Senior Manager, Software Development Engineering

Zillow; United States; Remote; USD 190,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity awards

Job summary

Zillow is seeking an accomplished Senior Engineering Manager to define and drive the technical strategy for one or more software teams. You will lead the design, development, and operation of scalable, secure systems while coaching senior engineers and engineering managers.

The role requires partnering with product and program management to balance delivery with platform health and to drive measurable improvements in reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years in software engineering with 3+ years in a people leadership role.
• Proven experience delivering and scaling high-availability, high-volume applications in a modern cloud environment.
• Experience mentoring diverse engineering teams and fostering an inclusive culture.
• Experience collaborating with product and cross-functional partners to define roadmaps and ship features.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for one or more software engineering teams, aligning with product and business objectives.
• Lead the design, development, and operation of scalable, secure, and reliable software systems, establishing standards for quality, testing, observability, and performance.
• Manage, coach, and develop engineering managers and senior engineers, building an inclusive, high-performing team culture.
• Partner with Product Management, Technical Program Management, and other stakeholders to prioritize work and balance short-term delivery with platform health.
• Establish and track engineering metrics (reliability, throughput, quality) to guide continuous improvement in delivery and operations.
• Coordinate cross-team initiatives, resolve dependencies, and drive end-to-end solutions across domains and services.
• Champion modern engineering practices (CI/CD, automation, cloud-native architectures) and promote developer productivity and operational excellence.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Computer Engineering or related field

Job description

About the team

Zillow Rentals helps millions of renters find their next home – and helps landlords manage the entire rental lifecycle. Zillow Rental Manager is our suite of landlord tools spanning the full journey from finding a tenant to managing one. The Tenant Placement team owns the most consequential part of that journey: helping landlords choose the right tenant and get them moved in. This includes rental applications, screening, lease tools, and move-in workflows. Our rental applications product generates substantial revenue, with significant room to scale. Just as important, tenant placement is the pivotal moment where a landlord shifts from finding a tenant to managing one – making it a critical on-ramp to the rest of Zillow's rental offerings.

About the role

• Define and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for one or more software engineering teams, ensuring alignment with product and business objectives.
• Lead the design, development, and operation of scalable, secure, and reliable software systems, setting standards for code quality, testing, observability, and performance.
• Manage, coach, and develop engineering managers and senior engineers, building an inclusive, high-performing team culture focused on learning, accountability, and impact.
• Partner with Product Management, Technical Program Management, and other stakeholders to prioritize work, balance short-term delivery with long-term platform health, and make data-informed trade-off decisions.
• Establish and track engineering metrics (for example, reliability, throughput, and quality) to guide continuous improvement in how teams deliver, operate, and maintain software.
• Influence and coordinate cross-team initiatives, resolving dependencies and risks to ensure cohesive end-to-end solutions across domains and services.
• Champion modern engineering practices (such as CI/CD, automation, and cloud-native architectures) and drive the adoption of tools and patterns that improve developer productivity and operational excellence.

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

Pay and Equity

In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $206,700.00 - $330,300.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia the standard base pay range for this role is $196,400.00 - $313,800.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside.

Who you are

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, including 3+ years in a people leadership role (such as engineering manager or senior engineering manager) leading teams that build and operate production software.
• Proven experience delivering and scaling high-availability, high-volume applications or platforms in a modern cloud environment.
• Demonstrated success building, mentoring, and retaining diverse engineering teams while fostering an inclusive culture.
• Experience collaborating closely with product and cross-functional partners to define roadmaps, ship features, and iterate based on data and customer feedback.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Get to know us

At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help people navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.

How we work is a key part of that transformation. Through Cloud HQ, our strategic approach to distributed work, most employees have the flexibility to work from wherever they’re most productive—enabling us to move fast, stay connected and deliver on our people promise. Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the U.S. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2026, and included on TIME’s America’s Best Companies 2026 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow. No matter where you sit in the organization, your work will help drive innovation, support our customers, and move the industry—and your career—forward, together.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Los Angeles County applicants

Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies.

Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

At Zillow, flexibility isn’t a perk - it’s how we work. Cloud HQ is our distributed work model, built on trust, clear systems, and the belief that you can do great work from wherever you are. It’s not about where you work. It’s about moving forward - together.