Director of Engineering, Cortex LLM Platform

Snowflake4 months ago

Location

US-CA-Menlo Park

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 268,000 – 380,000

Level

Director

Role

Engineering Manager

Posted

Oct 29, 2025

Full TimeDirector

The role

Summary

Director of Engineering role at Snowflake leading the Cortex LLM Platform team, a critical component of Snowflake's AI strategy. This position involves managing engineering teams that develop high-performance and scalable AI services, requiring deep expertise in LLM serving, database systems, and AI infrastructure with 10+ years of software engineering experience.

What you'll do

Strategic Leadership: Set the strategic vision for the Cortex LLM Platform team and drive accountability for plans and deliverables

Team Management: Hire, develop, and mentor talented senior technical leaders across multiple engineering teams

Project Execution: Drive team projects from ideation through implementation with cross-functional partner teams

Requirements Translation: Translate product requirements into engineering initiatives and coordinate cross-functionally

Culture Development: Foster a culture of creativity and innovation while ensuring practical decision-making

Organizational Evolution: Lead organizational structure evolution and improve engineering efficiency across teams

AI Platform Architecture: Oversee the development of high-performance and scalable LLM serving infrastructure

Cross-Product Integration: Ensure seamless integration with Snowflake Intelligence, AISQL, REST API, and other AI products

Technical Excellence: Maintain high standards for code quality, system reliability, and performance optimization

Stakeholder Communication: Collaborate with product management, sales, and executive teams on AI strategy and roadmap

What we look for

Technical

LLM InfrastructureDeep experience with LLM serving and AI infrastructure at enterprise scale

Database Systems5+ years of experience leading teams to build database system internals

Distributed SystemsExpertise in designing and implementing high-performance distributed systems

Cloud ArchitectureExperience with cloud-native architectures and microservices patterns

AI/ML PlatformsHands-on experience with machine learning platforms and model serving infrastructure

Education

Advanced DegreeAdvanced degree in Computer Science or equivalent technical field

Experience

Director Experience2+ years of engineering director experience, including managing managers

Software Engineering10+ years of software engineering experience in enterprise environments

Team LeadershipStrong track record of recruiting and growing technical teams

Global CollaborationExcellent collaboration and communication skills across global organizations

Skills

Required skills

Engineering LeadershipProven ability to lead and scale engineering organizations at director level

AI/ML InfrastructureDeep technical expertise in LLM serving and AI platform development

Database InternalsExtensive experience with database system architecture and optimization

Distributed SystemsExpert knowledge in designing high-performance distributed systems

Team BuildingStrong track record of hiring and developing senior technical talent

Strategic PlanningAbility to translate business requirements into technical roadmaps

Cross-functional CollaborationExcellence in working across product, engineering, and business teams

Nice to have

Cloud PlatformsExperience with AWS, Azure, or GCP for enterprise-scale deployments

Data Warehouse TechnologiesBackground in data warehousing and analytics platforms

GPU ComputingKnowledge of GPU acceleration for AI/ML workloads and optimization

Open Source ContributionsActive participation in AI/ML or database open source communities

Enterprise Sales SupportExperience working with enterprise customers and sales engineering

Startup ExperienceBackground in fast-growing technology companies and scaling teams

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 268,000 – 380,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Comprehensive Healthcare

Full medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and families

Retirement Planning

401(k) with company matching and financial planning resources

Equity Compensation

Stock options and RSU grants as part of total compensation package

Professional Development

Learning stipends, conference attendance, and internal training programs

Flexible Time Off

Unlimited PTO policy with encouraged time off for work-life balance

Parental Leave

Extended parental leave for new parents with full pay and benefits

Wellness Programs

Mental health resources, fitness stipends, and employee assistance programs

Remote Work Support

Home office stipends and flexible hybrid work arrangements

Interview process

1
Initial Screen — 30-minute phone screen with hiring manager covering background and leadership experience
2
Technical Leadership Interview — 60-minute discussion on technical architecture decisions and team management scenarios
3
System Design Interview — 90-minute session designing large-scale AI infrastructure and discussing trade-offs
4
Behavioral Interview — 45-minute conversation with senior leadership on culture fit and leadership philosophy
5
Team Interviews — Multiple 45-minute sessions with potential direct reports and cross-functional partners
6
Executive Interview — Final 60-minute interview with VP or C-level executive on strategic vision and company alignment
7
Reference Checks — Comprehensive reference verification with former colleagues and direct reports