Senior Engineering Manager, Drive - job 1 of 2

As a Senior Engineering Manager at DoorDash, your primary responsibilities include leading and mentoring a team of engineers to deliver innovative solutions for our Drive fulfillment platform. You will collaborate with product managers and key stakeholders to shape the team's vision and roadmap, enhance operational capabilities, and integrate seamlessly with merchants and providers. Ensuring effective communication and teamwork is essential as you oversee the hiring process and foster a diverse and inclusive team environment.

The Senior Engineering Manager, Drive role at DoorDash requires a BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science or a related field, along with at least 6+ years of people management experience leading full-stack teams of 25 or more engineers. Additionally, strong industry experience of over 10 years, extensive knowledge in distributed system design, and the ability to adapt in a fast-paced, product-focused environment are essential for success in this position.

At DoorDash, the Senior Engineering Manager fosters innovation by encouraging a culture of creativity and outside-the-box thinking within the team. This includes promoting collaboration on cutting-edge technologies, organizing brainstorming sessions, and empowering team members to take ownership of their projects. The manager plays a crucial role in creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued, leading to groundbreaking solutions that enhance our Drive platform.

The projects that a Senior Engineering Manager at DoorDash works on include scaling the existing food delivery vertical and exploring new merchant verticals through innovative initiatives. You will manage end-to-end engineering solutions that integrate with different merchant systems, develop fulfillment APIs, and optimize operational capabilities to improve last-mile logistics, similar to how AWS transformed cloud computing.

DoorDash is committed to the career growth of its Senior Engineering Managers by providing extensive training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. In a fast-paced environment, the company encourages managers to embrace a growth mindset, ensuring they have the resources, feedback, and exposure they need to expand their skill sets and carve out a successful career path.

When prioritizing projects as a Senior Engineering Manager, it’s vital to align with the company’s strategic goals. I assess projects based on urgency, potential impact, resource availability, and alignment with our team’s roadmap. Communication with stakeholders is key to ensuring that priorities adapt to feedback and evolving business needs.

My approach to team leadership focuses on empowerment and collaboration. I believe in building strong relationships, encouraging open communication, and setting clear expectations. By fostering a supportive environment where team members feel valued, I enable them to take ownership of their work and contribute their best ideas.

To ensure effective communication within my team, I implement regular check-ins, team meetings, and asynchronous updates through collaboration tools. I also promote an open-door policy where team members can approach me with questions or feedback. This creates a transparent atmosphere that encourages dialogue and problem-solving.

Handling conflicts within my engineering team starts with addressing issues promptly and encouraging open discussions. I facilitate conversations between the parties involved to understand different perspectives and find a mutually agreeable solution. My goal is to foster a culture of respect and collaboration to prevent future conflicts.

My experience with distributed system design involves creating scalable and reliable systems, focusing on performance optimization and fault tolerance. I leverage design patterns that promote scalability, such as microservices architecture, and constantly evaluate system performance to ensure it meets current and future demands.

I keep up with industry trends and advancements by regularly reading technical blogs, attending webinars and conferences, and participating in online communities. Engaging with industry leaders and staying curious about emerging technologies allows me to bring fresh insights to my role as a Senior Engineering Manager.

In a previous role, my team faced a major project deadline while dealing with unexpected technical challenges. I organized daily stand-up meetings to assess progress and address issues. By reallocating resources and encouraging open communication, we successfully delivered the project on time while maintaining high-quality standards.

I find project management tools like Jira and collaboration platforms like Slack to be essential for managing engineering teams. These tools enhance visibility into project progress, facilitate communication, and streamline workflow, helping the team stay aligned and on track.

To ensure my team understands the company vision, I regularly communicate key objectives and their role in achieving them during team meetings. I also encourage team members to ask questions and provide feedback on how our work aligns with the broader mission, fostering a sense of purpose and connection to the company's goals.

As a Senior Engineering Manager, I am motivated by the opportunity to develop my team members into skilled professionals and foster a culture of innovation. Seeing my team members thrive and contribute to meaningful projects fuels my passion for driving success in our initiatives and the company as a whole.