Bio
CTO of Carta (formerly Calm, Stripe, Uber). Author of An Elegant Puzzle (2019), Staff Engineer (2021), and The Engineering Executive's Path (2024). Maintains StaffEng.com — the public reference for staff+ engineering career patterns. The four-archetype framework (Tech Lead / Architect / Solver / Right Hand) is the most widely cited model for naming what staff engineers actually do.
Operating themes
- Staff engineering is plural — different archetypes need different review criteria.
- Solver and Right Hand archetypes rotate cross-functionally by design.
- Engineering leadership is a craft with explicit competencies, not a vibe.
Cards
- ins_staff-archetypes-rotate-by-design — Staff engineering has four archetypes; two rotate by design [Tier A]
Sources
- Staff Engineer, 2021 —
raw/essays/multi-operator--marketer-rotation-pmm-builder-takes--2026-05.md - StaffEng.com archetype guide — https://staffeng.com/guides/staff-archetypes/
External
- https://lethain.com/
- https://staffeng.com/