Director of Engineering

Who we are :

Nirvana is on a mission to modernize commercial insurance and enable a safer world. Our technology platform delivers modern insurance & risk management to not only help our customers protect their businesses, but actually improve safety for everyone.

To start, we’re transforming the legacy, $1T+ commercial insurance industry through cutting‑edge predictive models using real‑time IoT data (~50B connected devices by 2030), automation to deliver instantaneous quotes & faster underwriting, & proactive, and data‑driven insights to help customers prevent accidents.

Backed by top‑tier VCs including General Catalyst & Lightspeed Ventures, Nirvana became the fastest insurtech EVER to launch in Jan 2022 and crossed >

$50M run rate in under 2 years. Our leadership team has helped scale multi‑billion dollar companies from scratch including Samsara, Rubrik, Acko & Flexport, and includes industry veterans from Hiscox, AIG, The Hartford & RLI.

About the role

We are seeking a visionary Director of Engineering to join our team in San Francisco. In this role, you will own the roadmap and execution for key engineering components, working closely with cross‑functional teams including product management and data science.

Your role will require translating evolving business objectives into actionable technical strategies, ensuring that teams not only achieve ambitious, long‑term goals but also deliver consistent value through frequent releases. You will lead a team of mid to senior‑level engineers with a strong focus on both high‑quality execution and nurturing talent, and champion a culture of continuous improvement, implement scalable systems and processes, and help define the company’s path forward—playing a pivotal role in enabling both product‑driven and enterprise‑focused initiatives.

What you'll do

Leadership and Management : Lead and manage the Americas engineering teams, including AI Product & Infrastructure, Consumer Engineering, and Pricing Engineering.

Team Expansion : Grow the engineering team and next layer of leadership, ensuring high performance and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration : Work closely with product management, data science, and other cross‑functional teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery of products.

Operational Excellence : Drive operational excellence, maintaining high standards of quality, reliability, ease‑of‑use, and security in engineering practices and products.

Project Execution : Ensure timely action on project deliverables, maintaining high velocity in execution.

Strategic Planning : Develop and execute strategic plans to drive revenue generation and future growth.

About you

Experience in Fintech / B2B / Enterprise

10+ years of relevant industry experience including 5+ years in an engineering leadership role.

Strong hiring capabilities and experience in building and leading high‑performing engineering teams.

Ability to lead critical tech projects with a focus on technical complexity. Exposure to Gen AI initiatives is a huge plus.

Business and Product acumen. You have the ability to drive progress towards business outcomes in conjunction with engineering centric goals.

Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate across time zones and teams.

Must be based in the Bay Area.

Self‑starter who independently seeks out opportunities to learn & succeed

Bias‑to‑action - you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty & stretch yourself

Owner mentality - take accountability for your actions & results

Successfully able to work in high‑growth & ambiguous start‑up environments

Benefits

Competitive salary & equity

Medical, dental & vision insurance

401k with company match

Unlimited PTO

We set our salary ranges using compensation data from companies similar to our stage and size. For this role, the estimated salary range for this position is $220,870-$292,000. The actual base salary will vary depending on multiple factors unique to each candidate, including location, job‑related knowledge, transferable skills, work experience and our assessment of your level during the interview process. Nirvana offers equity for all full‑time employees, which is not included in the range listed above and will have an impact on your overall compensation.

Nirvana offers a wide range of best‑in‑class, comprehensive benefits including 100% employer paid healthcare plans, an up to 4% 401k match program, paid time off, parental leave, wellness reimbursement, work‑from‑home stipend and more. Nirvana is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you’re interested in this role, but do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed above, we encourage you to apply. We'd like to consider you for this position and roles that may be a fit in the future.

Nirvana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis forbidden under federal, state, or local law. Nirvana considers all qualified applicants in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

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