Director - AOSP

About Esper

Esper revolutionizes device management by redefining what it should be: a driver of business growth. With advanced and modern capabilities, automation replaces outdated workflows, re-provisioning becomes obsolete, and managing by exception transforms efficiency, resulting in increased efficiency, improved ROI, and bolsters security for device fleets of all sizes. Esper has been recognized as number 735 on Inc. Magazine's 2025 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America, and 133 on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500. Some of the world’s most innovative brands, like Google, Doordash, Taco Bell, Clinical ink, SF 49ers, and Intelity, rely on Esper to deliver exceptional device experiences. Esper partners with the leading mobile device hardware manufacturers, solution providers, and distributors globally.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Director of Engineering – AOSP to lead Esper's Android Platform engineering function. This role sits at the intersection of deep platform engineering and engineering leadership. The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on technical authority with a deep understanding of AOSP and Android OS internals. You will lead multiple engineering teams, own the technical direction of Esper Foundation for Android (our custom enterprise Android OS), and work cross-functionally to deliver product outcomes at scale.

What You'll Do

Engineering Leadership

• Lead and manage multiple engineering teams, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to managers and individual contributors.
• Develop and execute the technical roadmap and strategy for Android platform engineering in alignment with company goals.
• Drive the development and delivery of high-quality platform projects, ensuring they are completed on time and within scope.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the engineering team.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on technology-related decisions and strategic planning.
• Build a diverse and inclusive team that reflects Esper's values and culture.
• Establish and maintain engineering best practices, processes, and standards to ensure efficiency, quality, and scalability.
• Monitor and evaluate team performance, identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions.
• Stay current with industry trends, technologies, and best practices in Android platform engineering and incorporate them into Esper's processes.

Android Platform Engineering

• Serve as the architect and technical owner of key features for Esper Foundation for Android – an enterprise-ready, AOSP-based OS optimised for dedicated Android devices.
• Drive R&D projects and engineering solutions around customer-driven OS engineering problems, end to end.
• Enhance OS compatibility across a diverse range of hardware architectures and device form factors.
• Work with engineering teams across multiple time zones to coordinate and deliver platform changes at scale.
• Provide technical oversight on AOSP customisation, Linux kernel integration, HAL development, and SELinux policy management.

Qualifications

Leadership & Experience

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role.
• Proven track record of successfully leading engineering teams, delivering high-quality software products, and driving innovation.
• Experience working in a highly-innovative and dynamic startup environment.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Experience with Agile development methodologies and project management tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and prioritise in a fast-paced environment.
• Use AI tools to improve velocity while maintaining quality and security

Android Platform Expertise (Must-Have)

• Deep understanding of AOSP build system, Android frameworks, and core OS components.
• 8+ years of experience in Android OS / AOSP engineering with proven expertise in advanced Java programming.
• Strong working knowledge of the Linux kernel and SELinux.
• Use AI tools to improve velocity while maintaining quality and security
• Experience with HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) development.
• Experience building Android apps and working in the Enterprise Android space.
• Proficiency with SCM tools in day-to-day development (e.g. Git, Gerrit, Mercurial).
• Bachelor's / Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent.

Cloud & Infrastructure Expertise

• Extensive technical expertise in AWS / Azure / Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes, Kafka, Git, Jenkins, Go, and Python.
• Strong understanding of cloud services, microservices architecture, and modern data platform architecture, with experience building and scaling complex systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience running Android on x86 hardware or working with GSIs.
• Experience with third-party / open-source Android organisations such as LineageOS or custom ROM development.
• Experience with CTS testing and building CTS-compliant Android platforms.
• Experience working on Android OS for GMS-certified devices.
• Experience with the Android telephony layer (Android RIL).
• Experience in device-related or embedded systems roles.
• Familiarity with GMS certification processes.