Director of Technical Operations

About Us Datavault AI, along with its event-technology subsidiary Event Citadel (formerly CompuSystems), operates across a diverse portfolio of technology and service divisions. Datavault AI Inc. delivers high-performance computing software, Web 3.0 data-management solutions, and advanced audio technologies to a broad range of industries. Its Acoustic Science division licenses spatial and multichannel HD audio technologies—including ADIO®, WiSA®, and Sumerian®—to customers in sports & entertainment, events & venues, automotive, finance, and other sectors. Event Citadel (formerly CompuSystems), founded in 1976, is a trusted provider of end-to-end event technology solutions, offering registration, ticketing, lead retrieval, and attendee-engagement services for events of all sizes across trade, association, corporate, and government markets. Job Description We are seeking a highly technical, execution-focused Director of Technical Operations to partner closely with the CTO in scaling our engineering organization. This role blends deep hands-on technical expertise (with strong JavaScript ecosystem experience) and operational leadership. You will drive engineering excellence, standardize technical processes, mentor engineering leaders, and ensure scalable, high-performance systems in a fast-paced startup environment. This is a leadership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, builds structure where needed, and raises the bar on technical quality and operational rigor. Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership & Architecture
Provide hands-on technical oversight across JavaScript-based systems (Node.js, React, TypeScript, and related frameworks).
Partner with engineering leads on architecture decisions, scalability strategy, and performance optimization.
Ensure best practices in system design, security, observability, and reliability.
Conduct architectural reviews and provide actionable technical direction. Engineering Operations & Process
Establish, refine, and enforce engineering SOPs and operational standards.
Lead initiatives around CI/CD, deployment processes, code review standards, and release management.
Improve development speed while maintaining high quality and stability.
Drive adoption of documentation standards, knowledge sharing, and technical governance frameworks.
Implement metrics and KPIs to track engineering productivity and system health. Team Leadership & Development
Lead and mentor engineering managers and senior engineers.
Conduct performance reviews, career development planning, and succession planning.
Provide structured feedback and coaching to engineers at all levels.
Support hiring strategy, interview processes, and onboarding improvements.
Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement. Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Product, Design, DevOps, and Data teams to align technical execution with business objectives.
Translate business priorities into scalable technical roadmaps.
Communicate technical risks, tradeoffs, and operational needs to executive leadership. Startup Execution & Scalability
Bring operational maturity to a high-growth, fast-moving environment.
Balance speed with technical sustainability.
Help scale engineering from startup stage to structured, high-performing organization. Qualifications
8+ years of software engineering experience, with strong depth in JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystems.
3+ years in engineering leadership (Engineering Manager, Head of Engineering, or similar).
Proven experience in fast-paced startup or high-growth tech environments.
Strong expertise with:
Node.js and server-side JavaScript architectures
React or modern front-end frameworks
API design (REST/GraphQL)
Cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
Experience building and implementing engineering SOPs and operational frameworks.
Demonstrated success leading performance reviews and career development for engineers.
Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum or modern product development workflows.
Experience scaling teams from early-stage startup to growth phase. What We Offer
Competitive salary and benefits package.
A fast-paced, high-impact work environment.
Opportunity to work closely with executive leadership.
The chance to work with cutting-edge technologies and make a significant impact.
A culture of innovation, ownership, and growth.