VP of Engineering

We're Sweed, a product-driven startup building an all-in-one cannabis retail platform. We're on the lookout for a VP of Engineering to join our team remotely and help us scale and optimize our platform.

We are seeking an experienced and visionary VP of Engineering to lead our product-focused technology organization as a core member of the executive leadership team. This role reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for defining and executing the company's technology strategy in alignment with overall business objectives.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing high-load systems, scaling architectures, and driving technological innovation in a dynamic, customer-centric environment. This is a unique opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies while ensuring the highest levels of system performance, security, and compliance, and directly influencing revenue growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

At Sweed, we're reimagining how cannabis retailers operate. Our enterprise-grade platform combines POS, eCommerce, Marketing, Analytics and Inventory Management into a single, seamless solution—eliminating the need for multiple third-party tools.

We believe in simplicity, efficiency, and innovation. That's why we build for scalability and performance, making life easier for cannabis retailers while driving real business growth.

At Sweed, we believe in the medicinal potential of cannabis. It has been shown to help with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and many other conditions. Despite the lingering stigma, we see cannabis as a powerful tool for improving lives.

The industry is evolving rapidly, and we're here to drive that transformation—making cannabis retail more efficient, accessible, and customer-friendly.

We've been on the market for 7 years, continuously growing and refining our product.

Our focus is on earning customer trust, which means constantly improving our delivery processes and rolling out new features. At the same time, we navigate the complex legal landscape of the cannabis industry, ensuring our platform remains compliant and future-proof.

Our total team size is over 200 people:

The development team is distributed globally and organized into cross-functional product teams. These teams typically consist of 8–12 members, including front-end and back-end developers, QA specialists, and analysts.
Each team is led by a Team Lead and a Product Owner, ensuring effective collaboration and clear direction.
Meanwhile, our CEO, account managers, and customer success team are based in the USA, working closely with us to align product development with business and user needs.

Executive Technology Leadership & Strategy:

• Define and own the long-term technology vision and roadmap in alignment with the company's business strategy.

• Act as a key member of the executive team, partnering with the CEO, CFO, CPO, and other leaders on company-wide strategic decisions.

• Own technology budgets, vendor strategy, and cost optimization initiatives to ensure sustainable growth and ROI on technology investments.

High-Load System Management:

• Lead the architecture and development of systems handling over 3,000 requests per second (RPS) across multiple data centers.

• Ensure scalability, reliability, and performance under heavy load.

Scalability and Multi-Client Support:

• Oversee the support of a large, diverse client base with seamless operations across multiple data centers globally.

• Develop and implement strategies to scale infrastructure and services effectively.

SOC Compliance & HIPAA:

• Ensure systems comply with SOC 2 and HIPAA standards, prioritizing data security and privacy.

• Establish and maintain best practices for secure development and operations.

Automation of Testing and Deployment:

• Champion the automation of testing processes, CI/CD pipelines, and quality assurance to improve efficiency and reduce time-to-market.

Modernizing Architecture:

• Lead the transition from monolithic systems to modular, microservice-based architectures.

• Drive initiatives to improve maintainability, scalability, and system resilience.

Full Redundancy and Fault Tolerance:

• Design and implement robust systems to achieve full redundancy and zero downtime under all conditions.

Process Documentation:

• Develop clear, comprehensive processes and maintain up-to-date technical documentation to support cross-functional collaboration.

Metrics and Development Efficiency:

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure team productivity and system performance.

• Foster a culture of data-driven development and decision-making.

Big Data and Machine Learning:

• Oversee the handling of large-scale data processing systems and the integration of machine learning (ML) solutions to enhance product capabilities.

Leadership in Product Streams:

• Manage and mentor a large, cross-functional technology team of 100+ engineers, ensuring alignment with business goals.

• Work closely with product management to deliver innovative solutions and maintain a competitive edge.

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, system architecture, or a similar leadership role, preferably in high-load environments.

• Experience as a member of an executive or senior leadership team, partnering closely with C-level stakeholders.

• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, high-traffic systems with a focus on scalability and performance.

• Deep knowledge of SOC 2, HIPAA, and other regulatory frameworks.

• Expertise in microservices, modern architectural practices, and transitioning from monolithic systems.

• Strong experience in test automation, CI/CD pipelines, and development workflows.

• Proven ability to handle big data volumes and oversee the implementation of ML-based solutions.

• Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with experience leading 100+ engineers.

• Excellent communication skills with a strong ability to document and streamline processes.

• Salary in USD (B2B contract with the US company)

• 100% remote – We're a remote-first company, no offices needed

• Flexible working hours – Core team time: 09:00-15:00 GMT (flexible per team)

• 20 paid vacation days per year

• 12 holidays per year

• 3 sick leave days

• Medical insurance after probation

• Equipment reimbursement (laptops, monitors, etc.)