Director of Engineering, Data Platform

Job Title: Director of Engineering, Data Platform

Location:

San Francisco, CA (Remote) – U.S. based only

Full-time

About Discord:

Discord is a communication platform used by over 200 million people every month, where users connect, chat, and play games together. With 90% of users actively engaging in games, Discord plays a crucial role in the future of gaming and community interaction. The platform enables people to communicate before, during, and after gameplay, helping them form strong connections. As part of our ongoing growth, Discord is expanding its Data Platform team to enable data-driven decision-making across the company.

Job Overview:

Discord is seeking an experienced Director of Engineering to lead the Data Platform function. This strategic leadership role will focus on overseeing the development of Discord’s data infrastructure, tools, and applications, enabling data-driven decision-making across the organization. You will be responsible for setting the vision and roadmap for the Data Platform, ensuring that it empowers every department from product innovation to operational excellence.

This is a unique opportunity to define the future of Discord’s data ecosystem while leading and building a high-performance engineering team. As the leader of the Data Platform team, you will drive technical excellence and innovation in data architecture, system reliability, and distributed systems.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Strategic Leadership: Set the strategic direction and technical roadmap for Discord's Data Platform in collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Data+ML, Core Technology, Product Engineering, and Machine Learning Platform teams.
• Team Building: Build and lead a high-performing engineering team, fostering a culture of mentorship, growth, and collaboration.
• Technical Excellence: Drive best practices in software development, data architecture, and system reliability. Ensure the technical execution of the platform aligns with Discord’s goals.
• Collaboration: Work closely with leadership across the company to make well-informed, first-principle decisions that will propel Discord forward.
• Innovation: Champion new and innovative approaches to data infrastructure that ensure scalability and reliability across Discord’s platform.

What You Should Have:

Experience & Skills:

1. Leadership Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with 6+ years in technical leadership or management roles.
• 3+ years managing other managers or teams.

1. Data Platform Expertise:

• Proven experience building and leading large-scale data platforms and infrastructure in high-growth organizations.
• Strong knowledge of distributed systems, data infrastructure technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark, BigQuery), and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure).

1. Team Management & Growth:

• Demonstrated success in managing high-performing teams and growing engineers to senior staff levels.

1. Strategic Thinking:

• Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to align technical solutions with the broader organizational goals.

1. Communication Skills:

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.

Bonus Points:

• Experience as a senior engineering leader or head of data platform in a consumer-focused, high-scale organization.
• Experience with Machine Learning infrastructure and tools.
• Experience with hiring in rapidly growing startups.

Compensation:

• Base Salary: $400,000 to $450,000
• Additional Benefits: Equity + Benefits package
• Note: Salary ranges are determined by role and level. Individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and education.

Why Discord?

Discord plays a vital role in the future of gaming, providing a platform for people to connect through shared experiences and interests. By joining Discord, you’ll be part of a mission to help people strengthen friendships through games and interactive experiences. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of data infrastructure in a fun and dynamic environment.

How to Apply:

If you are an experienced leader in data engineering and want to help build the future of a platform that is at the center of the gaming and entertainment world, apply now!