We are looking for a talented engineer to lead evaluation of startup acquisition opportunities in the AI, cloud and security space. You will drive product evaluations, prepare and manage technical architecture discussions with target groups in Product and Engineering and provide roadmap suggestions for M&A and investments for Datadog. You will be a key partner to Datadog’s C-level leadership and highly visible at the most senior levels of Datadog. The role is reporting into the Senior Director of Product Strategy and falls within the Product organization.

We are looking for an innovative and strategic thinker who is passionate about the latest tech being developed by startups in the cloud, AI and security space. The ideal candidate enjoys researching and evaluating new technologies, works effectively with cross-functional teams, and communicates opinions concisely to our leadership team. Broad understanding of relevant Cloud Technologies and deep understanding of the full coverage of Datadogs current offerings is necessary. The Corporate Development team is small and values authentic, strong-willed individuals who think creatively and proactively.

This role leads technical due diligence from a product and architecture perspective across our acquisition pipeline. You'll scope and stand up proof-of-concept and sandbox environments to stress-test candidate products, then give an honest, unvarnished view of their quality and depth - the kind of assessment that holds up regardless of deal momentum. You'll assess technical architecture, flag the risks and open questions that matter most early, and turn that into a clear post-acquisition integration path. Working closely with engineering, you'll keep the evaluation focused on what's actually decision-relevant, then translate the findings into strategic recommendations for leadership and help carry the integration through by partnering with the right people on the other side.

What You’ll Do:

Identify compelling opportunities that support Datadog’s strategic priorities through primary engagement with senior business leaders, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists
Partner with product teams to comprehensively assess expansion opportunities and build internal and external consensus
Serve as a subject matter expert on valuation and integration
Lead all pre-transaction tech-diligence efforts
Bring transactions over the finish line
Create or find suitable test-loads if needed, and set up trial environments that can help to test claims and identify values of the startups we evaluate.
Interact with strategic leadership on a regular basis to provide results and opinions on active deals and opportunities.
Represent Product and Engineering in initial Product calls, help identify potential targets and find product fit.
Act as main contact point for startups and cross-functional groups within Datadog, including Product, Engineering, Security in all questions related to integration, value (what we get from the acquisition and what we should build) and architecture of active M&A deals

Who You Are:

Experienced in product development, solution architecture or engineering.
You have a BS/MS/PhD in a STEM field or equivalent experience.
An excellent communicator
Versatile in a wide range of cloud technologies relevant to the full suite of Datadog products - including infrastructure, APM, security, analytics and AI/ML
Able to focus on high priority testing goals based on value and risk assessment.
Able to prioritize multiple stakeholders and projects with limited resources
A self-starter who excels in technically demanding, fast-paced, and fluid environments
Able to demonstrate creative and analytical thinking
Able to collect feedback from multiple parties, summarize this feedback and merge it with facts and comparisons across similar applications.
Able to build and maintain a network of relationships to facilitate deal flow

Why You Should Apply:

Continuous career development with plenty of exposure to our founders
Opportunity to learn and access the latest tech and influence how we plan to use it
Learn how the best companies are built - learn what to do and what not to do
Product training to develop an in-depth understanding of our product and space
Best in breed onboarding
Internal mentor and buddy program cross-departmentally
Friendly and inclusive workplace culture

Datadog offers a competitive salary and equity package, and may include variable compensation. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, Datadog offers a wide range of best in class, comprehensive and inclusive employee benefits for this role including healthcare, dental, parental planning, and mental health benefits, a 401(k) plan and match, paid time off, fitness reimbursements, and a discounted employee stock purchase plan.

The reasonably estimated yearly salary for this role at Datadog is:

$200,000—$250,000 USD

About Datadog:

Datadog is the leading observability and security platform for the AI era, providing businesses with unified visibility across the technology stack to manage complexity at scale. It brings applications, infrastructure, data, models, and security into one place, using AI to detect and resolve issues before they impact customers. Trusted globally by Fortune 500 companies and high-growth AI leaders, Datadog enables businesses to move faster with clarity and confidence. Learn more about #DatadogLife on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Datadog Learning Center.

Equal Opportunity at Datadog:

Datadog is proud to offer equal employment opportunity to everyone regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, and other characteristics protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Here are our Candidate Legal Notices for your reference.

Datadog endeavors to make our Careers Page accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please complete this form. This form is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Privacy and AI Guidelines:

Any information you submit to Datadog as part of your application will be processed in accordance with Datadog’s Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice. For information on our AI policy, please visit Interviewing at Datadog AI Guidelines.

Staff Software Engineer - Corporate Development

About the role