Engineering Manager

Second Front Systems, Inc.; Texas; Hybrid; USD 210,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% Healthcare, vision and dental

401(k) + 3% company contribution

Equity incentive plan

Tech + office stipends

Flexible paid time off + federal foldu

Parental leave

Work virtually near hub locations

Job summary

Second Front Systems, Inc. is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a distributed team delivering Game Warden platform enhancements for secure government SaaS deployments.

You will mentor engineers, define roadmaps with Product and Security, and drive architectural guidance while maintaining compliance with security standards. Citizenship and security clearance are preferred.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in professional software engineering; 2+ years leading teams.
• Experience leading distributed teams in high-growth or startup environments.
• Deep understanding of modern software practices, cloud infra (AWS, Kubernetes), and CI/CD.
• Strong technical and strategic thinking with effective communication.
• Willingness to obtain and maintain security clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a distributed team of engineers, fostering excellence and collaboration.
• Drive execution to improve scalability, reliability, and performance of Game Warden.
• Partner with Product, Platform, and Security to define roadmaps and priorities.
• Provide architectural guidance and ensure compliance with best practices.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop engineering talent aligned with 2F's mission.
• Evolve engineering processes and delivery frameworks as the company scales.

Skills

GoLang

Rust

Typescript

React/Next

Git/Gitlab

Leadership

AWS

Kubernetes

CI/CD

Security clearance

Tools

IaC

Observability

Automation

NIST 800-53

Job description

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

The Engineering Manager will lead a team of talented engineers building and scaling Game Warden, our flagship platform enabling secure software delivery to government environments. You will drive technical execution, mentor team members, and collaborate cross-functionally to deliver impactful outcomes aligned with 2F’s mission and goals.

Note: This role requires U.S. citizenship due to government contract requirements. Additionally, candidates must reside in one of our approved hiring hubs:

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.
• Active security clearance or previous work in cleared environments.
• Backend: GoLang and Rust
• Frontend: Typescript and React/Next
• 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

This role is full time. As a public benefit corporation, we’re a team of purpose-driven trailblazers transforming the future of U.S. national security. We hire the best to do their best and, as such, we are committed to providing the perks and benefits you need to be successful—both in- and outside the workplace.

We offer you:

• 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
• Flexible paid time off + federal holidays off
• Parental leave
• Work virtually, near one of our hub locations