Director of Engineering, Platform

About Us

At You.com, we are building the AI Search Infrastructure that powers modern AI systems. Our goal is to create the trusted knowledge layer that agents, applications, and enterprises rely on to retrieve real-time, accurate, and citation-backed information.

Our platform combines proprietary vertical indexes with LLM-optimized retrieval systems to power AI agents, applications, and enterprise workflows. We are solving hard problems across search, large language models, and large-scale infrastructure to make AI systems more reliable, transparent, and useful.

Our team includes engineers, researchers, product builders, and operators who care about solving meaningful problems and delivering real-world impact. Whether you are improving core infrastructure, shaping product experiences, or helping bring new AI capabilities to market, your work will help define how modern AI finds and uses knowledge.

About the Role

As the Director of Engineering, Platform at You.com, you will lead and inspire a world-class engineering team responsible for building and scaling our core platform and developer experience technologies. You will drive technical excellence, foster a culture of innovation, and ensure the successful delivery of complex projects that directly impact millions of users. This is a high-impact leadership role, reporting to the VP of Engineering, with broad responsibility for people, process, and technology.

This is a hybrid position open to candidates based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing engineering team, providing guidance, support, and professional development opportunities.
• Oversee all engineering operations and project delivery, ensuring alignment with company goals, timelines, and quality standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, research, and design teams to define technical strategy and deliver innovative features.
• Establish and optimize engineering processes, best practices, and scalable systems to drive productivity and quality.
• Recruit, onboard, and retain top engineering talent, fostering an inclusive and collaborative team culture.
• Set clear vision and goals for the engineering organization, translating company objectives into actionable plans.
• Manage departmental budgets, resource allocation, and vendor relationships to ensure efficient operations.
• Champion technical excellence and continuous improvement, staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in engineering leadership roles, managing teams building large-scale, high-availability systems.
• Skilled at scaling teams during periods of rapid growth and ambiguity.
• Proven ability to inspire, hire, coach, and retain engineering talent.
• Strong technical background in search, AI, or distributed systems.
• Operates well in dynamic, fast-changing environments.
• Track record of fostering innovation and driving technical strategy.

Company Perks:

• Hubs in San Francisco and New York City offering regular in-person gatherings and co-working sessions

• Flexible PTO with U.S. holidays observed and a week shutdown in December to rest and recharge*

• A competitive health insurance plan covers 100% of the policyholder and 75% for dependents*

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave in the US*

• 401k program, 3% match - vested immediately!*

• $500 work-from-home stipend to be used up to a year of your start date*

• $600 technology stipend to support a portion of our hybrid/remote team's cell phone and internet expenses*

• $1,200 per year Health & Wellness Allowance to support your personal goals*

• The chance to collaborate with a team at the forefront of AI research

*Certain perks and benefits are limited to full-time employees only

You.com participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. (English/Spanish: E-Verify Participation/Right to Work) We are also an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. Please let us know if you require accommodation for any portion of the recruitment and hiring process.

Beware of recruiting scams: You.com will only contact you through official @You.com email addresses and will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information during the hiring process.