At JetBrains, code is our passion. Ever since we started, back in 2000, we have strived to make the strongest, most effective developer tools on earth. By automating routine checks and corrections, our tools speed up production, freeing developers to grow, discover, and create.

We’re putting together the JetBrains Prototyping team – a small group of elite maker-engineers working on high-risk, high-reward projects. Our mission is to explore and prove experimental product directions with no immediately visible business value. We’ll own them until launch or integration, giving JetBrains a range of future products and businesses.

To strengthen and support these efforts, we are looking for a Head of Prototyping. You’ll be the technical leader who codes, prototypes, and inspires. It will be your responsibility to hire the first team members, set the technical bar, and establish the model of team operations.

In this role, you will: 

• Lead by designing, prototyping, and validating bold new product concepts.
• Work directly with C-level management on which projects to explore and when to take them to market.
• Build and lead a small, senior team of engineers and designers.
• Own projects from early prototype to launch or integration into other teams.
• Run short, iterative cycles with demo days, ruthless prioritization, and a willingness to retire weak concepts quickly.
• Create internal and external visibility through blog posts, talks, and technical previews.

We’re looking for someone who: 

• Has recent experience as a Principal Engineer, Staff Engineer, Senior Staff Engineer, or similar in a dev-tool or product-focused software company.
• Has a track record of shipping zero to one products or high-impact prototypes.
• Possesses broad technical knowledge and is comfortable moving between backend, frontend, infrastructure, and ML/AI, as well as integrating new technologies quickly.
• Displays a strong product sense, with the ability to identify promising directions before the market validates them.
• Is a hands-on engineer who codes daily, rather than directing from slides.
• Feels comfortable hiring, coaching, and leading other senior engineers.
• Can communicate persuasively to both technical peers and executives.
• Thrives in ambiguity, small teams, and high-pressure cycles.

We’d be especially thrilled if you have: 

• Experience with public prototypes, OSS projects, patents, or conference talks.
• Experience in AI/ML, developer tools, or emerging tech R&D teams.
• A history of working on special projects, on advanced technology, or in next-gen teams.

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