VP of Engineering

Novacore•Conshohocken, PA

About The Position

Why join the Novacore team? Because your next stellar chapter starts here — and we’re building something bold and meaningful. At Novacore, we’re not your average insurance company. We’re a team of driven professionals passionate about redefining the specialty insurance experience for our agents, carrier partners — and for each other. We specialize in tailored solutions for niche industries, powered by advanced analytics, modern technology and a culture of innovation. Backed by strong leadership and strategic growth initiatives, Novacore is poised to scale and lead in the specialty insurance market. But at our core, we believe it’s not just what we do — it’s how we do it and who we do it with. Recognized as a top workplace, Novacore is a place where ambition is supported, growth is continuous and culture matters. From day one, you’ll find mentorship, hands-on learning and clear paths for advancement. You’ll grow your skills, expand your expertise and become even more exceptional — because when you succeed, we all do. We offer: A collaborative, results-driven environment Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits Year-round social and community events Ongoing mentorship and professional development Endless opportunities for upward mobility So if you're ready to be part of something extraordinary — with a team that’s transforming commercial insurance — we want to meet you. VP of Engineering The VP, Engineering will be a builder-first engineering leader, who will own and evolve a proprietary, AI-driven underwriting platform. This role is ideal for a hands-on AI-focused engineer who thrives in modern architectures, actively codes, and pushes teams to use AI to fundamentally improve how software is built and delivered. You will serve as the technical authority for AI and underwriting platforms, building the AI roadmap, shaping next-generation architecture, and leading by example through hands-on development and code review. This is not a research role or a traditional VP management position — it is a deeply technical role for someone who loves being on the keyboard and building new systems from the ground up. Role Breakdown 50% hands-on development & architecture (coding, POCs, platform build-out) 25% code review & technical oversight 25% people leadership, coaching & stakeholder engagement

Requirements

Expert-level hands-on engineering background with a strong desire to build and code
Deep experience building production AI systems, including agent-based architectures
Strong proficiency in Python and applied AI frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel)
Experience designing and owning modern, cloud-native platforms in Microsoft Azure
Solid experience with RESTful services and modern backend architectures
Working knowledge of JavaScript and modern frameworks (Vue.js, React) sufficient to lead and guide teams
Demonstrated passion for AI-assisted development and code generation tools
Proven ability to define and execute a technical roadmap in fast-moving environments

Nice To Haves

Experience in underwriting, insurance, or financial services
Familiarity with regulated production environments and explainability requirements
Experience extending AI platforms beyond core domains (e.g., finance operations, GTM workflows)
Background in building internal developer platforms or proprietary tooling

Responsibilities

AI Platform Ownership & Roadmap
Own the AI strategy and engineering roadmap for underwriting and adjacent business functions
Design and build AI-first platforms leveraging agentic systems across underwriting, insurance operations, and future domains (e.g., AR/AP, go-to-market workflows)
Lead adoption of AI-assisted development and code generation tools, pushing teams to meaningfully improve developer productivity and quality
Partner with Data Science to operationalize models and agents in production (this role focuses on engineering and platformization, not model research)
Architecture & Hands-On Engineering
Lead the design and implementation of modern, cloud-native architectures in a 100% Microsoft Azure environment
Build and evolve a proprietary AI-enabled underwriting platform from the ground up
Perform hands-on development in core platform services and integrations
Define and evolve APIs, services, and workflows across the underwriting lifecycle
Ensure production-grade reliability, scalability, security, and observability
Full-Stack & Modern UI Enablement (Supporting, Not Primary)
Provide technical leadership across the full stack, including REST-based services and modern JavaScript frameworks
Enable and guide teams working with Vue.js and React, without making front-end development the primary focus of the role
Ensure UI and platform layers are well-integrated and designed for rapid iteration and AI-driven workflows
AI Engineering & Tooling
Build and scale agent-based AI systems using modern frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel or equivalent)
Own AI infrastructure, orchestration, and deployment pipelines
Establish best practices for responsible, scalable AI in production environments
Train and mentor engineers on effective use of AI tooling, agents, and modern development workflows
Leadership & Team Development
Lead a small core team (2–3 direct reports) and provide technical direction to a broader group of engineers and contractors
Shape the team’s technical direction, standards, and development culture
Act as a key partner to Product, Underwriting, Data Science, and Executive Leadership
Translate business and underwriting needs into scalable technical solutions