Underdog Sports
Director, Engineering - Games & Promotions
Job Summary
The role involves leading multiple cross-functional teams responsible for building and scaling core game experiences, promotions, and backend systems within a fast-paced, consumer-facing gaming environment. The Director of Engineering will partner closely with product, design, and data teams to define roadmaps, ensure delivery, and develop engineering leaders. Candidates should have experience managing large teams, with strong technical intuition, and a focus on building reliable, scalable systems. The position offers flexible PTO, comprehensive health benefits, and opportunities to influence innovative sports gaming products.
Required Skills
Benefits
Job Description
We’re Underdog.
The fastest-growing sports gaming company – ever.
We build innovative games, products, and experiences for American sports fans.
We’re here to shake up the fastest growing industry with bold ideas, custom-built tech, and the drive to win.
Founded in 2020, our team has built four of today’s most widely played fantasy games and launched the Underdog Sportsbook – built entirely in-house with our own technology. That means we control our product, move fast, and create experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
In just over two years, we’ve reached over a $1.2 billion valuation, with investors like BlackRock, Spark Capital, SV Angel, Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant, and Adam Schefter. And we’re just getting started.
At Underdog, we believe that sports are for everyone. Join us.
About the role:
We’re looking for a seasoned Director of Engineering to lead the charge across our Games and Promotions domain—one of the most critical, fast-moving parts of our product experience. You’ll oversee multiple cross-functional teams of mobile and backend engineers responsible for building and scaling the game mechanics, promotions engine, and user-facing experiences that make our platform fun, sticky, and differentiated in the sports betting and fantasy gaming space.
This is a high-leverage role where you'll drive delivery, coach and grow high-performing teams, partner deeply with Product and Design, and shape both the technical architecture and team strategy needed to scale our systems and our impact.
What you’ll do:
- Own the execution and health of multiple teams building and maintaining core game experiences, dynamic promotions, and backend infrastructure powering player-facing systems.
- Partner closely with product, design, data, and marketing to define roadmaps, ensure alignment, and accelerate delivery of domain-level goals.
- Develop engineering leaders and ICs through coaching, mentorship, and structured growth opportunities.
- Drive engineering excellence by championing reliable, testable, and scalable systems across both mobile and backend platforms.
- Scale architecture and operations to handle increased load, complexity, and regulatory scrutiny as the business grows.
- Create clarity in ambiguity by setting vision, aligning teams, and driving tradeoffs that balance delivery, quality, and technical debt.
- Promote a culture of accountability and impact, where engineers understand the “why” behind their work and ship with urgency and pride.
Who you are:
- Experience building and leading large teams of managers and software engineers (30+) delivering cross-functional projects, and mentoring leaders across both technical and management tracks.
- Proven success managing cross-functional teams, especially in fast-paced consumer product environments.
- Deep technical intuition with the ability to engage meaningfully in architecture and system design conversations.
- Strong delivery orientation—you know how to ship and scale in ambiguous, high-growth environments.
- Experience partnering closely with Product and Design to co-own outcomes and align roadmaps.
- Passion for team building, coaching, and creating an environment where engineers thrive and grow.
- Experience in gaming, mobile apps, or consumer-facing promotions systems is a strong plus.
Our target starting base salary range for this position is between $250,000 and $310,000, plus target equity. The starting base salary will depend on a number of factors including the candidate’s skills and experience, among other things.
What we can offer you:
- Unlimited PTO (we're extremely flexible with the exception of the first few weeks before & into the NFL season)
- 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave
- A $500 home office allowance
- A connected virtual first culture with a highly engaged distributed workforce
- 5% 401k match, FSA, company paid health, dental, vision plan options for employees and dependents
#LI-REMOTE
This position may require sports betting licensure based on certain state regulations.
Underdog is an equal opportunity employer and doesn't discriminate on the basis of creed, race, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability status, or any other defining characteristic.
Underdog Sports
A fantasy sports platform offering daily contests and games for sports enthusiasts to compete and win prizes.
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