Head of Platform Engineering

About The Team

We are seeking a Head of Platform Engineering to lead and scale Descript’s Platform organization. Operating as an internal product team, the Platform group focuses on providing tools, infrastructure, and services that enable our engineering teams to deliver exceptional products to our users.

Platform Organization

Infrastructure Team : Builds and maintains our core backend and development infrastructure, ensuring scalability, reliability, and performance.

Builder Experience Team : Focuses on the foundations of our client applications, CI / CD, build, test, and release.

AI Enablement Team : Develops and scales our AI / ML infrastructure to support cutting‑edge research and integration of AI features into our products.

Media Team : Scales and improves our proprietary media server which handles playback and media serving.

Core Engineering : Responsible for monetization foundations (usage tracking, Stripe integration), identity services (auth, permissions, user / team management), and key enterprise integrations.

Key Challenges

Infrastructure Scaling : Build a scalable, reliable, and performant infrastructure to support the growth of our engineering, data, and research teams.

Product Transition : Lead the transition of our features and infrastructure from a desktop app‑heavy product to a web‑first and cloud‑based user experience.

Developer Experience : Establish the foundations for a world‑class developer experience, enhancing productivity and satisfaction across a fast‑growing, full‑stack engineering organization.

AI / ML Integration : Scale our AI / ML platform to support innovative research, rapid productization of AI features, and a product feedback cycle for model improvements.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Leadership : Develop and execute a strategic vision and roadmap for the Platform organization, aligning with company goals.

Team Development : Recruit, mentor, and grow engineering managers and engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Operational Excellence : Ensure predictable, reliable, and sustainable execution across the Platform teams.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration : Work closely with Product, Design, and other Engineering teams to meet internal stakeholder needs.

Innovation and Improvement : Drive innovation within the Platform organization, continually improving our infrastructure, tools, and processes.

Culture Building : Help scale and evolve our company culture as we grow, promoting values of collaboration, inclusivity, and excellence.

What You Bring

Leadership Experience : 5+ years of engineering management, including leading multiple teams or an organization in a platform or developer experience domain.

Technical Expertise : Strong background in cloud platforms (preferably GCP), scalable infrastructure, and AI / ML technologies.

Strategic Thinker : Can develop and communicate a clear vision, aligning teams and resources to achieve objectives.

Team Builder : Excels at creating collaborative, empowering, and high‑performing team environments.

Effective Communicator : Communicates clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally, across technical and non‑technical audiences.

Adaptable and Resilient : Thrives in fast‑paced, rapidly changing environments, navigating ambiguity and driving results.

Educational Background : Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).

Nice to Haves

Startup Experience : Managing engineering teams at a high‑growth startup where the rate of change is extremely high.

AI / ML Background : Familiarity with AI / ML platforms, tools, and practices.

Developer Tools Expertise : Background in building developer tools and enhancing developer experience.

Base Salary Range :

$224,000–$296,000 per year. Final offer will consider multiple factors, including prior experience, expertise, and location.

About Descript

Descript is building a simple, intuitive, fully‑powered editing tool for video and audio. We are a team of 150 backed by investors such as OpenAI, Andreessen Horowitz, Redpoint Ventures, and Spark Capital. Our headquarters are located in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA. We support remote and hybrid roles and offer a generous healthcare package, 401(k) matching, catered lunches, and flexible vacation time.

Descript is an equal‑opportunity workplace. We are dedicated to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We actively build a team rich in diverse backgrounds, experiences, and opinions to better allow our products, community, and employees to thrive.

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