Engineering Director - Staffing

Malt is Europe's leading freelance marketplace, connecting over 900,000 talented freelancers with 90,000+ companies. Founded in 2013, we transform how work gets done through a tech‑powered, human‑centered platform, backed by top investors such as ISAI, Serena Capital, Eurazeo Growth, Goldman Sachs, and BPI.

Engineer Director – Matching & Sourcing

As the Engineering Director you lead the delivery, performance, and people management for the Matching and Sourcing squads (8‑10 product engineers). You are a direct leadership role, not a manager‑of‑managers position, and you maintain a strategic and product mindset while staying hands‑on with the software craft.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect AI‑native sourcing solutions, leveraging AI to create a high‑signal user experience for hundreds of thousands of users across Europe.
• Translate C‑level ambition into a high‑velocity technical roadmap and make hard decisions between shipping “wow” AI features and maintaining long‑term platform health.
• Serve as a hands‑on leader, driving engineering excellence through architectural guidance and active participation in code reviews.
• Coach two high‑impact squads to become autonomous, problem‑solving product engineers who understand the “why” behind the code.
• Refine agile rituals to maximize flow, turning complex constraints into clear paths forward and keeping squads focused on delivery.

About You

• Significant managerial experience rooted in the craft, with close involvement in stack‑level mentorship and architectural design.
• Hands‑on background in building AI agents or integrating LLMs into functional products, with an understanding of scalable intelligent engine architecture.
• Ability to balance market urgency with software integrity, taking full ownership of the delivery lifecycle.
• Experience coaching both software and ML engineers from a “feature builder” mindset to a “problem solver” reality.
• Product‑first background, thinking first about the “why” and then the “how,” treating code as a means to a business end.
• Natural ownership, rallying teams to execute without needing a map.
• Fluent in English; French is a bonus. Capable of distilling complex AI or technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders at every level.

Hiring Process

• Initial call (45 minutes) with Talent Acquisition to discuss background and aspirations.
• Interview with VP Engineering (60 minutes) to explore experience and specifics of the role.
• Product case and debrief with PM, Design & EM to evaluate collaboration and delivery capabilities.
• Technical case and debrief with staff engineers to validate mastery of technical and architectural subjects.
• Final interview with CTO to discuss long‑term vision.

Benefits

• Onboarding program and first‑week learning about culture, products, and services.
• Equity: stock options for all employees.
• Lunch vouchers (€9/day on Swile card).
• Transportation: 50% reimbursement for any transport type.
• Healthcare insurance.
• Annual RTT: 8‑12 days off per year.
• Sports: Gym membership through Gymlib (Wellpass).
• Sabbatical: one fully paid month every three years.
• Free books for professional development.
• Hybrid policy: work both on‑site and from home.
• Annual team‑building events.

Equal Opportunity

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We recruit based on skills, experience, and potential, without any form of discrimination related to age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or disability.

Background screening may be performed. For more information, see our candidate privacy policy.

We believe in hiring people. AI assists in managing the volume of applications but does not replace the personal touch of our Talent Acquisition team, who make final decisions.