Senior Engineering Manager / Director of Engineering jobs in United States
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Knox Systems, Inc. · 20 hours ago

Senior Engineering Manager / Director of Engineering

positionBoston, MA
timeFull-time
remoteOnsite
senioritySenior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
money$175K/yr - $200K/yr
date7+ years exp

Knox Systems, Inc. is seeking an elite backend engineer who can write code while providing technical leadership and light people management for a small team. The role involves hands-on development, architecture ownership, and AI/ML integrations, alongside mentoring and coordinating the team.

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Responsibilities

Hands-On Development (85)
Primary codebase contributor: You'll write more code than anyone else on the team
Architecture ownership: Design and implement the hardest, most critical systems personally
AI/ML Integration: Design and implement AI-driven compliance analysis using Claude, Gemini, QWEN, and Cohere; build Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools for agentic workflows
Complex Backend Features: Architect and code critical features like KSI compliance engines, infrastructure-as-code analyzers, and real-time compliance dashboards
Third-Party Integrations: Lead integration efforts with FedRAMP-authorized services (CrowdStrike, KnowBe4, Keeper, Okta, etc.)
Performance & Scalability: Optimize database queries, implement caching strategies (Redis), and design event-driven architectures using SQS/Lambda
Bun Migration: Personally lead the Node.js → Bun migration; benchmark performance, fix compatibility issues, optimize build pipeline
Technical Debt Management: Balance rapid delivery with sustainable code quality; refactor legacy CMX components
Code Reviews: Review all PRs with focus on architecture, security, and maintainability
Technical Leadership & Light Management (15)
Technical Direction: Partner with CTO on architecture decisions, technology choices, and engineering standards
Mentorship: Unblock teammates through pair programming, architectural guidance, and code reviews (not formal performance management)
Team Coordination: Run lightweight standups/planning; keep team aligned on priorities (no heavy sprint ceremonies)
Hiring Support: Interview candidates when needed; help CTO assess technical fit
Stakeholder Communication: Update CTO and stakeholders on technical progress, risks, and architectural decisions

Qualification

TypeScriptNode.jsAI/ML APIsAWSClean ArchitectureSQLAPI designSystem designStartup mentalityLeadershipMentorshipCommunication

Required

7+ years backend development with modern TypeScript/Node.js (NestJS or similar MVC frameworks)
Deep expertise in Clean Architecture or similar layered architecture patterns (Hexagonal, DDD)
Production experience with AI/ML APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or AWS Bedrock) and understanding of prompt engineering, context management, and model selection
Strong AWS knowledge: IAM, Cognito, S3, Lambda, SQS, RDS/PostgreSQL, OpenSearch, DynamoDB, CloudWatch
Database proficiency: Complex SQL, query optimization, schema design, ORM usage (Prisma/TypeORM)
API design expertise: REST, OpenAPI/Swagger, versioning strategies, authentication/authorization patterns
System design: Ability to architect complex, scalable systems from scratch; experience with distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and microservices
1-3 years light leadership experience (tech lead, team lead, or senior IC mentoring juniors)—formal management experience NOT required
Collaborative: Comfortable mentoring teammates through pairing, code reviews, and architectural discussions
Clear communicator: Can explain complex technical concepts to CTO and stakeholders
Bias for action: Pragmatic decision-making that balances perfect vs. good enough
Startup mentality: Comfortable with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and wearing multiple hats

Preferred

Prior experience in GRC, compliance, cybersecurity, or FedRAMP environments
Hands-on experience with Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar agentic frameworks
Frontend awareness (Nuxt/Vue/React) to provide guidance on full-stack architecture
Experience with LangChain, vector databases, or RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) implementations
Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code analysis (Terraform, CloudFormation, Pulumi)
Knowledge of NIST SP 800-53, FedRAMP requirements, or DISA STIGs
Experience with Bun runtime or enthusiasm for adopting modern JavaScript runtimes

Company

Knox Systems, Inc.

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FedRAMP in 90 Days for 90% less.
dateFounded in 2024
location
Austin, Texas, USA
people-size201-500 employees
web-link
http://knoxsystems.com/

Funding

Current Stage
Growth Stage
Total Funding
$6.5M
Key Investors
Felicis
2025-07-10Seed· $6.5M

Leadership Team

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Irina Denisenko
Chief Executive Officer
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Shira Rubinoff
Strategic Advisor
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Recent News

PR Newswire
BigID Accelerates FedRAMP Authorization with Knox Systems to Power the Next Generation of Federal Data Security
2025-12-09
PR Newswire
Former DoW Acting CIO and DHS CIO John Zangardi Joins Knox Systems as Strategic Advisor
2025-12-01
PR Newswire
Zscaler Public Sector CTO for AI Strategy and Former DHS Deputy CTO & Deputy CAIO Chad Tetreault Joins Knox Systems Federal Advisory Board
2025-11-13
Company data provided by crunchbase