Senior Engineering Manager - Backend (San Jose)

This job is with eBay, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader - we're changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We're committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts.

Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work - every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet.

Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers - and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.

About the Role

 

We are looking for a Senior Engineering Manager to lead a backend engineering team within the Selling Experience organization. This role is ideal for a highly technical leader who is passionate about building scalable systems, driving strong software design practices, and developing high-performing teams.

 

You will play a critical role in shaping backend architecture, guiding technical decisions, and ensuring the delivery of robust, high-quality systems that power seller-facing experiences. This is a hands-on leadership role that requires active participation in design and development alongside team leadership responsibilities.

What You'll Do

• Lead and support a team of 5-8 engineers focused on backend platform and service development.

• Stay actively involved in system design and hands-on coding (primarily in Java/Kotlin, Node.js, or similar backend technologies).

• Drive best practices in backend software design, including scalability, reliability, and maintainability.

• Provide technical leadership through mentorship, code reviews, and architectural guidance.

• Own and drive architectural decisions for distributed systems and backend services.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, and partner teams to align on goals and execution.

• Translate ambiguous requirements into clear technical strategies and actionable deliverables.

• Foster a strong engineering culture centered on ownership, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.

Minimum Requirements

• BS in Computer Science or equivalent technical degree.

• 15+ years of software engineering experience with deep expertise in backend systems, including:

  • Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

  • SOLID principles

  • Multithreaded systems

  • Designing and building distributed systems with strong understanding of consistency, durability, and availability trade-offs

  • Scalable API design (REST and service-oriented architectures)

• Proven experience managing and mentoring engineers, building strong teams, and handling performance and growth with empathy and clarity.

• Strong hands-on coding experience - this role requires active technical contribution.

• Excellent knowledge of software design principles and backend architecture.

• Experience working in Agile environments (Scrum, Kanban), including sprint planning and iterative delivery.

• Proficiency with tools like Jira (or equivalent) for backlog management and delivery tracking.

• Strong planning and prioritization skills, including breaking down complex initiatives into manageable tasks.

• Ability to provide accurate estimations and balance delivery speed with technical quality.

• Experience translating product requirements into technical designs and execution plans.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to proactively identify and mitigate risks and dependencies.

Bonus Skills

• Experience with cloud-native architectures and infrastructure.

• Familiarity with Kubernetes, Docker, and containerized deployments.

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and operational tooling.

• Understanding of distributed system observability (logging, tracing, metrics).

• Experience working on large-scale backend platforms or customer-facing systems.

Additional Details

The base pay range for this position is expected in the range below:

Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including location, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a target bonus and restricted stock units (as applicable) in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as PTO and parental leave). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

If hired, employees will be in an at-will position and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Remote roles are not eligible for U.S. visa sponsorship.

eBay is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status. If you have a need that requires accommodation, please contact us at  View email address on apply.placed-app.com . We will make every effort to respond to your request for accommodation as soon as possible. View our accessibility statement to learn more about eBay's commitment to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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