Playlab - Head of Engineering

Remote - United States+ Equity2mo ago

Remote Director NA Cloud Computing EdTech Head of Engineering Python TypeScript AWS Kubernetes React

Requirements

• 10+ years in software engineering, with 5+ of those managing or leading engineering teams through periods of rapid change • Strong technical background in infrastructure and systems design — you've architected, built, and operated production systems at scale, not just worked on features within them • A track record of developing engineers — people you've managed have grown meaningfully in their skills and careers — and of building and fostering diverse teams intentionally • Product-minded — you naturally think about what educators and students need, not just what's technically interesting. You understand that our mission is about empowering both educators and students as agents, not building tools that treat either as passive consumers • Proficient in Python or TypeScript (ideally both) • Low ego, collaborative leadership style — you lead by making others better, not by being the smartest person in the room • Thrive in high-agency, high-collaboration cultures where you're expected to figure things out, not wait for direction • Great communication that makes working remote-first work • Experience integrating AI tools and practices into engineering workflows • Experience in education or building in edtech • Experience at mission-driven or nonprofit organizations • Experience with international deployments and multi-region infrastructure • Experience with open source or public-domain engineering work • Familiarity with our stack: Kubernetes, AWS, Terraform, Typescript (Remix/React, Node), Python, Postgres, Neo4J, Vector Databases, Airflow

Benefits

• Build the engineering team behind AI in education: You won't just manage engineers — you'll double a team and shape how it builds technology that's changing how 60,000+ educators across the globe use AI with their students. Much of what we build is headed toward the public domain. • Real closeness to users: We're in schools every week — deep-dive 1:1s, group experimentation sessions, strategic planning with entire school districts. Engineering decisions here are grounded in real classrooms, not abstract personas. • Impact over growth: We're a nonprofit focused on transformation, responsibility, and enabling both educators and students to drive the future of education with AI — as agents, not passive consumers. We're not optimizing for the lowest common denominator. • Mission-aligned team: Join a small, passionate group committed to equity, creativity, and joyful learning. • Flexible work: Enjoy a remote-first environment with autonomy and a strong culture of collaboration. • Competitive pay & benefits: Includes salary, healthcare, retirement, generous time off, and opportunities for professional growth.