Director of Engineering

About the company

Guardsquare provides mobile application security tools—app security testing, code hardening, runtime protection and visibility—for Android and iOS (DexGuard, iXGuard), protecting apps and embedded SDKs from reverse engineering and tampering.

About this role

<h3><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Build the Category Leader in Mobile App Security</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Guardsquare is the global leader in mobile application protection. We protect 1,000+ customers across 85+ countries, securing more than 6 billion mobile devices worldwide.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As we enter an ambitious new chapter to become the undisputed category leader in mobile security, we are seeking a <strong>Director of Engineering</strong> to bridge the gap between high-level strategic vision and day-to-day tactical execution.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In this role, you will scale our R&amp;D organization while remaining deeply connected to the technology. You will oversee Engineering Leads and agile teams building our core products, such as iXGuard (C++/LLVM) and DexGuard (Java). The ideal candidate is a technical expert turned manager of managers who can translate bold company goals into concrete specifications, rigorous standards, and predictable software delivery.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>The Opportunity</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Working with our VP of Engineering and our Software Engineering Leads, you will lead a critical segment of our R&amp;D organization. Our complex, threat-driven domain requires a leader comfortable with the ambiguity of security research who is comfortable with ambiguity in security research, but who can forcefully translate that research into clear technical specifications, rigorous agile practices, and reliable, high-quality code.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>What You Will Own</strong></span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Leadership &amp; Mentorship:</strong> Manage and grow a team of Engineering Leads, fostering a culture of ownership, craftsmanship, and a bias for action.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Organizational Execution:</strong> Own the results delivered by your teams, ensuring predictable, high-quality product delivery and reliable releases that balance research with market needs.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Technical Strategy:</strong> Collaborate with Product Management and the VP of Engineering to translate business requirements into technical specifications and maintainable, scalable architectures.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Process Standards:</strong> Drive cross-team coding standards and testing practices, encouraging continuous improvement without stifling the creative spirit of R&amp;D.</span></li> </ul> <h3><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong><br></strong><strong>Who You Are</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">You are a passionate technical leader who has successfully transitioned from hands-on engineering to leading multiple teams in a fast-growth environment. You excel at unifying engineers toward an ambitious, shared mission.</span><br><br></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Requirements:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Masters in Computer Science with 8+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years as a manager of managers.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Leadership Depth:</strong> Proven track record of scaling R&amp;D groups, setting performance goals, and achieving results through others in a fast-growth environment.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Technical Expertise:</strong> Strong fundamentals in Java or C++; experience with low-level programming is a significant asset.</span><br><br></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Communication:</strong> Excellent English communication skills and a commitment to in-person leadership within a hybrid model in Leuven.</span><br><br></li> </ul> <h3><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>What Guardsquare offers you</strong></span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">A full time job with a competitive salary package</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">You are provided with the tools &amp; flexibility to develop yourself successfully</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">An international environment where you will interact with motivated &amp; open colleagues with different backgrounds</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">A workplace where you can share and implement your ideas</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">A hybrid work policy, which helps guarantee an excellent work-life balance</span><br><br></li> </ul> <p><span st