VP of Engineering (Asia / Global, Remote-First)

Location: Asia / Global (Remote-first)

Compensation: Significant equity + competitive salary (founder-level role)

Stage: Pre-Seed (raised + raising) → PMF (reiterated refined V2 launching this week) → Seed → Scale

Growth: Multi-market launches planned through 2026 and beyond

The Opportunity — Build Something Iconic in Dating & AI

Modern dating is broken. Users are exhausted by the swipe → match → ghost cycle. Matches rarely convert into real-world meetings. Authenticity is eroding, trust is fragile, and existing platforms optimise for screen time rather than real human outcomes.

SPARK is seizing a once-in-a-decade opportunity to reset the category.

We are building an AI-native, experience-first dating and relationship platform designed to move people from:

Match → Book → Meet

— intentionally, safely, and meaningfully.

No endless swiping.

No dead-end chats.

No dopamine-driven attention loops.

SPARK is not another dating app clone.

We are building the next generation of dating—where AI enables real-world connections instead of replacing them.

Our platform curates real-world date experiences around shared interests and premium venues, with seamless in-app booking and built-in safety. The experience is 'intentional' by design: when someone expresses interest, they do so with purpose and a real invitation.

At the core of SPARK is a deeply AI-native roadmap, including:

• Voice-based onboarding to capture intent, nuance, and personality
• AI psychological profiling (“Dr Date”) to help users understand patterns, energy, and compatibility
• LLM-powered personalisation for better matching, better prompts, and better outcomes
• Calendar-aware intelligence to surface relevant connections and experiences in real time
• A long-term vision to become a Relationship OS—supporting connections across life stages, not just first dates

SPARK doesn’t stop at matching.

We orchestrate real-life connections—from rooftops and cafés to culture, wellness, and shared experiences.

SPARK is founded and led by 'exited founders and operators' who have built and scaled companies globally. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_bMbtgu0MkI

Funded by a Pre-Seed SPV of 13 angel investors (and counting) across six countries (and counting), including Silicon Valley Gaming legend Mike Sherrill, Spark is positioned for aggressive growth through 2026 and beyond across Asia (and beyond).

What we need now is a legendary engineering leader to own the technical foundation and help scale SPARK into a category-defining, multi-unicorn platform by 2030.

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The Role — VP of Engineering @ SPARK

This is a very senior, founder-level engineering role.

As VP of Engineering, you will be the technical visionary and execution leader, responsible for taking SPARK from early traction to global scale.

This role is:

• Equal parts CTO, architect, and builder
• Highly hands-on initially
• Deeply strategic as the platform scales

You will work directly with the Founders, Product, and Commercial leadership to translate a bold AI-first vision into a robust, scalable, and defensible product.

This is your system to design, your team to build, and your standards to set.

What You Will Own

Technology & Architecture

• End-to-end system architecture for a high-scale consumer platform
• AI/ML pipelines (matching, personalisation, trust & safety, recommendations)
• Big data systems (real-time + batch, signals, embeddings, behavioural intelligence)
• Cloud infrastructure, scalability, reliability, and cost discipline
• Security, privacy, KYC/identity verification, and compliance foundations

AI-Native Product Development

• Design systems where AI is core to the user experience, not an add-on
• Voice-driven onboarding and intent extraction
• LLM-powered personalisation and interaction layers
• Future-facing systems: calendar intelligence, predictive nudges, behavioural insight

Engineering Leadership

• Build, mentor, and scale a world-class engineering organisation
• Hire exceptional talent and establish a high-performance culture
• Own engineering velocity, quality, and delivery cadence
• Balance speed with robustness in a fast-moving startup environment

Strategic Partnership

• Act as a true thought partner to the Founder & C-suite
• Translate vision into technical reality
• Support investor diligence with clear, credible technical narratives

Must-Have

• 10–15+ years of engineering experience with senior leadership responsibility
• Proven track record scaling a product from 0 → 100 (users, revenue, or both)
• Deep experience with distributed systems, big data, and cloud platforms
• Strong understanding of AI/ML systems (LLMs, recommender systems, personalisation)
• Comfortable building consumer products with high UX expectations
• Hands-on when needed; strategic by default

Strongly Preferred

• Former VP of Engineering or CTO at a high-growth startup
• Exited founder or exited senior technical leader
• Experience in marketplaces, consumer platforms, social, gaming, or fintech
• Experience operating in or scaling across Asia / global markets

Why Join SPARK?

Once-in-a-Decade Impact

You will help redefine how millions of people form genuine human connections in an AI-driven world.

True Ownership

This is not a role managing tickets or vendors. You will own the architecture, the roadmap, and the engineering culture from day one.

Elite Team

You’ll work alongside 'exited founders & senior operators', and top-tier advisors. We pick the best—everyone at SPARK is here for a reason.

Massive Upside

Founder-level equity. Real influence. Real scale. We are building toward multi-unicorn outcomes by 2030, with rapid growth planned for 2026 and beyond.

Cutting-Edge AI

Voice, LLMs, behavioural intelligence, real-world orchestration—this is AI-native product building at its most ambitious.

Remote-First, Global

Work from anywhere, build for everywhere. Asia-first, global by design.

Final Word

This is not a role for someone looking for comfort, maintenance, or incremental improvement.

This is for a rare engineering leader who wants to:

• Build something iconic
• Shape a new category
• Lead with vision, depth, and conviction

If that’s you, we would love to speak.

Let’s build the future of real connection.

How to apply - Email - [email protected]

SPARK

From Match to Meet - in Moments

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_bMbtgu0MkI