Engineering Manager (Data & Machine Learning)

As an Engineering Manager (Data & Machine Learning) at Overstory, your primary responsibility will be to lead multiple product teams focused on vegetation modeling and data ingestion. You'll foster high productivity within these cross-functional teams by ensuring they ship quality products efficiently. Your role entails providing guidance and mentorship to engineers, maintaining a collaborative environment, and working closely with product managers to make critical technical decisions that align with both short- and long-term goals.

To excel as an Engineering Manager (Data & Machine Learning) at Overstory, candidates should have at least 2 years of experience leading and managing engineers across multiple teams. A strong background in technologies like React/Typescript, Python/fastAPI, and cloud environments such as GCP is also essential. Moreover, strong leadership, communication skills, and a passion for climate issues will set you apart as an ideal candidate.

Overstory emphasizes personal and professional growth for its Engineering Managers. You'll receive regular one-on-one coaching and feedback to help you tap into your team's potential. Additionally, you’ll have access to an educational budget to develop new skills, ensuring that you remain competitive in an ever-evolving tech landscape. Your growth is crucial to the company’s mission, so expertise sharing is encouraged!

At Overstory, the work culture is rooted in diversity, inclusivity, and a shared commitment to tackling climate change. As an Engineering Manager (Data & Machine Learning), you will be part of a vibrant team that values collaboration and encourages everyone to do their best work. The remote-first environment allows for flexible working hours, and team members from varied backgrounds support one another, creating an atmosphere of openness where trust and respect flourish.

As an Engineering Manager (Data & Machine Learning) at Overstory, your impact is profound not just for the team but for the ongoing fight against climate change. By leading talented engineers, you'll enhance the quality of machine learning models that monitor Earth's vegetation. Your leadership and technical decisions will help improve agricultural practices and reduce wildfire risks, positioning you at the heart of critical environmental innovation.

When discussing your leadership style for the Engineering Manager role at Overstory, emphasize adaptability, collaboration, and growth. Explain how you tailor your approach to fit the strengths and needs of individual team members while creating a supportive environment that encourages innovation and openness. Mention using regular one-on-ones for feedback and mentorship to help your team thrive.

In response to this question, showcase your organizational skills and strategic thinking. Outline how you assess project timelines, team capabilities, and alignment with long-term goals. Describe the importance of clear communication with product managers and the iterative feedback cycles that help prioritize tasks effectively across teams.

When answering this question, highlight your commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, where each team member feels valued. Discuss techniques such as regular check-ins, collaborative tools, and team-building activities that promote transparency and trust. Emphasize the importance of setting shared goals that unite team efforts towards a common mission, especially in a remote environment.

Prepare a specific example where your technical decision led to significant project achievements. Detail the project scenario, your rationale behind the decision, and the positive outcomes, such as enhanced efficiency or improved product quality. This demonstrates your depth of understanding and practical experience relevant to Overstory's objectives.

Address this question by discussing a tailored approach to mentorship. Explain how you assess each team member's strengths and weaknesses, offering personalized support to foster their development. Mention creating opportunities for peer learning, encouraging innovation, and how you use regular feedback sessions to help engineers identify areas for growth.

In this context, share your experience using data ingestion technologies relevant to Overstory’s operations. Discuss examples of successful implementations and any challenges you overcame while enhancing data pipelines. Emphasize your ability to leverage these technologies to drive efficiency and accuracy in processing large datasets.

To tackle this question effectively, focus on communication, trust, and shared goals. Illustrate how you foster psychological safety, allowing team members to share ideas and take risks. Discuss methods you employ to celebrate team achievements and encourage a culture of recognition and respect.

Emphasize your commitment to lifelong learning. Mention specific resources you utilize, such as online courses, webinars, industry conferences, and networking with peers. Discuss how you share this knowledge with your team to create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation at Overstory.

Highlight the importance of feedback in fostering growth and improvement. Discuss your methods for delivering constructive feedback and creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences. Emphasize how you encourage feedback loops to improve processes and project outcomes.

When addressing this question, discuss your vision for growth and strategy for scaling engineering teams. Focus on attracting diverse talent, implementing training programs, and ensuring strong onboarding processes that align with Overstory's mission. Mention the importance of maintaining culture and communication as the team expands.