Bonus.

WHO WE ARE

Second Front Systems (2F) is a public-benefit software company powering software for the free world. We eliminate the friction that slows innovation, enabling faster, more secure development and deployment of software across government and regulated networks. Built by national security veterans and backed by top-tier venture capital, our platform is trusted by the world's leading organizations to cut deployment timelines from years to weeks. We move fast, solve hard problems, and deliver trusted capabilities where they're needed most. Our work strengthens global security and gives the United States and its allies a lasting competitive advantage. Learn more at secondfront.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.