Engineering Manager

About the role

AutoScout24 is actively seeking an Engineering Manager to provide strategic oversight for a critical backend platform that powers a major automotive marketplace. In this capacity, you will own the development and execution of a significant modernization initiative, guiding the migration away from legacy infrastructure toward a robust cloud-native future. You will be responsible for leading a team of five to six engineers, fostering their professional growth while ensuring the delivery of high-impact technical objectives. The role requires a balance of hands-on technical contribution and people leadership, where you will solve complex architectural challenges alongside your team. You will act as a key technical leader, bridging the gap between business priorities articulated by product managers and the engineering execution required to achieve them. Success in this position will be defined by your ability to deliver reliable, scalable software while simultaneously building a resilient and innovative engineering culture. This is an opportunity to shape the technical foundation of a platform serving millions of users across Europe.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Manage, mentor, and grow a high-performing software engineering team of 5 to 6 engineers, focusing on performance development and career progression.
• Collaborate with Product Managers to define priorities, scope features, and execute the technical roadmap for the backend platform.
• Establish and maintain high standards for code quality, system architecture, and operational maturity across the engineering lifecycle.
• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and architecture decisions that impact multiple engineering groups and service boundaries.
• Define and manage on-call rotations, incident response protocols, and conduct thorough post-incident analysis to prevent future occurrences.
• Drive improvements in the performance, scalability, and reliability of core backend services to ensure a seamless user experience.
• Coordinate large-scale initiatives that involve cross-functional collaboration and manage dependencies with external teams and systems.
• Champion a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement within the engineering organization.
• Integrate AI-assisted development tools into the team workflow to boost productivity, code quality, and overall software delivery speed.
• Leverage deep expertise in distributed systems to solve complex problems related to data consistency, latency, and system resilience.
• Serve as a technical role model, contributing to the design and implementation of solutions using Java, Scala, and related technologies.
• Oversee the implementation of event-driven architectures using Kafka to ensure scalable and decoupled system interactions.
• Partner with DevOps and platform teams to optimize the deployment pipeline, infrastructure utilization, and monitoring capabilities.
• Analyze system metrics and user feedback to identify bottlenecks and define actionable strategies for technical debt reduction.
• Ensure compliance with security best practices and data protection standards relevant to automotive marketplaces operating in Europe.

Requirements

• Bring a minimum of 3 years of proven experience in a software engineering leadership role, demonstrating the ability to guide technical teams.
• Maintain a background as a hands-on software engineer, with the credibility to contribute technically when necessary.
• Show experience building and maintaining large-scale distributed backend systems that handle significant traffic and data volumes.
• Demonstrate proficiency in object-oriented programming, with a strong emphasis on Java as a primary language for backend development.
• Present a proven track record of leading technical architecture, making high-impact decisions, and translating business requirements into technical solutions.
• Highlight experience implementing operational excellence practices, including robust incident management, on-call procedures, and monitoring strategies.
• Exhibit the ability to manage complex projects characterized by multiple stakeholders, competing deadlines, and ambiguous requirements.
• Show commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment where diverse perspectives are valued and encouraged.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills, capable of conveying technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Possess a deep understanding of software development lifecycle methodologies and agile best practices.

Nice to have

• Experience driving the adoption of AI-based development practices within an engineering team to enhance productivity and code quality.

Practical notes

AutoScout24 is an international organization with over 50 nationalities represented. The company provides training and support to help employees develop their skills and manage their work environment.