Software Engineering Manager - Data Platform Distributed Systems

Company Description

It all started in sunny San Diego, California in 2004 when a visionary engineer, Fred Luddy, saw the potential to transform how we work. Fast forward to today — ServiceNow stands as a global market leader, bringing innovative AI-enhanced technology to over 8,100 customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500®. Our intelligent cloud-based platform seamlessly connects people, systems, and processes to empower organizations to find smarter, faster, and better ways to work. But this is just the beginning of our journey. Join us as we pursue our purpose to make the world work better for everyone.

Job Description

Why This Role Is Open: 

This position supports our Workflow Data Fabric initiative for 2025, focusing on building, deploying, and scaling a Kubernetes-based query engine to advance our data fabric vision. 

About the Team and Product: 

You’ll lead a team of five skilled engineers working on a cutting-edge data platform that enables scalable and distributed data solutions. The team thrives on collaboration, solving complex problems, and fostering a "best idea wins" culture. This environment offers opportunities to contribute to innovative products while working with Kubernetes, distributed systems, and multi-tenancy architecture. 

A Typical Day in This Role: 

• Team Leadership: Coordinate and oversee daily development activities while mentoring and supporting your team. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engage with other teams, product managers, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and project success. 
• Technical Facilitation: Participate in technical discussions, ensuring decisions stay on track without the expectation of driving them directly. 
• Hands-On Contributions: Assist in coding and release management, with 10-15% of your time spent contributing to the codebase and conducting reviews. 
• Problem Solving: Identify high-leverage and high-impact tasks, addressing ambiguity with quick, innovative solutions. 

What You’ll Do in This Role: 

• Lead and mentor a team of engineers to grow their skills and productivity. 
• Collaborate on departmental needs, including recruiting, staffing, and fostering a high-performing team culture. 
• Work closely with product management, design, and other development teams to deliver high-quality solutions. 
• Plan and execute projects aligned with organizational priorities and risk assessments. 
• Contribute to the development of the platform (coding, reviewing code) while navigating Java and Kubernetes application architecture. 
• Ensure the delivery of an outstanding experience for our customers. 

Qualifications

• 6+ years of software development experience. 
• 1+ years of experience as a manager leading software developers. 
• Strong background in distributed systems design and development. 
• Experience working in a DevOps environment. 
• Proficiency in Kubernetes distributed applications at scale. 
• Advanced understanding of software design, development, testing, and problem-solving. 

What We’re Looking For: 

• A keen technical mind with the ability to grasp new technologies quickly. 
• A proven ability to troubleshoot complex production issues (e.g., memory leaks, network problems, intermittent failures) across the stack. 
• Knowledge of best practices for object-oriented and modularized software. 
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to hire top talent and foster a culture of innovation. 
• A hands-on leader comfortable with ambiguity and adept at driving clarity and solutions in challenging situations. 

Bonus Skills: 

• Experience transitioning from a software engineering role to leadership. 
• Hands-on coding experience in Java, Kubernetes, and distributed systems. 

WJ25

Not sure if you meet every qualification? We still encourage you to apply! We value inclusivity, welcoming candidates from diverse backgrounds, including non-traditional paths. Unique experiences enrich our team, and the willingness to dream big makes you an exceptional candidate!

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $142,700 - $249,800, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave pr