Scale Engineer

Systems Engineering Manager

Manager · Full Time

StockholmUSD 175k – 250k3mo ago
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Role

What you'll do.

Modal is seeking an experienced Systems Engineering Manager to lead a high-performance engineering team focused on distributed computing and AI infrastructure. The role requires a hands-on technical leader who can balance strategic management with deep technical contributions in building complex cloud and systems solutions.

Responsibilities

  • Team Leadership: Lead and manage a group of highly experienced engineers, providing strategic direction and technical guidance
  • Technical Contribution: Spend approximately 50% of time on hands-on technical work, contributing directly to complex systems challenges
  • Performance Optimization: Drive performance improvements in distributed computing, large-scale data handling, and system architectures
  • Engineering Culture: Foster a strong engineering culture that emphasizes technical excellence, rapid innovation, and collaborative problem-solving
  • Blockers Removal: Identify and remove obstacles that impede team productivity and technical progress

Qualifications

What we look for.

Technical

  • Distributed Systems

    Extensive experience building high-performance distributed systems at large scale

  • Cloud Infrastructure

    Deep understanding of cloud infrastructure and serverless computing architectures

  • Systems Programming

    Proficiency in systems-level programming languages like Rust, C, C++, or Java

  • Operating Systems

    Strong knowledge of low-level operating system foundations including Linux kernel, file systems, and containerization

Education

  • Advanced Degree

    Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

  • Industry Experience

    Minimum 10 years of total industry experience

  • Leadership Experience

    Minimum 3 years in an engineering leadership role

Skills

Required

  • Systems Architecture

    Deep understanding of complex systems design and scalable infrastructure

  • Team Management

    Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing engineering teams

  • Technical Communication

    Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively

Preferred

  • AI Infrastructure Experience

    Nice to have

    Prior experience with AI and machine learning infrastructure platforms

  • Open Source Contributions

    Nice to have

    Active contributions to open-source systems and infrastructure projects

Tech stack

Languages

RustC++Java

Tools

KubernetesDocker

Other

Linux

Compensation

Pay and benefits.

Base·USD 175,000 – 250,000

Equity·Stock options

Benefits

  • Equity Options

    Stock options in a high-growth AI infrastructure startup valued at $1.1B

  • Professional Growth

    Opportunities to work alongside creators of popular open-source projects and experienced engineering leaders

  • Innovative Environment

    Join one of the fastest-growing AI infrastructure organizations at an early stage

Process

Interview steps.

  1. 01

    Initial Screening

    Phone or video call with recruitment team to discuss background and experience

  2. 02

    Technical Leadership Interview

    In-depth discussion of systems engineering experience and leadership approach

  3. 03

    Technical Challenge

    Hands-on technical assessment focusing on systems design and problem-solving

  4. 04

    Team Interview

    Meetings with potential team members and current engineering leadership

  5. 05

    Final Executive Interview

    Discussion with senior leadership about vision, strategy, and cultural fit

Full posting

Original listing.

About Us:

Modal provides the infrastructure foundation for AI teams. With instant GPU access, sub-second container startups, and native storage, Modal makes it simple to train models, run batch jobs, and serve low-latency inference. We have thousands of customers who rely on us for production AI workloads, including Lovable, Scale AI, Substack, and Suno.

We're a fast-growing team based out of NYC, SF, and Stockholm. We've hit 9-figure ARR and recently raised a Series B at a $1.1B valuation. Our investors include Lux Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Amplify Partners, and Elad Gil.

Working at Modal means joining one of the fastest-growing AI infrastructure organizations at an early stage, with many opportunities to grow within the company. Our team includes creators of popular open-source projects (e.g. Seaborn, Luigi), academic researchers, international olympiad medalists, and experienced engineering and product leaders with decades of experience.

The Role:

We’re looking for an Engineering Manager to lead a group of highly experienced engineers. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll spend roughly half your time on technical contribution and half on people management, depending on the need. You’ll work closely with the team to set direction, remove blockers, and foster a strong engineering culture as they tackle complex systems challenges in distributed computing, large-scale data handling, and performance optimization.

Who You Are
We think you are an experienced engineering leader who thrives close to the work and enjoys building alongside their team when needed. You earn trust through technical depth, communicate with clarity, and help great engineers move fast and make sound decisions. You thrive in a fast paced environment, you are pragmatic, calm under pressure, and focused on impact.

Requirements:

  • At least 10 years of industry experience, including 3 years experience in a leadership role

  • Experience building high-performance distributed systems at a large scale

  • Strong background in cloud infrastructure

  • Strong knowledge of low-level operating system foundations (Linux kernel, file systems, containers, etc.)

  • Proficient in systems-level languages such as Rust, C, C++, or Java

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