Vice President of Software Engineering

The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.•Shaker Heights, OH

3d•$215,000 - $260,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Equity Software, an Equity Technology Group Company (Equity), is an employee-owned firm whose focus is providing specialized engineering consulting and technology services for new and aging infrastructure in the refining, petrochemical, chemical, and other industries. Our goal is to develop and transfer technologies that help clients improve safety and profitability by managing risk and maximizing equipment availability while controlling costs. Equity Software, a wholly owned entity of ETG, is seeking a Vice President of Software Engineering to lead the delivery, growth, and continued development of its engineering software products. At ETG we work together as a team to deliver technical excellence to our clients by approaching new opportunities with curiosity and creativity. As an ESOP company, we promote professional growth and a work/life balance through programs like our open time off policy, hybrid work arrangements, educational reimbursement, and excellent benefits. Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience, and in line with the role’s significant responsibility and authority. The compensation package includes base salary, performance bonus, and ESOP participation. Equity Software develops and delivers a web-based Asset Integrity Management System (AIMS) - software that manages inspection, risk, and fitness-for-service data for plant equipment. What distinguishes this platform from competing products is the engineering depth behind it. The system spans the full range from code and standards-based calculations to advanced finite element analysis (FEA) simulations. This ETG development represents a significant intellectual and commercial asset. The Vice President of Software Engineering will lead the advancement of our AIMS platform into a comprehensive APM solution through cross-functional leadership of multiple teams including 4 director-level leaders and 33 professionals composed of engineers with advanced degrees and software developers. The Engineering professionals are responsible for developing and programming the underlying technology, computational methods, and codes and standards-based calculation tools that provide critical information to customers. The software developers are responsible for developing, maintaining, and improving the web-based delivery platform so that these tools are reliable, usable, and visually appropriate. This role also requires the use of the latest tools, methods, and computational approaches, including AI. In addition, the position carries direct responsibility for revenue generation, client relationships, and contract execution, making it a commercial leadership role as well as a technical one. The platform is entirely web-based. The successful candidate must bring expertise in reliability and scalability, database design, graphics implementation, and user interface — and must be comfortable operating in an evolving and expanding development environment. The successful candidate will be a business leader and an execution driver; and will be responsible for the end-to-end process: product delivery, team performance, financial performance and market positioning. Distinguished performance in this role is a pathway to opportunities for substantial career growth.

Requirements

Demonstrated record of shipping commercial software products on schedule.
Excellence in establishing job-level schedules, tracking productivity, and maintaining team accountability to defined commitments.
Proven ability to drive appropriate, data-based resource decisions.
Strong working knowledge of web-based software architecture, database systems, and modern development practices.
Experience with, or strong interest in, engineering graphics, geometric modeling, or visualization software, with the ability to evaluate and direct a transition to a unified graphics platform.
Familiarity with UX/UI design principles as applied to technically complex, data-intensive applications.
Ability to engage credibly with both commercial software developers and engineers writing advanced calculation and simulation software.
Demonstrated experience leading and communicating effectively with technical staff across a full range of disciplines and credential levels from software developers to PhD-level engineers.
Demonstrated excellence managing software as a business, with accountability for revenue, cost, staffing, and market positioning.
Demonstrated high-level finance literacy.
Fluency with licensing-based software revenue models in a technical or industrial market.
Successful experience evaluating, contracting, and managing outsourced software development.
10 or more years of progressive experience in software development and engineering leadership.
5 or more years in a senior leadership role with direct operational or financial accountability.

Nice To Haves

Engineering degree or equivalent technical background, particularly in mechanical, chemical, or structural disciplines.
Familiarity with asset integrity management, plant inspection, risk-based inspection, or fitness-for-service applications.
Experience in the refining, petrochemical, pipeline, or power generation industries.
Experience leading a software organization through restructuring or significant operational changes.
Experience implementing AI-assisted development workflows in a production software environment.

Responsibilities

Continuously assesses in-place resources, organizational structure, strategic direction, required deliverables, client requirements, evolving technology, AI benefits, and other factors pertinent to designing, developing, implementing, and enhancing the software organization as required.
Drives the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the software strategic direction for ETG.
Owns full financial responsibility for Equity Software. Delivers results aligned to the agreed financial plan and responds decisively when business conditions require course correction.
Ensures Equity Software delivers best-in-class capability across the product suite, utilizing state-of-the-art technology in a rich user environment. Drives continuous evolution of that capability. Owns the product delivery schedule and adheres to it.
Coordinates with ETG’s consulting units to ensure that our software suite reinforces field support capability and drives client engagement. The platform and the consulting business are reinforcing; builds and sustains a strong, mutually beneficial working relationship between the software and consulting organizations.
Leads the continual assessment of the utilization of third-party developmental resources to accelerate delivery with commensurate quality, while preserving intellectual property. Contracts and manages outsourced work at an appropriate cost to the business, while maintaining ETG standards.
Identifies and implements practical applications of AI within the platform and within the development process. Prioritizes applications that improve engineering output quality, development speed, or competitive differentiation.
Serves as a key member of the Equity executive leadership team, playing a vital role in developing and executing the ETG Annual Operating Plan, ETG 3–5 Year Financial Plan, and the ETG Strategic Plan. Shares accountability for overall ETG performance and expands scope to address critical business activities as required.