• Own Architecture: Align backend, frontend, platform, and infrastructure decisions into a coherent, enterprise-grade architecture • Reflect Excellence: Replace "firefighting" with predictable execution. You will lead the effort to retire scalability and reliability debt, safely upgrade critical infrastructure, and reduce single-threaded dependencies • Set Direction: Set the standard for engineering technical hygiene. You will drive high-level decisions on testing strategies, validation guardrails, and system design concerns that directly impact delivery speed and maintainability • Evolve Systems: Modernize and scale existing production systems by applying database-level strategies (schema evolution, replication tradeoffs) and platform primitives (orchestration, runtime constraints) as architectural tools • Mentor: Elevate the organization by establishing shared practices, aligning terminology, and mentoring senior talent across the engineering team • Exhibit First-Principles Thinking: Establish a deep understanding of data systems, latency-sensitive services, and failure modes