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Knox Systems, Inc. · 8 hours ago

Senior Engineering Manager / Director of Engineering

Boston, MA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

$175K/yr - $200K/yr

7+ years exp

Knox Systems, Inc. operates the largest Federal managed cloud, providing secure cloud and AI environments for critical U.S. government missions. The role seeks an elite backend engineer who will primarily focus on hands-on development while also providing technical leadership and light management for a small team.

ComputerCyber SecurityGovernment

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

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 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 designClear communicatorBias for actionStartup mentalityFrontend awarenessGRC experienceInfrastructure-as-codeNIST SP 800-53 knowledgeLeadership experienceCollaborative

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

Benefits

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life & Disability

Unlimited PEO

Employee funded 401k plan

Company

Knox Systems, Inc.

FedRAMP in 90 Days for 90% less.

Founded in 2024

Austin, Texas, USA

201-500 employees

http://knoxsystems.com/

Funding

Current Stage

Growth Stage

Total Funding

$6.5M

Key Investors

Felicis

2025-07-10Seed· $6.5M

Leadership Team

Irina Denisenko

Chief Executive Officer

Shira Rubinoff

Strategic Advisor

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