Director of Data Engineering

About the Director, Data Engineering at Headspace:

Headspace is on a mission to provide every person access to lifelong mental health support. We are at the forefront of transforming mental healthcare through cutting-edge technology, leveraging the power of AI and ML to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. We’re looking for a leader with deep technical skills and expertise to grow and guide our Data Engineering function, creating an environment of exceptional technical execution, psychological safety, and a purpose-driven mindset. As leader of Data Engineering at Headspace you will be at the leading edge of the AI revolution and have meaningful opportunities to profoundly impact the future of mental health care for our 70 million users.

Data Engineering is essential to the long-term success of Headspace and our mission, and we need an experienced hands-on engineering  leader to build the data infrastructure we need to power the phase of our growth. You will be responsible for leading and growing a team of talented engineers, spearheading our data strategy and architecture, ensuring best practices for data governance and privacy, and partnering with senior technical leaders across the business to propel Headspace to new heights. This is a hands-on role for leaders who aren’t afraid to get into the weeds and solve challenging data problems. Your primary stakeholders will be  Business Intelligence, Data Analytics, AI/ML, and Product Engineering leaders. 

A big goal needs talented people, so come join us and give your day job a sense of purpose!

Location: We are currently hiring this role in San Francisco (hybrid), Los Angeles (remote), New York City (remote) and Seattle (remote). Candidates must permanently reside in the US full-time and be based in these cities.

For candidates with a primary residence in the greater SF area, this role will follow our hybrid model if within a 30 mile radius of office. You’ll work 3 days per week from our office, allowing for impactful in-office collaboration and connection, while enjoying the flexibility of remote work for the rest of the week. Your recruiter will share more details about our hybrid model. 

What you will do:

• Lead, attract, and grow stellar technical talent as we continue to invest in Data and AI
• Develop and drive strategic roadmaps for scalable data architecture, ELT, and data pipelines
• Directly manage data engineers and contractors with a wide range of experience levels
• Partner with our CISO to ensure compliance with HIPPA and privacy standards
• Distill complexity for technical and non-technical audiences
• Build cross-functional relationships with other technology leaders
• Effectively prioritize tradeoffs between reducing tech debt and developing innovative data products
• Explore new technologies to support the future state of our business
• Model tenacity and resilience in the day to day

What you will bring:

Required Skills:

• 8-10+ years of hands-on experience in big data technologies, with Staff Engineer+ skills in pySpark, dbt, and Databricks 
• 5+ years directly managing Data or Analytic Engineers
• Experience designing and implementing performant, flexible data architectures, including testing, observability, and data quality alerting
• Experience with code reviews of other team members to ensure engineering quality
• Experience developing solutions that meet HIPAA (or other PII/PCI) requirements, including data anonymization
• Experience partnering with product leaders to improve instrumentation and A/B testing capabilities
• Track record of technical and functional stakeholder management, including an ability to distill complexity for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience building and executing on cross-functional roadmaps, building OKRs and milestones
• BS degree or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or other STEM major (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) or equivalent experience

Preferred Skills:

• Experience as a technical leader with a track record of delivering results and making progress in a fast changing, ambiguous problem space
• Ability to articulate, influence, and drive changes across multiple teams and levels of stakeholders

Pay & Benefits:

The base salary range for this role is determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to skills and scope required, relevant licensure and certifications, and unique relevant experience and job-related skills. The base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $287,500.

At Headspace, cash salary is but one component of our Total Rewards package. We’re proud of our robust package inclusive of: base salary, stock awards, comprehensive healthcare coverage, monthly wellness stipend, retirement savings match, lifetime Headspace membership, unlimited, free mental health coaching, generous parental leave, and much more. Paid performance incentives are also included for those in eligible roles. Additional details about our Total Rewards package will be provided during the recruitment process.

About Headspace

Headspace exists to provide every person access to lifelong mental health support. We combine evidence-based content, clinical care, and innovative technology to help millions of members around the world get support that’s effective, personalized, and truly accessible whenever and wherever they need it.

At Headspace, our values aren’t just what we believe, they’re how we work, grow, and make an impact together. We live them daily: Make the Mission Matter, Iterate to Great, Own the Outcome, and Connect with Courage. These values shape our decisions, guide our collaborations, and define our culture. They’re our shared commitment to building a more connected, human-centered team—one that’s redefining how mental health care supports people today and for generations to come.

Why You’ll Love Working Here:

• A mission that matters—with impact you can see and feel
• A culture that’s collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in our values
• The chance to shape what mental health care looks like next
• Competitive pay and benefits that support your whole self

How we feel about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:

Headspace is committed to bringing together humans from different backgrounds and perspectives, providing employees with a safe and welcoming work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We strive to create a diverse & inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, feel a sense of belonging, and do impactful work together. 

As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit any unlawful discrimination against a job applicant on the basis of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, family or parental status, disability*, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We respect the laws enforced by the EEOC and are dedicated to going above and beyond in fostering diversity across our workplace. 

*Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Headspace. Please inform our Talent team by filling out this form if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application or interview process.

Headspace participates in the E-Verify Program.

Privacy Statement

All member records are protected according to ourPrivacy Policy. Further, while employees of Headspace (formerly Ginger) cannot access Headspace products/services, they will be offered benefits according to the company's benefit plan. To ensure we are adhering to best practice and ethical guidelines in the field of mental health, we take care to avoid dual relationships. A dual relationship occurs when a mental health care provider has a second, significantly different relationship with their client in addition to the traditional client-therapist relationship—including, for example, a managerial relationship.  

As such, Headspace requests that individuals who have received coaching or clinical services at Headspace wait until their care with Headspace is complete before applying for a position. If someone with a Headspace account is hired for a position, please note their account will be deactivated and they will not be able to use Headspace services for the duration of their employment. 

Further, if Headspace cannot find a role that fails to resolve an ethical issue associated with a dual relationship, Headspace may need to take steps to ensure ethical obligations are being adhered to, including a delayed start date or a potential leave of absence. Such steps would be taken to protect both the former member, as well as any relevant individuals from their care team, from impairment, risk of exploitation, or harm.

For how how we will use the personal information you provide as part of the application process, please see: https://www.headspace.com/applicant-notice

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