[Wattpad] Engineering Manager

Webtoon; Little Canada (MN); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Health benefits

Wellness account

RRSP/401K contributions

Generous vacation & parental leave

Work from almost anywhere

World-wide flexibility

Job summary

Wattpad is hiring an Engineering Manager for our Platform Engineering team to lead the design, development, and maintenance of backend platforms powering Wattpad’s social, notifications, subscriptions, and coin economy features.

You will mentor engineers, shape technical roadmaps, collaborate with Product and other teams, and ensure high quality standards while growing the team. This is a hands-on leadership role with influence across the engineering org.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software development experience with at least 3 years managing a team of 3+ engineers
• Experience designing and building backend distributed systems with diagrams and design docs
• Backend focus with API, application, and systems design
• Expert level development on Unix-based platforms
• Proficient in one or more compiled languages such as C++, Java, Golang, or Rust

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of engineers, overseeing performance management and career growth
• Contribute to planning the technical roadmap aligning business and engineering goals
• Spearhead technical design and planning sessions
• Provide guidance on documentation, designs, and code
• Collaborate with Product and other teams during requirements gathering
• Coordinate resourcing, provide estimates, and communicate blockers

Skills

Backend design

Distributed systems

Unix-based

Technical leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering/Math

Tools

C++

Java

Golang

Rust

OpenAPI

gRPC

Protobuf

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS Cloud

Job description

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading global webnovel platform, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Wattpad is part of WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem, where approximately 155 million monthly active users discover incredible stories in multiple formats. Come build the future of entertainment and storytelling with our global team, and write your next chapter with us!

Wattpad is part of the WEBTOON Entertainment family of brands, home to some of the world's largest storytelling platforms. With approximately 155 million monthly active users, WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem of aligned brands and platforms include WEBTOON, Wattpad--the world’s leading webnovel platform--WEBTOON Productions, Studio N, Studio LICO, WEBTOON Unscrolled, LINE MANGA, and eBookJapan, among others. To read more about our family of Brands, check out our website [here](Wattpad follows a hybrid work model, with employees working from our vibrant downtown Toronto office 3x per week.

Engineering Manager

We are hiring an Engineering Manager for our Platform Engineering team to lead the design, development, and maintenance of the backend platforms that underpin Wattpad’s social, notifications, subscriptions, and coin economy features. This is a highly collaborative team that works closely with Product, Marketing, Business, and other engineering teams who build upon these platforms to deliver features to our end users.

As Engineering Manager, you will be responsible for both the technical direction of the team and the growth and development of the engineers within it.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and support a team of engineers, overseeing performance management, career growth, and general team administration including rituals and meetings
• Contribute to planning and determining the technical roadmap by understanding and aligning business and engineering goals
• Spearhead and participate in technical design and planning sessions
• Provide technical guidance and feedback on documentation, designs, and code
• Work with Product and other teams during requirements gathering and solutioning
• Coordinate resourcing on projects, provide time estimates, and communicate blockers and issues
• Maintain high quality standards and foster a culture of long-term thinking and innovation
• Play an active role in hiring across the team
• Mentor and coach team members in both technical and soft skills relevant to their roles

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in software development with at least 3 years managing a team of 3 or more engineers including those at the Senior level or higher
• Significant experience designing and building backend distributed systems, including writing and critiquing design and technical plan documentation with diagrams
• Majority experience in backend development with substantial hands‑on experience in API, application, and systems design and building
• Expert level experience developing on Unix-based platforms
• Experience with one or more compiled languages such as C++, Java, Golang, or Rust
• Strong technical background with the ability to make well informed decisions and translate complex technical concepts to various audiences
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and collaborating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field

Nice To Haves:

• Experience in a Staff, Principal Engineer, or Architect position
• AWS Cloud experience
• Experience with OpenAPI, gRPC, or Protobuf
• Experience with Golang
• Experience with Docker, containerization, or Kubernetes
• $140,000 - $180,000 a year

What we offer (For Full-Time Only):

• Career development; we believe in mentorship and investing in your learning, supporting you to achieve your goals
• Top industry health benefits, including vision and dental
• Your own health/wellness account to spend each year
• RRSP Contributions (Canada), 401K Contributions (USA)
• Generous vacation and Maternity/Parental leave top‑up program
• Corporate discount for gym memberships for you and your family
• Work from almost anywhere in the world for part of the year
• Winter break shutdown and a whole lot more!

About Wattpad

Who are we?

Entrepreneurs and Do-ers. Our vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories, and our mission is to use the power of community and technology to unleash the full potential of stories to the world.

What does that mean?

We are visionaries, community builders, passionate problem solvers, storytellers, coffee snobs (tea drinkers, too!), curious by nature, and culturally diverse.

What are we obsessed with?

Our users. Solving complex problems and maximizing flow. Learning constantly. Building the next great storytelling product. Finding the greatest stories ever told. Dogs (and cats), coffee, and good snacks.

How do we work?

Autonomously, collaboratively, respectfully. Balancing with work, family, and play...and all while having a great time.

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