What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Platform Engineering position at Critical River, Inc.?
Job title: Director of Platform Engineering
Location: Pleasanton, CA (Hybrid – 3 Days Onsite)
Job Type: Full-Time
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Director of Platform Engineering to lead cloud infrastructure, AI/ML platforms, and engineering operations. This leadership role will partner closely with the Head of Engineering to build scalable SaaS platforms, drive operational excellence, and optimize cloud and AI infrastructure costs.
Key Responsibilities
· Lead and scale AWS-based multi-tenant SaaS infrastructure
· Manage AI/ML platforms including self-hosted LLMs, GPU infrastructure, MLOps, and model serving
· Define standards for Kubernetes, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), CI/CD, security, observability, and reliability
· Drive engineering operations including hiring, performance management, tooling, and productivity improvements
· Partner with leadership on AI pricing strategy, vendor management, and infrastructure cost optimization
· Ensure platform scalability, reliability, security, and compliance (SOC2, ISO 27001, HIPAA)
Required Qualifications
· 12 years of engineering experience with 6 years in senior leadership roles
· Strong expertise in AWS, Kubernetes, IaC, and SaaS platform architecture
· Experience deploying self-hosted LLMs, GPU clusters, and production ML systems
· Deep understanding of MLOps, AI cost optimization, observability, and model lifecycle management
· Proven experience scaling platforms from early-stage to enterprise scale
· Experience with security/compliance frameworks such as SOC2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA
· Strong business acumen and cloud cost management experience
Salary : $220,000 - $230,000