Head of Engineer, Product

About PikaAt Pika, we’re building the next generation of AI creative tools to empower human creativity. Our mission is to make video creation seamless, intuitive, and accessible to everyone, leveraging the power of advanced AI. We believe that AI should amplify creative expression—enabling everyone to create, collaborate, and communicate across media. Our team includes engineers, artists, and product thinkers, all passionate about building tools that unlock new creative possibilities.Pika has raised significant funding and is backed by leading investors, with a collaborative culture based in Palo Alto, CA. We prefer hybrid in-office, sharing ideas and launching products together.About the RoleWe are seeking a Head of Engineer, Product Engineering, to provide visionary leadership for the strategy, architecture, and execution of Pika’s core product engineering initiatives. In this executive-level role, you will define and drive the execution of our technical roadmap for all user-facing products.You will lead and mentor high-performing engineering teams, working closely with product, design, and ML leadership to deliver features that are robust, scalable, and innovative for millions of users. Your technical expertise and leadership will shape product direction, ensuring exceptional engineering standards and prioritizing team growth and cross-functional alignment.What You’ll DoSet and communicate the technical vision and strategy for product engineering across all Pika platforms and user-facing featuresLead, mentor, and scale multiple engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and innovationArchitect and oversee the delivery of scalable, high-performing systems, ensuring best practices in system reliability, security, and efficiencyPartner deeply with product, design, and ML teams to define technical solutions aligned with business and user needsGuide technical decision-making at both strategic and architectural levels, including technology selection and process improvementChampion standards for software quality, rapid iteration, and best-in-class product experienceOwn the technical roadmap, including resource planning and milestone delivery for major product launches and iterationsRepresent engineering in executive discussions and drive cross-functional alignmentWhat We’re Looking For10+ years of progressive engineering experience, with significant time spent managing and scaling product engineering teamsStrong record of technical leadership in developing and launching complex, high-impact, user-facing products (web/mobile)Proven experience in building and scaling distributed systems, APIs, and cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP, Kubernetes, etc.)Mastery of system and software architecture for high-traffic, media-rich, or AI-powered applicationsEmotional intelligence and mentorship skills, with a track record of developing engineering leaders and high-performing teamsDeep experience collaborating with executive leadership to shape organizational vision and drive business outcomesOutstanding communication and organizational abilities, thriving in a collaborative, dynamic environmentNice to HaveExperience with generative AI, creative tools, or large-scale collaboration platformsBackground in high-growth startups or high-ambiguity environmentsOpen source, hackathon, or competitive coding experienceOur StackPython, Go, Node.js, Postgres, Redis, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS/GCPWhat We OfferCompetitive executive-level salary in the AI industrySubstantial equity in a fast-growing startup defining the future of AI and creativityComprehensive health benefits, monthly stipends, and company retreatsA collaborative leadership environment—we’re all building and launching togetherLocationPalo Alto HQEmployment TypeFull timeLocation TypeOn-siteDepartmentEngineering