Director, Software Apps Engineering – AI-Native Development and Product Experiences

Yahoo; United States; Hybrid; USD 161,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work

Accessible environment

Diversity & inclusion programs

Job summary

Yahoo is seeking an experienced engineering leader to build and scale high‑performing teams for Yahoo Mail and related consumer experiences. You will shape the technical vision, drive architecture decisions, and deliver reliable, secure software at scale across web, mobile, and cloud.

You will lead multiple engineering teams, champion AI‑native transformation, and partner with Product, Design, Data Science, and business leaders to push innovative AI powered features that differentiate Yahoo

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of experience building and delivering large-scale consumer software products, with at least 5+ years leading multiple engineering teams and engineering managers.
• Proven success leading engineering organizations that deliver high-quality products while balancing innovation and business outcomes.
• Experience leading AI-native product organizations or large-scale AI transformation programs.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and scale high-performing full-stack engineering teams delivering consumer products used by millions.
• Define and execute engineering vision, strategy, and roadmap aligned to product priorities.
• Drive AI-native software development practices using AI tools, agents, automation, and modern workflows.
• Lead AI transformation initiatives to reimagine product development and user experience.
• Partner with Product, Design, Data Science, and business leaders to deliver AI-powered experiences that differentiate Yahoo Mail.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, experimentation, and continuous learning while attracting top talent.

Skills

Leadership

AI-native dev

Cloud platforms

Distributed systems

Java/Kotlin/Swift

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Java

Kotlin

Swift

Python

LLMs

Job description

Yahoo Mail is the ultimate consumer inbox with hundreds of millions of users. It’s the best way to access your email and stay organized from a computer, phone or tablet. With its beautiful design and lightning fast speed, Yahoo Mail makes reading, organizing, and sending emails easier than ever.

A Little About Us

Yahoo is made up of several organizations, each led by a GM and focused on driving key product lines. This role sits within the Yahoo Mail group, home to our flagship product, Yahoo Mail. You’ll be joining a team — that has a great product line, with its 4.5+ star app experiences, strong business foundation, and robust technology, is well‑positioned in the consumer communication space. Now, we’re entering our next chapter: building the most consumer‑focused platform for managing the “business of life,” through email and beyond. You’ll join a team of engineers dedicated to delivering the best consumer mail experience, meticulously refining every detail to make that vision a reality.

A Lot About You

You’re an experienced engineering leader who loves building and empowering teams to create and maintain products that delight millions of users. You’re passionate about high‑quality application development, technology stack, and the cloud - and you take pride in seeing your teams deliver great consumer experiences at scale. You know how to balance big‑picture vision with hands‑on leadership - guiding teams to think deeply about users, scenarios, and edge cases, while driving projects to successful completion. You lead with empathy and curiosity, create a culture of growth and collaboration, and understand the broader impact of great engineering on both people and the business. If you’re excited to join a world‑class team of passionate engineers and industry veterans who care about code quality, design, and user experience as much as they enjoy working together - we’d love to talk to you.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and scale high‑performing full‑stack engineering teams that deliver world‑class consumer products and experiences used by millions of customers globally.
• Define and execute the engineering vision, strategy, and roadmap, aligning technical investments with product priorities, business objectives, and long‑term platform evolution.
• Drive AI‑native software development practices across the organization, leveraging AI‑powered tools, agents, automation, and modern engineering workflows to improve productivity, quality, and speed of execution.
• Lead AI transformation initiatives that reimagine how products are built, operated, and experienced, creating measurable value for users, developers, and the business.
• Partner closely with Product, Design, Data Science, and business leaders to identify, prioritize, and deliver innovative AI‑powered customer experiences that differentiate Yahoo Mail in the market.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, customer obsession, experimentation, and continuous learning while attracting, developing, and retaining top engineering talent.
• Stay at the forefront of emerging technologies and AI advancements, guiding architectural decisions, technical reviews, and strategic investments that enable scalable and responsible innovation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of experience building and delivering large‑scale consumer software products, with at least 5+ years leading multiple engineering teams and engineering managers.
• Proven success leading engineering organizations that consistently deliver high‑quality products while balancing innovation, execution, operational excellence, and business outcomes.
• Experience leading AI‑native product organizations or large‑scale AI transformation programs within consumer technology companies.
• Demonstrated experience operating in an AI‑native development environment and leveraging modern AI technologies, copilots, agents, and automation to transform engineering workflows.
• Proven track record leading AI transformation initiatives that have delivered measurable improvements in developer productivity, customer experience, operational efficiency, or business performance.
• Strong technical expertise in modern application development, distributed systems, cloud‑native architectures, mobile and web platforms, and scalable software design.
• Hands‑on experience with object‑oriented programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, Swift, or similar technologies, with the ability to engage deeply in technical discussions and architectural decisions.
• Experience integrating Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), machine learning capabilities, or intelligent agent systems into products, platforms, or engineering processes.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to identify and prioritize opportunities where AI can create competitive advantage, accelerate growth, improve customer engagement, and unlock operational efficiencies.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to influence across functions, drive organizational change, and build high‑performing, inclusive teams in fast‑paced environments.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience building, scaling, or modernizing email, messaging, communications, or productivity platforms serving millions of users. Recognized thought leadership in AI strategy, engineering productivity, platform modernization, or organizational transformation.

The material job duties and responsibilities of this role include those listed above as well as adhering to Yahoo policies; exercising sound judgment; working effectively, safely and inclusively with others; exhibiting trustworthiness and meeting expectations; and safeguarding business operations and brand integrity.

Work Location & Hybrid Work

At Yahoo, we offer flexible hybrid work options that our employees love! While most roles don’t require regular office attendance, you may occasionally be asked to attend in‑person events or team sessions. You’ll always get notice to make arrangements. Your recruiter will let you know if a specific job requires regular attendance at a Yahoo office or facility. If you have any questions about how this applies to the role, just ask the recruiter!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Yahoo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected category. Yahoo will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. Yahoo is dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all candidates during the application process and for employees during their employment. If you need accessibility assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please submit a request via the Accommodation Request Form (www.yahooinc.com/careers/contact-us.html) or call +1.866.772.3182. Requests and calls received for non‑disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace strengthens Yahoo and deepens our relationships. When you support everyone to be their best selves, they spark discovery, innovation and creativity. Among other efforts, our 11 employee resource groups (ERGs) enhance a culture of belonging with programs, events and fellowship that help educate, support and create a workplace where all feel welcome.

Compensation

The compensation for this position ranges from $160,965.00 - $349,885.00/yr and will vary depending on factors such as your location, skills and experience.

Benefits

The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary annual bonus or commissions. Our comprehensive benefits include healthcare, a great 401k, backup childcare, education stipends and much (much) more.

Currently work for Yahoo?

Yahoo serves as a trusted guide for hundreds of millions of people globally, helping them achieve their goals online through our portfolio of iconic products. For advertisers, Yahoo Advertising offers omnichannel solutions and powerful data to engage with our brands and deliver results.