Head of Software

The role

You will lead the software engineering department, scaling the team and setting structure across backend, UI, and hardware-software integration. You will architect, build, and ship software while collaborating with leadership to deliver product and customer development goals.

What you will do

• Lead team growth, people management, and strategic planning across the software stack.
• Collaborate with CTO, Lead Software Engineer, Product Owners, and Engineering Managers.
• Act as the primary interface between Software Engineering and Go-To-Market, Hardware, and Operations.
• Represent the company in external conversations with strategic partners and customers.
• Participate in yearly, quarterly, and monthly planning cycles.
• Contribute to the development of the product roadmap.
• Hire, mentor, and build a high-performing team of engineers.
• Deliver the next generation of platform and operator products.
• Establish technical infrastructure for long-term mission success.

Required qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive software engineering experience, with significant time in a hands-on technical lead, principal, or director-level role.
• Strong inter-personal skills and demonstrated ability to grow people.
• Ability to operate with clarity and urgency in the managed chaos of a rapidly growing startup.
• Expert-level proficiency across the full generalist software skillset, spanning backend systems, event-based architecture, distributed architecture, APIs (REST, gRPC, GraphQL), real-time data pipeline
• Deep familiarity with modern languages and runtimes used in production: Go, Python, and TypeScript.
• Strong grasp of relational databases (PostgreSQL), object storage, geospatial tooling, and high-reliability deployment patterns.
• Meaningful experience leading both backend platform work and frontend/UI development for complex, data-intensive applications.
• Proven experience taking multiple distinct products through the full development lifecycle, from initial architecture to production at scale.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Core values of relentless execution, boundless ambition, continued learning, and kindness. Low ego and open-mindedness.

Nice to have

• Past founding or early-stage fast-growth startup experience.
• Experience as a former founder or founding engineer at a successful, fast-moving software company, with a track record of standing up a team or discipline from zero.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Exposure to DOD IL5+, Top Secret, or JWICS environments; understanding of DOD RMF, FedRAMP, or NIST 800-53.
• Background in real-time, geospatial, or hardware-adjacent software (e.g., embedded systems, edge compute, fleet management, control systems).
• A track record of being prolific and delivering rapid, high-quality results in resource-constrained, fast-paced environments.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.

Benefits

• Significant stock options
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
• Relocation assistance provided (if applicable)
• Unlimited PTO (two-week minimum)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Paid parental leave for both parents
• Lunch provided when working in-office
• Fully stocked kitchenette
• Free EV charging at HQ
• Office in El Segundo, CA stocked with quality coffee, snacks, and craft beer

Before you apply

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful, permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

About the company

Picogrid is a venture-backed defense technology company building infrastructure to unify sensors, autonomy, and operators. Their mission is to deliver an operational advantage to secure the United States and its allies.