Desktop Software Engineering Manager

Skills

About the Role

You'll build a brand-new Desktop Software Engineering function from the ground up, leading a small team of engineers who own MDM platforms, write automation, and act as the technical bridge between Corporate IT and product engineering. You'll ensure AlphaSense's own desktop applications behave reliably on every managed endpoint, defining how diagnostic data is captured and shared with product engineering to accelerate issue resolution. You'll establish processes for reproducing, triaging, and escalating desktop application issues, including crashes, update failures, permission conflicts, and performance problems. You'll hire, onboard, and develop 2-4 Desktop System Software Engineers, define the team's operating model, and build a culture of engineering rigor through runbooks, documentation, automation, and post-incident reviews. You'll also collaborate on macOS and Windows endpoint management strategy via Kandji/Iru and Microsoft Intune, guide enrollment workflows and compliance policies, and partner with Security on EDR, Zero Trust, and identity integrations at the endpoint layer.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in endpoint engineering, desktop platform engineering, or a related technical discipline
• At least 2 years in a people management or formal tech lead role
• Hands-on background with macOS and/or Windows at a systems/configuration level
• Demonstrated experience with one or more enterprise MDM platforms: Kandji/Iru, Jamf Pro, or Microsoft Intune
• Experience managing or closely partnering with product engineering teams on client-side issues
• Proven ability to build and run a technical function including defining process and establishing standards
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience hiring and developing technical talent
• Experience with Kandji/Iru specifically, including Blueprint architecture and enforcement scripting
• Familiarity with Electron-based desktop applications and their deployment, update, and permission behaviors
• Experience with CrowdStrike Falcon, Cloudflare Zero Trust / WARP, or Okta
• Background in a SaaS product company where Corporate IT and Engineering teams collaborate closely
• Familiarity with Qualys VMDR or similar vulnerability management tooling
• Experience operating within a formal security-focused IT program (Zero Trust, SOC 2, endpoint compliance)
• Familiarity with Jira Service Management for ticket and change management workflows

Responsibilities

• Ensure the team tests new desktop application releases against the managed device baseline before broad internal rollout
• Own the team's relationship with product engineering regarding desktop application behavior on managed endpoints
• Define standards for capturing and communicating diagnostic data to product engineering
• Establish and maintain a process for reproducing, triaging, and escalating employee-reported desktop application issues
• Maintain visibility into the health of the endpoint fleet and desktop application experience
• Report proactively on trends, risks, and improvements
• Coordinate with Integrated IT leadership on resourcing, prioritization, and roadmap planning
• Own the endpoint engineering workstream within the Secure IT initiative
• Hire, onboard, and develop a team of 2-4 Desktop System Software Engineers
• Define the operating model for triaging, escalating, diagnosing, and resolving issues
• Build and maintain a culture of engineering rigor including runbooks, documentation, automation, and post-incident review
• Set clear expectations and support career development for team members
• Represent the Desktop Engineering function in cross-functional forums and planning cycles
• Collaborate on strategy and execution of macOS and Windows endpoint management via Kandji/Iru and Microsoft Intune
• Guide the team in designing enrollment workflows, configuration profiles, compliance policies, and automation scripts
• Ensure software deployment, patch management, and application control strategies are scalable and aligned with security enforcement
• Partner with Security on EDR, Zero Trust, and identity integrations at the endpoint layer

Benefits

• Performance-based bonus
• Equity
• Generous benefits program