Job Title

Company OverviewGhost is an AI-native inventory distribution platform and operating system for modern retail trade. We partner with the world's best brands to help them understand the true value of their inventory and route it to the right destinations globally. Ghost gives brands precise control over where and how their inventory is sold. Backed by top venture firms including L Catterton, Cathay Innovation, Union Square Ventures, Equal Ventures, and Eniac. Ghost has offices in Los Angeles and New York.About the RoleWe are looking for a VP, Engineering to lead our Engineering organization and technical direction as we scale. This is a hands-on role for a leader who thrives in ambiguity, moves quickly with limited resources, and enjoys being close to both the code and the business. You'll balance being highly responsive to business needs while maintaining and protecting the team's focus. You will play a critical role in shaping Ghost's platform, team, and engineering culture during a pivotal stage of growth.Key Responsibilities:Lead a high-performing engineering team, owning execution, accountability, and team developmentSet technical strategy and evolve Ghost's architecture to support rapid growth, reliability, and data-driven productsRemain hands-on with full-stack development as needed, especially on early-stage or high-impact initiativesPartner closely with Product, Operations, Revenue, and Leadership to translate business needs into scalable technical solutionsDrive prioritization and delivery in a fast-paced startup environment, balancing speed with long-term sustainabilityOwn vendor relationships and engineering budget, making strategic decisions about tooling, infrastructure, and third-party services to maximize ROILead continued adoption of AI-augmented development workflows (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor) and have experience deploying LLM-based features or subagent orchestration systems in production environmentsParticipate actively in code reviews and architecture decisions to maintain technical quality and provide informed technical guidance to the teamMake pragmatic build vs. buy decisions to move fast while maximizing impact with limited resourcesQualifications:10+ years of engineering experience, including leadership roles at a high-growth tech startup; 3+ years of experience managing teams Stay close enough to the code to participate meaningfully in technical discussions, reviews, and architecture decisionsExperience building and scaling systems in lean, resource-constrained environmentsHands-on experience with modern AI development workflows (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot) and deploying LLM-based features or agentic systems in productionStrong business judgment, ownership mindset, and comfort operating in ambiguityStrong product intuition with ability to evaluate opportunity costs and make pragmatic decisionsOur current stack includes: React with Next.js on the frontend, Node.js with NestJS on the backend, PostgreSQL database, NATS for messaging, and AWS infrastructureThis role is in-office in Los Angeles (mid-city). Our total compensation for this position can range from $240,000 - $260,000. We value experience and are open to higher compensation for candidates with exceptional skills and background. The actual amounts may vary based on factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the position.Benefits we offer: Medical, Vision, and Dental with some plans covered at 100% Competitive compensation and equity structure401K Unlimited PTO Ghost is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative environment where all employees can thrive. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable laws.