Role Overview- We're looking for an Engineering Manager to lead and scale a high-performing engineering team building the core infrastructure behind PermitFlow.
- This is a builder-leader role. You will own both people leadership and technical execution in a fast-moving environment where systems are complex, ambiguous, and deeply connected to real-world outcomes.
- You will report directly to our VP of Engineering. Our VP strongly values hands-on technical leadership - the best-fit EMs here are deeply technical, strong communicators, and comfortable staying close to architecture, system design, and the codebase to make high-quality technical decisions.
- You will be expected to drive your own roadmap end-to-end from technical direction and execution planning through delivery and customer impact - ensuring what your team builds consistently performs in production and delivers real value to users.
What You'll DoYou will operate across systems, people, and execution at scale:
- Lead and grow a high-performing engineering team, raising the bar for ownership, quality, and execution speed
- Build strong engineering culture through clear expectations, 1:1s, feedback loops, and career development
- Define technical direction across architecture, scalability, reliability, and long-term system evolution
- Own roadmap planning and execution from definition through delivery and customer impact
- Partner closely with product, design, and leadership to translate ambiguous real-world problems into scalable systems
- Drive delivery of critical infrastructure used across thousands of jurisdictions
- Improve system reliability, observability, performance, and engineering efficiency
- Play a key role in hiring and developing engineers and future leaders
What We're Looking ForWe're looking for strong technical leaders who thrive in high-ownership, high-ambiguity environments.
- 5+ years in software engineering, including 1+ year in engineering leadership
- Experience building and scaling engineering teams in startup or high-growth environments
- Strong system design and architecture fundamentals (scalable web or distributed systems)
- Ability to lead through ambiguity and turn unclear problems into structured execution
- Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
- High standards for engineering quality, reliability, and performance
- Deep technical fluency - comfortable engaging with code review, architecture, and tradeoffs
- Bonus: experience in workflow-heavy, enterprise SaaS, or infrastructure products
- Bonus: exposure to complex regulated environments (construction, logistics, government systems, etc.)
Why This Role MattersThis is not a maintenance role - it is a systems-building role at the foundation of a category being created in real time.
PermitFlow sits at the intersection of:
- fragmented real-world regulatory infrastructure
- high-friction physical economy workflows
- emerging AI systems capable of automating end-to-end complexity
The systems built here directly impact how quickly housing and infrastructure projects move from idea to execution.
This role offers rare leverage: your decisions will shape both the engineering organization and the core product surface area at an early but rapidly scaling company.
What We Offer- Competitive salary and meaningful equity in a high-growth company
- 100% company-paid base medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees + healthcare FSA
- 401(k) savings plan
- Unlimited PTO and paid family leave
- Home office & equipment stipend
- Daily in-office lunch and dinner provided
- Commuter benefits (pre-tax transit and parking)
If you want to build complex systems connecting software to real-world infrastructure and help define a category from the ground up, we'd love to talk.
Inside PermitFlow: The Team Transforming Construction Permitting
