VP of Engineering

VP of Engineering - XMTP Labs (XMTP + Convos)A Note from Shane, our CEOThe greatest mistake I ever made in my career was trying to convince people to join a startup. I’m not here to convince you. In my early days, I oversold. I tried to make the journey look easier than it was. I tried to convince people that going smaller could feel as stable as bolthires. I tried to make ownership sound exciting without fully preparing people for the weight of it. The kind of ownership that changes how you show up every single day.On one hand, it’s the most empowering thing you will ever feel. On the other hand, it’s hard. Really hard. As I sit here almost five years in, thinking about the next twenty, I’m more excited than I have ever been about what we’re building and why. And the only thing that matters to me now is finding people who deeply and genuinely believe in this mission too. I don’t want you to work here because you want to work with me. I don’t want you to work here because you want to try a startup. I don’t want you to work here because small sounds refreshing after years at a big company.You should only want to work here if you truly believe in our mission. Securing the world’s freedom to communicate. That is the work. We need a new foundation. We need new rules. We need open source and decentralized systems to bring trust back to the single most important thing in the digital world. Communication. If that belief isn’t already in your bones, nothing I write here should convince you. And that’s okay. But if it is, and if you’re the best in the world at what you do, and if you are obsessed with becoming more effective, more leveraged, and more impactful, then maybe it’s worth applying.Because there is one word that drives everything we do here. Leverage. Leverage is our operating system. It shapes every cultural norm, every system, every tool, every decision. Our goal is simple. Help every person here become one of the most highly leveraged individuals on earth. Better tools. Better systems. Better teammates. Clearer priorities. Less noise. More output. We measure ourselves with one ratio. Total messages sent on XMTP divided by total employees. It forces us to build things that scale beyond headcount.It forces focus. It forces great systems. It forces us to hire only when hiring increases the total leverage of the organization. That is why we hire slowly and rarely. That is why getting a job here is hard. And it is intentional. Here is something I did not understand early in my career. Something I wish someone had told me. For the few people who do get to work here, it is a chance to own and lead and grow in your career like never before. We don’t hide how the company works. We don’t shield people from hard decisions.We want everyone here to learn everything there is to know about running and building a company. Because the best thing about going small isn’t the speed. It isn’t the lack of red tape. It is the learning. Seeing how it really works from the inside out. Whatever you want to do after XMTP. Start something. Lead something. Build something. You will be better because of your time here. You will leave with a level of judgment, ownership, and leverage you can’t get anywhere else. If this resonates, take a look at the roles below.If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. Please send this to someone you know who would thrive here. — ShaneBuild the Future of Private CommunicationXMTP Labs is building the future of messaging—secure, decentralized, and private. Our open protocol (XMTP) powers the next generation of communication, whileConvos brings that vision to life as a privacy first chat app. We’re hiring a Vice President of Engineering to build and lead our engineeringorganization from the ground up. This is a foundational leadership role responsiblefor driving organizational structure, technical strategy, and team performanceacross both the XMTP protocol and Convos app.We're looking for a seasoned technical leader who can think strategically abouthow to structure teams for speed and quality, make smart architectural decisions,and hold a high bar for execution and accountability. You should have deepexperience navigating technical trade-offs, leading protocol or infrastructureteams, and inspiring engineers through clarity, mentorship, and decisiveness. You’ll report directly to the CEO and be a key partner in shaping product direction,culture, and roadmap execution.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Planning and Vision• Define and evolve our engineering strategy in alignment with company goals• Shape and execute on technical product roadmap• Champion technical excellence while making pragmatic decisions for velocity and scaleOrganizational Leadership• Design and grow the engineering org from early stage through intentional growth• Hire and manage top-tier engineering talent across protocol and app• Develop a culture of ownership, quality, and high performanceExecution and Delivery• Ensure consistent, high-velocity delivery of complex projects• Oversee technical roadmap execution with a focus on resilience, speed and quality• Build and enforce strong QA and testing practicesTechnical Leadership• Provide architectural direction, particularly on protocol and backend infrastructure• Guide trade-off discussions, balancing short-term needs with long-term maintainability• Be the voice of engineering in product and company strategy conversationsCommunication and Collaboration• Act as the primary liaison between engineering and executive leadership• Communicate priorities, progress, and blockers with clarity and transparency• Foster cross-functional collaboration across Product, Design, Protocol, and OpsWhat We’re Looking For• Minimum of 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years leading and scaling high-performing teams• Experience building and growing an engineering org from early stage to 50+ people• Deep understanding of technical trade-offs, protocol design, and system architecture• Strong preference for leaders with experience in developer infrastructure, developer tools, or protocols (e.g., Cloudflare, Datadog, GitHub, Vercel, Buf, etc.)• Comfortable overseeing both protocol-level complexity and consumer app execution• Proven track record of shipping production-grade software in complex environments• Skilled at creating clarity from ambiguity and driving execution across teams• High EQ leadership style with a focus on mentorship, accountability, and alignmentNice-to-Haves• Experience with secure messaging, cryptography, or open-source protocol development• Contributions to open-source developer platforms or infrastructure• Background as a founder or early technical leader in a fast-growing startup• Familiarity with React Native, Swift, Go, Rust, or KotlinWhyThis Role MattersYou’ll be responsible for architecting how our entire engineering function operates - from how we hire and onboard, to how we plan and execute.You’ll work on technologies that touch millions of users and help define what privacy and interoperability look like in the next era of communication. Your leadership will shape the standards others adopt and the team culture that drives us forward. You Might Be a Fit If... • You’ve led protocol, infrastructure, or developer tool teams through growth and change• You care deeply about high-quality engineering practices and user trust• You understand how to structure teams for speed and scale• You can operate in ambiguity and make confident, high-leverage decisions• You’re passionate about privacy, open systems, and durable architectureCompensation & Benefits• BaseSalary: $280–300K USD• Equity: Competitive ownership in a high-conviction, early-stage company• Benefits:• Fully paid Medical, Dental, and Vision• Parental Leave• Monthly wellness + lifestyle stipend• IT equipment + WFH setup• Personal assistant support• Unlimited time off• Remote-first team, with semi-annual IRL gatheringsOur Stack• React Native, Swift, Kotlin• Typescript, Go, Rust• XMTP Protocol• Onchain identity + wallet-based auth• Secure messaging, E2E encryption Apply tot his job