Overview

Now Brewing - director, engineering! From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others. We're looking for a director of engineering to lead the build of next-generation, agent-driven platforms powering the Starbucks coffeehouse and partner (employee) experience. This role will drive innovation across agentic frameworks, data engineering, and internal applications-shaping the future of how data, AI, and tools come together to enable smarter, faster decisions at scale. You'll lead high-performing engineering teams to design and deliver scalable platforms across agentic frameworks, modern data engineering, and enterprise applications. This role is deeply cross-functional-partnering closely with data science and business leaders to translate complex needs into intuitive, high-impact solutions. From building intelligent, self-learning systems to evolving our enterprise BI platform, you'll set the technical vision, raise the bar on engineering excellence, and ensure our platforms seamlessly power decision-making across the coffeehouse and partner experience. As a director, engineering, you will Lead the design and build of scalable agentic frameworks that enable intelligent, self-learning systems across partner and coffeehouse operationsDrive data engineering efforts that power reliable, real-time data products and decisioning at scaleOversee development of internal applications and tools that improve partner experience and operational efficiencyEvolve and scale the enterprise BI platform to deliver intuitive, high-impact analytics across the businessPartner closely with data science, product, and business leaders to translate complex problems into actionable solutionsSet technical vision and standards, ensuring high-quality architecture, performance, and engineering excellenceBuild and lead high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, ownership, and continuous learningChampion best practices in platform design, deployment, and lifecycle management across all systemsDrive integration across platforms to create a seamless, end-to-end ecosystem for data and AI-powered decisioning We'd love to hear from leaders who can build and scale modern, AI-driven engineering platforms in a complex, retail environment. In addition to strong experience in platform and data engineering: • Deep expertise in modern engineering ecosystems, including cloud platforms, application development, and AI/agentic frameworks• Proven track record building and scaling data and platform engineering capabilities that power intelligent, self-learning systems and decisioning at scale• Experience leading development of internal tools, enterprise applications, and platforms that directly improve frontline (partner) experience and operational performance• Strong understanding of data engineering and analytics platforms, including building reliable, high-quality data products and enabling intuitive BI experiences• Demonstrated ability to integrate disparate systems into cohesive, end-to-end platforms that unify data, AI, and applications• Proven leadership driving large-scale transformation, including adopting new technologies, evolving engineering practices, and upskilling teams• Ability to identify platform gaps, reduce fragmentation, and improve system reliability, performance, and developer velocity• Strong cross-functional leadership-able to align engineering, data science, product, and business stakeholders around shared outcomes• Experience operating in fast-paced, high-impact environments with multiple competing priorities and stakeholders Preferred Qualifications• 10+ years of experience in software, platform, or data engineering, with 5+ years leading managers and senior engin