Lead Support Engineer

Mindshare; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 108,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Medical insurance

Retirement plans

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Paid time off

Employee discounts

Mental health days

Job summary

WPP Media is seeking a Lead SRE to own production stability and observability for a mission-critical, global campaign governance platform running on Google Cloud Platform. The role combines hands-on SRE work with squad leadership, focusing on automating runbooks and reducing manual toil.

You will work with an EMEA-based engineering lead and QA partners to improve reliability, monitor health, and drive incident response and root cause analyses, shaping the future support squad globally.

Qualifications

• Advanced education in computer science, software engineering, information technology, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong Python proficiency, including debugging within production codebase.
• Hands-on experience supporting enterprise systems on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Experience leading post-incident reviews and root cause analysis.
• Strong experience with Docker and Kubernetes in GKE environments.
• Proficiency with GCP monitoring and logging tools (Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, Error Reporting, Prometheus).
• Experience with Terraform and infrastructure as code.
• Scripting in Python and Bash to automate tasks.
• Solid querying/troubleshooting in Firestore, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, MySQL.
• Experience leading or mentoring a squad and strong knowledge of Incident/Change Management.

Responsibilities

• Own production stability, system health, and observability for a mission-critical platform on GCP.
• Diagnose and resolve complex incidents across application, database, infrastructure, and networking.
• Read and patch Python production code as needed.
• Define and advance observability strategy using GCP tools and PromQL.
• Lead incident response, post-incident reviews, and root cause analysis.
• Monitor data refreshes, automated checks, and compliance reporting for reliability.
• Automate runbooks and reduce manual operational toil.
• Provide technical leadership to the L2+ support squad.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, and QA to assess risk and influence roadmap.

Skills

Python

GCP

SRE

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Logging/Monitoring

SQL/BigQuery

PostgreSQL/MySQL

Incident Management

Leadership

Education

Advanced CS/Software Engineering degree

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

GCP Tools

Terraform

PromQL

Job description

About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships - all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open - we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Role Summary and Impact

This role is within WPP Media, where you will be instrumental in owning production stability, observability, and system health for a mission-critical global campaign governance and compliance platform. As Lead Support Engineer, you will provide advanced L2+ and L3-oriented support for a system running natively on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). You will investigate complex production issues, implement minor code-level fixes in Python, lead root cause analysis, and improve the reliability of distributed systems. Working closely with the EMEA-based Engineering Tech Lead, Product Owner, and Quality Assurance partners, you will connect production insights with technical roadmap priorities.

The opportunity combines hands-on Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) with technical squad leadership. A foundational monitoring and alerting setup is already in place, giving you the platform to evaluate the current approach, define a clear observability direction, and strengthen system health monitoring across the environment. You will automate runbooks, reduce manual operational effort, and help shape the future support squad for a dedicated product used across global advertising campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Own production stability, system health, and observability for a mission-critical campaign governance and compliance platform running on GCP.
• Diagnose and resolve complex, intermittent, and high-priority incidents across application, database, infrastructure, and networking layers.
• Read, debug, and implement minor fixes and patches directly within the existing Python production codebase.
• Define and advance the observability strategy using GCP Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, Error Reporting, Prometheus, PromQL, and suitable service level indicators and objectives.
• Lead incident response, post-incident reviews, and end-to-end root cause analysis, partnering with the EMEA Engineering team on permanent remediation.
• Monitor execution flows, performance, data refreshes, automated checks, and recurring compliance reporting to ensure reliable system operation.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual support activity, develop and maintain runbooks, and reduce operational toil.
• Provide technical leadership to the L2+ support squad through coaching, knowledge sharing, prioritization, and effective handovers.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Quality Assurance teams to assess operational risk, improve release and change management, and influence technical roadmap decisions.

Skills and Experience

• Advanced education in computer science, software engineering, information technology, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong, current Python proficiency, including the ability to read, debug, and implement fixes directly within a shared production codebase.
• Deep, hands-on experience supporting enterprise systems on Google Cloud Platform, including Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, Cloud SQL, BigQuery, Pub/Sub, Firestore, Cloud Functions, Identity and Access Management, and virtual private cloud networking.
• Complex production troubleshooting and root cause analysis experience across distributed systems, including leadership of post-incident reviews.
• Strong experience with Docker and Kubernetes, particularly deploying, managing, and troubleshooting applications running in Google Kubernetes Engine.
• High proficiency with GCP Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, Error Reporting, Prometheus, and PromQL, including establishing service level indicators and service level objectives.
• Experience using Terraform for infrastructure as code, tracing infrastructure-level issues, and identifying improvements to infrastructure management.
• Strong Python and Bash scripting skills for automating support tasks, parsing logs, developing operational tools, and reducing manual effort.
• Solid querying and troubleshooting experience across Firestore, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.
• Experience leading, mentoring, or serving as a technical lead for a squad or technical team, along with strong knowledge of Incident, Problem, and Change Management practices and the software development lifecycle.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. That's why we've adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country.

WPP Media is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact the hiring team to discuss your needs.

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

US Pay Range

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, go to https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome for more details.

$75,000 — $180,000 USD