Engineering Manager, Games - Backend

As the Engineering Manager for Games at The New York Times, you'll lead the Games API Team, manage a diverse group of engineers, and oversee the development, delivery, and maintenance of our gaming services and tools. You'll collaborate with product owners and project managers, cultivate a culture of innovation, and focus on both team development and engineering best practices.

To be an Engineering Manager with the Games team at The New York Times, you'll need at least 2 years of experience in an Engineering Manager role focused on backend services and APIs. You'll also need over 5 years of full-time software engineering experience with cloud technologies like AWS and proficiency in API design principles. Experience in coaching engineering teams is essential.

At The New York Times, we prioritize a culture of inclusion, diversity, and personal growth within the Engineering Manager, Games role. We strive to create an environment that encourages collaboration and productivity, ensuring that every team member feels valued and inspired to innovate and contribute.

The Engineering Manager, Games position at The New York Times is primarily a hybrid role, with opportunities to work in-office in New York City. You can expect to come into the office a couple of days a week, allowing for collaboration with your team while enjoying the flexibility that aligns with modern workplace dynamics.

At The New York Times, the role of Engineering Manager in the Games sector offers numerous career advancement opportunities, including personal development through coaching, mentoring, and leading projects. The organization is committed to continuous improvement and learning within teams, helping you and your engineers grow professionally while making a significant impact on the gaming platform.

In answering this question, highlight your approach to leadership. Discuss how you encourage collaboration, creativity, and accountability within your team. Emphasize your commitment to mentoring and supporting engineers in their career paths to foster growth.

Provide specific examples of API design work you've conducted, detailing the principles you followed such as REST or GraphQL. Discuss how your understanding has impacted your team's efficiency and user experience.

Demonstrate your organizational and communication skills by explaining how you prioritize projects. Include specifics about how you engage with stakeholders and the process you use to align with your team to tackle the most critical tasks first.

Detail your hands-on experience with AWS or similar platforms, explaining specific tools and services you’ve utilized. Share how this experience has enabled your team to achieve scalability and robustness in their backend services.

Discuss specific practices you implement to encourage an inclusive workplace, including team-building activities, open feedback channels, and recognition of diverse perspectives. Illustrate how these practices enhance productivity and engagement.

Explain your approach to mentoring, perhaps by describing regular check-ins, one-on-one sessions, and personal development plans. Highlight how your strategies contribute to the professional growth of your team members.

Use this question to tell a compelling story about a challenge you faced. Emphasize your problem-solving approach, collaborative efforts, and the positive outcome that resulted from your actions.

Express your passion for gaming and technology. Discuss how these interests align with the mission of The New York Times and your vision to enhance user experiences through innovative solutions.

Articulate the integral part engineering plays in enhancing journalistic integrity and experience at The New York Times. Discuss how tech can aid in delivering content efficiently and reliably while maintaining high standards.

Describe processes like retrospectives, feedback loops, and continuous learning frameworks that you utilize to promote improvement. Emphasize how you integrate these practices to inspire a culture of excellence and growth.