James Gottschalk

Senior Engineering Manager | Team Builder | People-First Leader

I'm a Senior Engineering Manager based in Denver, Colorado, who specializes in building high-performing teams from the ground up. I've founded new engineering practices, scaled teams from zero to 10+ members, and designed career progression frameworks that unlock opportunity for engineers at every level. My leadership approach combines strategic thinking with deep empathy—whether I'm defining AI adoption roadmaps or coaching developers through difficult feedback.

I built my first team as the founding QA professional at Big Nerd Ranch, establishing QA as a core practice and growing it to 10+ billable members. Since then, I've led diverse teams across QA, Platform Engineering, SRE, and product domains, bringing strong technical credibility to people leadership. Beyond day-to-day management, I've served as an AI Strategist, navigating ambiguous landscapes to define responsible AI tooling adoption and governance standards.

My impact shows up in the outcomes: internal promotions, improved retention, and teams that consistently deliver. I've designed and maintained comprehensive career frameworks, coached engineers from junior to principal levels, and created psychologically safe environments where people thrive. I handle the tough conversations—PIPs, realignments, critical feedback—with honesty, clarity, and care. Above all, I believe great engineering outcomes start with supported, empowered people.