Job description

About the Role ServiceNow is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the architecture, delivery, and evolution of key services within the HR Service Delivery (HRSD) portfolio. HRSD helps organizations deliver seamless employee experiences through intelligent workflows, case management, knowledge, lifecycle events, document management, and AI-powered employee assistance. As a Director of Engineering, you will lead an organization of approximately 20 engineers responsible for building and operating critical HRSD services that serve some of the world's largest enterprises. You will define technical strategy, drive execution, and ensure the delivery of highly scalable, reliable, and secure cloud services that power employee experiences across the ServiceNow platform. This role also provides a unique opportunity to shape how AI transforms software engineering. You will drive the adoption of AI-assisted development practices, automation, and intelligent engineering workflows to improve productivity, accelerate innovation, and raise the quality bar across your organization. The objective is not simply efficiency, but reinvesting engineering capacity into delivering greater customer value and product innovation. Location: San Francisco, CA | Santa Clara, CA | San Diego, CA Work Model: Hybrid What You'll Do Lead Critical HRSD Services Own the technical strategy, architecture, delivery, and operational excellence of key services within the HR Service Delivery portfolio. Build scalable platform capabilities that support employee service management, knowledge experiences, lifecycle workflows, document management, and emerging AI-powered HR solutions. Deliver AI-Powered Employee Experiences Drive the development of intelligent, AI-native capabilities that help employees find information, complete tasks, resolve issues, and navigate key moments in their employment journey. Partner closely with product and design teams to translate customer needs into impactful solutions. Drive Technical Strategy and Architecture Make long-term architectural decisions that improve scalability, reliability, extensibility, and operational efficiency. Balance near-term delivery commitments with investments in platform modernization and technical innovation. Transform Engineering Through AI Champion the adoption of AI-assisted engineering practices across the software development lifecycle. Leverage modern AI capabilities to improve developer productivity, automate repetitive work, enhance quality, and accelerate delivery while maintaining strong engineering accountability and oversight. Build World-Class Engineering Teams Recruit, develop, and retain exceptional engineering talent. Coach engineers and emerging leaders, foster a culture of ownership and continuous learning, and create an environment where teams can perform at their highest level. Drive Engineering Excellence Establish a high bar for software quality, operational rigor, security, reliability, and maintainability. Use data and metrics to continuously improve engineering effectiveness, system health, and customer outcomes. Partner Across the Organization Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design, Customer Success, Platform Engineering, and executive leadership to align priorities, drive execution, and deliver customer value. Ensure Security and Trust Build services that meet the highest standards for security, privacy, compliance, and responsible AI. Safeguard sensitive employee information while enabling innovation at enterprise scale. Qualifications Leadership Experience • 12+ years of software engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering enterprise-scale products and services • 5+ years of engineering leadership experience, including experience managing engineering managers and senior technical leaders • Demonstrated success driving technical strategy and execution across multiple teams and stakeholders • Proven track record of building and leading high-performing engineering organizations Technical Expertise • Strong background in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, APIs, data platforms, and enterprise software development • Experience building and operating highly available, mission-critical services at scale • Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java, Python, Go, or similar technologies • Strong understanding of software architecture, system design, observability, performance, and reliability engineering AI and Automation Experience • Experience building, integrating, or operating AI-powered product capabilities • Familiarity with large language models, retrieval systems, agentic workflows, semantic search, and modern AI development frameworks • Passion for applying AI and automation to improve both customer experiences and engineering productivity Leadership Attributes • Strong technical judgment and a customer-first mindset • Ability to balance innovation with operational excellence • Excellent communication and influence skills across technical and executive audiences • Proven ability to build high-performing teams and develop future leaders • Thrives in fast-moving environments and brings clarity to complex problems Education • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience. Why Join ServiceNow This is an opportunity to lead critical services within one of ServiceNow's most strategic product portfolios while helping define the future of AI-powered employee experiences. You will: • Own foundational services that power employee experiences for leading global enterprises • Help shape the next generation of AI capabilities across the HRSD portfolio • Drive adoption of AI-assisted engineering practices that transform how software is built • Partner with world-class engineering, product, design, and AI teams • Lead a high-impact organization with significant influence on product strategy and technical direction has context menu For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $221,200 - $387,100 , plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location. Work Personas We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here . To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service. Equal Opportunity Employer ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.  Accommodations We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact globaltalentss@servicenow.com for assistance. Export Control Regulations For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities. From Fortune. ©2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Requirements

Must-haves

Location: San Francisco, CA | Santa Clara, CA | San Diego, CA
Work Model: Hybrid
Lead Critical HRSD Services
Deliver AI-Powered Employee Experiences
Drive Technical Strategy and Architecture
Transform Engineering Through AI
Build World-Class Engineering Teams
Drive Engineering Excellence
Establish a high bar for software quality, operational rigor, security, reliability, and maintainability. Use data and metrics to continuously improve engineering effectiveness, system health, and customer outcomes.
Partner Across the Organization
Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design, Customer Success, Platform Engineering, and executive leadership to align priorities, drive execution, and deliver customer value.
Ensure Security and Trust
Build services that meet the highest standards for security, privacy, compliance, and responsible AI. Safeguard sensitive employee information while enabling innovation at enterprise scale.
Leadership Experience
12+ years of software engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering enterprise-scale products and services
5+ years of engineering leadership experience, including experience managing engineering managers and senior technical leaders
Demonstrated success driving technical strategy and execution across multiple teams and stakeholders
Proven track record of building and leading high-performing engineering organizations
Technical Expertise
Strong background in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, APIs, data platforms, and enterprise software development
Experience building and operating highly available, mission-critical services at scale
Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java, Python, Go, or similar technologies
Strong understanding of software architecture, system design, observability, performance, and reliability engineering
AI and Automation Experience

Nice-to-haves

None flagged.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

aijavapythongomachine learning

Platform: smartrecruiters
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

401(K)