Principal Engineering Leadership for Growing Teams

I help startups and growing companies make confident technical decisions, build strong engineering teams, and operate reliable, secure systems without hiring a full-time principal engineer.

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What I Do

I provide senior engineering leadership at the moments it matters most: when systems are growing, teams are scaling, and technical decisions carry long-term consequences.

I work directly with founders and engineering leaders to bring clarity, structure, and momentum to complex technical environments.

Architectural Vision

Define and evolve a clear technical direction that supports growth without constant rewrites.

  • Clear architectural north star
  • Faster, higher-quality decisions
  • Reduced long-term risk

Building Engineering Teams

Design teams that operate independently and make good decisions.

  • Tech leads with real ownership
  • Reduced leadership bottlenecks
  • Consistent engineering quality

Platform, DevOps & Reliability

Mature delivery and infrastructure so shipping is predictable and trusted.

  • Faster, safer releases
  • Fewer incidents
  • Operational confidence

Security & Compliance Readiness

Security and compliance that enable growth instead of slowing it down.

  • Clear security ownership
  • Faster enterprise reviews
  • Reduced audit stress

Services

Retainers are structured to provide consistent access to senior engineering leadership without the overhead of a full-time hire. All retainers include regular check-ins and written documentation. All engagements require a minimum 3-month commitment.

Advisory Retainer

$2,500/month

Senior guidance for high-impact technical decisions.

  • Architecture and design reviews
  • Risk identification and mitigation
  • Written recommendations

Core Retainer

$5,500/month

Ongoing principal-level leadership for active teams.

  • Consistent architectural direction
  • Resolution of complex decisions
  • Product and engineering alignment

Fractional Principal Engineer

$11,000/month

Embedded leadership without a full-time hire.

  • Ownership of critical initiatives
  • Mentorship for senior engineers
  • Improved reliability and delivery

All retainers require a minimum 3-month commitment. Learn more about why the retainer model makes sense for you or contact me to discuss your specific needs.

What to Expect

Based on 25+ years of experience working with growing engineering teams, here are typical outcomes you can expect from our engagement:

Faster Decision-Making

Reduce time-to-decision on critical technical choices from weeks to days. Most teams see architectural clarity within 4-6 weeks of engagement.

Improved Reliability

Establish monitoring, observability, and incident response practices that typically reduce incident detection time and improve system uptime.

Reduced Technical Debt

Make architectural decisions early that prevent costly rewrites. Avoid the 6-12 month productivity loss that comes from architectural mistakes.

Team Scalability

Build team structures and processes that support growth without constant reorganization. Reduce single points of failure and leadership bottlenecks.

Security & Compliance

Establish security practices that enable growth instead of slowing it down.

Outcomes vary based on team size, current maturity, and specific challenges. I will work with you to establish clear success metrics and track progress throughout the engagement.