Senior Release Engineer, Quality Engineering

As a Senior Release Engineer at Reddit, your primary responsibilities include managing all aspects of the internal beta and production app release processes. You'll lead the operations for iOS and Android releases, communicate key release milestones, and ensure healthy cross-functional relationships among Engineering, QA, Design, and Release teams. Additionally, you will assess risks related to production users and drive strategies to mitigate them.

To qualify for the Senior Release Engineer position at Reddit, you should have 6+ years of experience in a technical role, including 2+ years specifically in release management or a Technical Program Management capacity. A strong background in mobile application releases is essential, as well as experience with web dashboard development and programming languages like Python or Java. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally are also critical for success in this role.

A Senior Release Engineer at Reddit should be familiar with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tools such as Bitrise, Jenkins, Fastlane, and CircleCI. Additionally, having experience with App Store Connect and the Google Play Store Console is beneficial. Knowledge of writing shell scripts and utilizing databases will also enhance your effectiveness in this role.

The Senior Release Engineer plays a crucial role in the success of Reddit by ensuring that all app releases are conducted smoothly and effectively, maintaining high reliability and stability for users. This role involves evaluating risks, managing communication between various departments, and driving improvements in release management processes, which ultimately contribute to a positive user experience.

The work environment for a Senior Release Engineer at Reddit is highly collaborative and fast-paced. You'll work with diverse teams across the globe, participate in decision-making processes, and engage in continuous improvement efforts in release management. With a fully remote setup, you'll enjoy a flexible work schedule while being part of a supportive and innovative team culture.

In your response, highlight specific projects where you've led mobile app releases, discussing the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Emphasize your familiarity with both the iOS and Android release processes, and mention any metrics or success stories that underscore your effectiveness.

Discuss your methods for identifying potential risks associated with app releases. Share examples of how you've assessed risks in past projects and implemented strategies to mitigate those risks to ensure smooth releases.

Outline the specific tools and technologies you use for project management and productivity tracking. Mention any experience with dashboards that you've built or used to visualize key metrics and trends in release operations.

Be prepared to discuss a specific situation where a release encountered issues. Focus on the steps you took to troubleshoot, communicate with stakeholders, and implement solutions, showcasing your problem-solving skills and resilience.

Illustrate your communication strategies when engaging with different teams, emphasizing any tools or processes you utilize to keep the lines of communication open. Provide examples of how this has led to successful collaboration in previous roles.

Describe your familiarity with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Bitrise, or CircleCI. Share specific implementations where you've set up or optimized CI/CD pipelines to enhance the release process.

Explain how you stay informed about the latest tools, methodologies, and trends in release management. Mention any resources like blogs, conferences, or networks that you engage with for continuous learning.

Discuss the key metrics you focus on to evaluate the success of a release, such as app performance, user feedback, and post-release bug rates. Highlight how you use this data to drive future improvements.

Detail your approach to writing clear operational runbooks and documentation. Emphasize the importance of accessibility, usability, and keeping documentation up-to-date for your team.

Your answer should reflect an understanding of the importance of after-hours support in maintaining the stability of app releases. Express your willingness and any systems you have in place to manage after-hours issues efficiently.