About the role Head of Engineering Sydney | Full-time | CTO Track $160,000–$200,000 super ESOP NRN is building the infrastructure layer for the future of distributed energy. We install and operate solar and battery systems in residential homes, retain ownership of those assets, and monetise them through retailer partnerships and participation in live electricity markets. As the platform scales, so does the opportunity: NRN is evolving from an energy infrastructure operator into a data-driven, software-enabled energy platform. We are now hiring a Head of Engineering to lead that next chapter. This is not a traditional management role. It is a high-impact builder role for someone who wants to own architecture, lead engineering, shape product direction, and help define the technical future of the business. For the right person, there is a clear pathway to CTO as the company grows. About the role You will take ownership of NRN’s technical direction, engineering execution, and platform evolution. Today, the business has around 600 deployed assets, with a tender in progress for approximately 8,000 more. The engineering environment is still early-stage: there is meaningful technical debt, fragmented systems, Salesforce is acting as a makeshift ERP, and there is no formal product function in place yet. You will be the person who helps turn that reality into a scalable, robust platform. This role combines elements of: Head of Engineering CTO Product and platform leadership You will be hands-on where needed, while also building the foundations for scale. What you’ll be doing Define and own the technical direction of the platform Lead architecture and infrastructure decisions across software, data, and integrations Improve engineering practices, delivery processes, and technical standards Support and develop a small engineering team Partner closely with leadership to prioritise the roadmap in the absence of a dedicated product function Help unify hardware, software, data pipelines, and real-time market integrations into a coherent platform Build the technical foundations for future SaaS and data platform monetisation Play a key role in future hiring and team design What you’ll be walking into A post-Series A business of approximately 18 people 2 full-stack engineers 2 data scientists No formal product function A complex environment spanning physical assets, software systems, and energy markets An outgoing CTO available for transition support until 9 May This is a genuine opportunity to shape the engineering function from the ground up. What we’re looking for We’re looking for a builder-operator engineer — someone who is highly technical, commercially aware, and comfortable leading in ambiguity. You are likely to have experience in early-stage or scaling environments where you have had to do more than just manage teams. You’ve built systems, made architecture decisions, improved ways of working, and taken ownership of outcomes. Must-haves Experience in engineering leadership within an early-stage or scaling company Strong systems design and architecture capability Hands-on software engineering background with the ability to still go deep technically Experience building or maturing engineering practices rather than simply inheriting them Strong backend, API, and data pipeline experience Cloud infrastructure experience, ideally GCP Ability to operate with high ownership in an ambiguous environment Strong product thinking and commercial judgment Nice to have Experience with real-time systems, distributed systems, or IoT-style platforms Experience in hardware and software integrated environments Exposure to energy, climate tech, robotics, mobility, or similar complex operational domains AI/ML deployment into production Experience working in businesses transitioning from services or infrastructure into software/platform models Why this role stands out Clear path to CTO High ownership from day one Opportunity to shape a real-world distributed energy platform at a critical stage of growth Broad remit across architecture, engineering, product direction, and team building Exposure to energy markets, IoT-like asset orchestration, data platforms, and machine learning The chance to build something meaningful in the energy transition Salary and benefits Base salary: $160,000–$200,000 super ESOP: $50,000–$60,000 Flexibility for exceptional CTO-calibre candidates Sydney-based, primarily office-based, with practical flexibility where needed
