VP R&D

Description

MetalBear is a fast-growing, product-led startup in the developer tools space. We build tools that help developers move faster and safer in cloud-native environments. Our flagship open-source product, mirrord, lets developers run local code as if it’s already deployed - bridging the gap between local development and production reality.

We’re backed by world-class investors, loved by a fast-growing OSS community, and our paid offering is generating significant revenue - and now we’re expanding our leadership team to take our R&D organization to the next level.

What are we looking for

We’re looking for a VP R&D to lead the R&D department. You need to be both strategic and deeply technical, and thrive in an environment where speed, excellence, and creativity intersect.

You’ll shape our technical roadmap, scale our team, and help us grow from an early-stage product to a category-defining company in developer tools.

This is a rare opportunity to join early, lead an elite engineering team, and play a defining role in building a developer-first company that changes how engineers ship code.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and scale MetalBear’s R&D department, currently composed of the Core, Integrations, and Windows teams, as well as architecture and DevSecOps functions.
• Own and evolve the technical strategy, ensuring strong alignment with MetalBear’s product vision and business objectives.
• Mentor and empower engineering managers, fostering a culture rooted in technical excellence, autonomy, and accountability.
• Guide architectural direction and system design decisions, ensuring mirrord and future products are scalable, reliable, and delightful for developers to use.
• Build and retain exceptional talent, helping MetalBear attract and grow world-class engineers who thrive in high-impact, low-ego environments.
• Partner cross-functionally to deliver developer-centric solutions at startup speed.
• Stay close to the technology, providing technical direction, reviewing critical code and designs, and setting the bar for engineering excellence.

Requirements

What we are looking for

• A seasoned engineering leader (8+ years experience) with hands-on systems or infrastructure background.
• Proven experience building and scaling R&D or engineering organizations in fast-paced, early-stage environments.
• Strong understanding of cloud-native systems, Kubernetes, developer tools, or distributed infrastructure.
• You’ve led teams working in Rust, C++, or similar systems-level languages, and can dive deep technically when needed.
• You thrive in open, asynchronous, remote-first cultures — balancing autonomy with alignment.
• You care deeply about developer experience, both for your own teams and for users.
• You’re excited by the prospect of scaling a product loved by developers, not just building software.

Why MetalBear

• Technical depth: Lead some of the smartest engineers solving the toughest problems in developer productivity.
• Open-source impact: Shape a product and community used by thousands of developers worldwide.
• High autonomy & ownership: Influence company strategy, culture, and direction at an early stage.
• Remote-first, async-friendly: Flexible environment designed for focus and deep work.
• Growth stage momentum: Backed by top investors with a strong runway, now entering a phase of scaling and expansion.