Manager, Software Engineering at AltaML (Calgary, Canada)
AltaML· Calgary, Canada·
Role details
Job description
Engineering @ AltaML - How We Work: We are an AI-first company. Claude Code and AltaML's shared configuration and skills library are the default way engineers design, build, test, and review software, not an optional accelerant a few people use. We expect dramatically higher productivity from working this way. A step change, not a marginal gain. That's the baseline we hire and promote against, not an aspirational ceiling. We believe AI has compressed what used to take weeks into days, and what used to take days into hours. Estimates, sprint commitments, and delivery timelines should reflect that reality, not pre-AI habits. Show us, don't tell us. As part of applying, share an example of your AI-assisted coding: a PR, a repo, a recorded session, or whatever best demonstrates how you actually work with AI day to day. We overpay for the right people. We'd rather pay a premium for an engineer who embodies this and multiplies the team than save money on someone who doesn't.
About the Role:
AltaML is looking for a Manager, Software Engineering to lead a delivery pod where technical excellence and team health go hand in hand. You'll own the architectural integrity of your pod's solutions, clear the path for your engineers to do their best work, and keep delivery on time and on scope, all while operating at AltaML's AI-first standard for how fast and how well work gets done. This is a role for someone who can set the technical bar, grow a strong team, and keep clients and stakeholders confident in what your pod delivers.
Technical Execution & Oversight
- Guide your pod on architectural decisions and set technical direction, ensuring solutions are robust, scalable, and aligned with company standards
- Champion AI-assisted development as the default way of working, holding your pod to a standard where weeks compress to days and days compress to hours
- Remove engineering blockers and facilitate cross-functional technical discussions to keep delivery on track
- Partner with the delivery team to ensure on-time, on-scope delivery across all active projects
- Lead or actively participate in cross-pod technical guilds (e.g., Frontend, AI/ML, DevOps)
People Leadership & Development
- Run regular 1:1s with direct reports focused on career growth, performance, and wellbeing
- Provide timely, constructive feedback and support individual development plans
- Foster an inclusive, psychologically safe environment where engineers can do their best work
Responsible AI & Quality Assurance
- Ensure models and systems are explainable, fair, and auditable throughout the solution lifecycle
- Uphold and champion AltaML's Responsible AI guidelines and development best practices across the pod
- Manage end-to-end solution quality in partnership with the pod lead, from design through deployment
Stakeholder & Client Coordination
- Communicate pod progress, risks, and outcomes clearly to internal stakeholders and external clients
- Maintain a strong communication loop with the delivery team to keep project requirements aligned
- Support pre-sales and business development with solution architecture input, demos, and technical Q&A
Resource Planning & Hiring
- Conduct hiring interviews and contribute to candidate assessment for engineering roles, evaluating for genuine AI-assisted development fluency
- Assist with quarterly resource allocation planning across the pod
What You Bring:
- 5+ years of software engineering experience, including at least 2 years in a technical lead or management role
- Fluent, hands-on use of AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code or equivalent), with the ability to set — not just permit — that expectation for your team
- A demonstrated track record of driving architectural decisions and maintaining engineering quality in a fast-paced delivery environment
- Experience managing and growing engineers across different levels
- Comfort engaging directly with clients and stakeholders, translating technical complexity into clear, confident communication
- Familiarity with AI/ML solutions and modern MLOps or software delivery practices
- A track record of championing responsible, ethical AI and inclusive team culture
Why work at AltaML
- Culture: AltaML emphasizes small bets, fast learning, and “better together.” They don’t hire for fit; they hire to add. Every full-time employee receives a professional development fund and an individual development plan.
- Work policy: Hybrid environment – team members can work from home or in any of the four Canadian offices. No rigid 9-to-5; you set your hours based on deliverables.
- Benefits: Comprehensive package including matching GRSP, health spending account, additional mental health services, and more.
- Engineering culture: Developers are expected to work in an “AI-native” way, using tools like Claude and agentic coding platforms as core parts of their craft. Technical roles include a technical interview or assessment that is “fun, we promise.”
- Growth: Fast-paced startup with clear career development plans and a growing team (19 open positions as of the latest data, including roles like Software Engineering Manager, Full Stack Engineer, and Lead AI Engineer).