Engineering Manager, Search Systems

Company Description

Etsy is a global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers worldwide. As an Etsy employee, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large‑scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and keeping commerce human.

Annual base salary range: $226,000 – $294,000, plus equity, annual performance bonus, and competitive benefits.

We are looking for an Engineering Manager to lead Etsy’s Search Systems team. This team owns the core retrieval and indexing infrastructure that powers fast, reliable, and seamless search experiences for millions of buyers. The Manager will guide the team through consolidating retrieval systems, simplifying architecture, and unlocking new machine‑learning capabilities to improve relevance, performance, and developer experience.

• Own and operate next‑generation retrieval infrastructure and other search backends that power Etsy’s core retrieval layer.
• Unify retrieval infrastructure across Etsy products, simplify system architecture, and enable ML‑based rankers in retrieval.
• Build and maintain scalable, low‑latency systems that meet strict SLAs and power live A/B experiments.
• Collaborate with applied scientists, the Data Platform, ML Enablement, and product engineers to integrate new retrieval models and unlock advanced ranking capabilities.
• Define the roadmap for Etsy’s search infrastructure—balancing operational excellence, developer velocity, and innovation in ML retrieval.
• Lead and grow a team of engineers and scientists responsible for designing, building, and maintaining search backend systems and infrastructure.
• Partner with research and ML teams to product ionize new retrieval and ranking models efficiently at scale.
• Oversee the adoption of next‑gen retrieval infrastructure, ensuring reliable data pipelines, index health, and performance during and after transition.
• Drive architectural decisions around indexing, query execution, and ranking infrastructure to improve latency, throughput, and system resilience.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional partners—including other Search ML and Enablement teams—to shape the long‑term direction of the search stack.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, mentorship, and continuous learning through regular code reviews, design discussions, and performance feedback.
• Establish clear technical goals, monitor system health, and proactively identify and resolve performance and reliability bottlenecks.

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Proven experience in large‑scale search systems or ML infrastructure, with a strong background in retrieval systems, distributed computing, or ML‑powered search.
• 2+ years of experience leading engineering teams, ideally with experience in real‑time search, recommendation, or ads systems.
• Deep understanding of search engines and frameworks such as Elasticsearch, Lucene, Solr, or modern hybrid/vector search systems.
• Familiarity with modern retrieval and ranking techniques, including neural retrieval, semantic search, and transformer‑based models.
• Experience with system performance optimization, caching strategies, and scaling high‑throughput, low‑latency services.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; capable of bridging between technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Track record of driving complex technical projects from conception to launch while maintaining a high bar for quality and reliability.
• Passion for mentoring engineers and cultivating an inclusive, learning‑oriented team culture.

This full‑time position offers equity, an annual performance bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package supporting you and your family. Remote work is available, but candidates within commutable distance of Etsy’s Brooklyn Office Hub may be considered first, with in‑office attendance once or twice per week depending on proximity.

Etsy is proud to be an equal‑opportunity workplace under applicable law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. If you require an accommodation due to a disability, please let your recruiter know. Etsy supports visa sponsorship, though sponsorship opportunities may be limited for certain roles.