Pioneer Square Labs (PSL), a renowned Seattle-based startup studio and venture capital fund, is at the forefront of nurturing the next wave of groundbreaking technology companies. With a proven track record of launching over 35 successful businesses in the last eight years, PSL is now poised to revolutionize knowledge work through its innovative software agent, Picco. This presents a unique opportunity for a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to join Picco and spearhead its journey in redefining AI operations.
Picco is engineered to empower AI operations across all domains of knowledge work, initially focusing on Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies. This intelligent software agent masters everyday skills, continuously learning and evolving to automate repetitive tasks that typically consume up to 50% of knowledge workers’ time. Picco effectively addresses the challenges of redundant tasks, complex workflows, and the cumbersome copy-paste processes across numerous SaaS tools prevalent in modern organizations. What sets Picco apart is its user-friendly interface, allowing users to describe tasks in plain English, eliminating the need for intricate drag-and-drop workflows.
This is an exceptional opportunity to be part of a venture-backed by Pioneer Square Labs, known for its deep expertise in building and scaling technology companies. PSL Studio collaborates closely with exceptional entrepreneurs, transforming nascent ideas into thriving, venture-scale businesses. As CTO of Picco, you will be instrumental in shaping the technical direction and future of a company poised to disrupt the AI landscape.
Key Responsibilities for the CTO Role at Picco:
The CTO will be a pivotal leader, working in close collaboration with the CEO to define and drive the strategic vision for Picco. This role demands a blend of technical prowess, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities. Key responsibilities include:
- Strategic Leadership: Serve as a thought leader and strategic driver, collaborating with the CEO to chart the company’s course.
- Product Vision & Requirements: Engage with customers, business teams, development, design, and fulfillment teams to deeply understand and influence product vision and requirements, ensuring alignment with market needs and user expectations.
- Technical Strategy Ownership: Develop and own all technical facets of Picco’s overarching strategy, ensuring innovation and competitive advantage.
- Roadmap & Action Plan Development: Translate the defined strategy into a pragmatic and achievable roadmap and action plan, guiding the development team towards tangible milestones.
- Team Building & Leadership: Assess the necessary skills and qualities for building a world-class engineering team, actively participating in recruitment and team development. Lead by example, being hands-on in the development process, including contributing to and reviewing production-level code as required.
- Team Management & Mentorship: Budget for, hire, and effectively manage a team of talented developers, fostering an inclusive environment that champions mentorship and professional growth.
- Project Execution & Delivery: Provide strong management and ensure consistent execution against project plans and delivery commitments, maintaining high standards of quality and efficiency.
- Customer Empathy & Product Excellence: Cultivate a strong sense of customer empathy within the team, ensuring the continuous development of an exceptional product that meets and exceeds user needs.
Qualifications for Success:
To excel in this critical CTO role at Picco within the Pioneer Square Labs ecosystem, candidates should possess a strong foundation in computer science and significant experience in relevant technologies. Essential qualifications include:
- Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Software Engineering Experience: 5+ years of relevant software engineering experience, with specific expertise in areas crucial to Picco’s technology stack, including:
- LLM Prompting: Experience in developing and optimizing prompts for Large Language Models.
- Production SaaS Products: Proven experience building and deploying production-ready SaaS products.
- Distributed Cloud Services: Expertise in designing and managing distributed systems in cloud environments.
- Machine Learning Exposure: Familiarity with machine learning concepts and their application in software solutions.
Bonus Skills:
While not mandatory, experience in the following areas would be highly advantageous:
- AI Prompt Engineering: Deep expertise in the art and science of AI prompt engineering.
- Generative AI Product Development: Direct experience in developing products leveraging Generative AI.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Practical knowledge of Retrieval-Augmented Generation techniques.
- AI Foundation Model Landscape: Familiarity with the current landscape of AI foundation models and their capabilities.
Beyond technical skills, leadership and management experience are paramount:
- Team Management Experience: 5+ years of experience in effectively managing and leading engineering teams.
- Problem-Solving Aptitude: Exceptional problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to overcoming technical challenges.
- Scalability Experience: Demonstrated ability and experience in scaling a company and its technology infrastructure.
Join Pioneer Square Labs and Build the Future of AI with Picco
This is more than just a job; it’s an opportunity to be a key architect in a company poised for significant growth, backed by the proven success of Pioneer Square Labs. If you are a visionary technology leader passionate about AI and eager to shape the future of knowledge work, we encourage you to apply. Join Picco and Pioneer Square Labs and be a part of building the next generation of transformative technology.
For deeper insights into the technology underpinning Picco, explore:
Pioneer Square Labs and Picco are committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative environment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals who are passionate about building exceptional technology and making a significant impact.
