VP of Engineering

Viam Viam · Robotics · New York, NY · Engineering

Viam is seeking a VP of Engineering to lead and scale their engineering organization, focusing on delivering software for the physical world. This role involves setting processes, managing directors and managers, translating business priorities into roadmaps, and driving technical standards. The ideal candidate has a strong track record in managing engineering teams, building scalable systems in early-stage startups, and bringing structure to ambiguous challenges.

What you'd actually do

  1. Set clear expectations, establish the processes and rituals that make delivery predictable, and hold the organization accountable to shipping.
  2. Translate business priorities into engineering roadmaps. Own the sequencing decisions and remove blockers before they become delays.
  3. Develop your directors and managers. Have hard conversations early and build an org where growth and accountability are the same thing.
  4. Partner with engineering leads to drive standards in code quality, system design, and review culture.
  5. Establish how decisions get made and how your teams stay connected to what the company is building and why.

Skills

Required

  • Managing directors and managers
  • Improving engineering delivery
  • Building scalable systems
  • Working in early-stage startups
  • Customer-driven environments
  • Bringing structure to ambiguity
  • Directness
  • Technical engagement

Nice to have

  • Robotics experience
  • IoT experience

What the JD emphasized

  • Track record of managing directors and managers across multiple teams and improving how engineering organizations deliver, not just growing them.
  • Background building scalable systems at an early-stage startup or in a customer-driven environment.
  • Pattern of walking into ambiguous challenges and bringing structure.