Senior Manager, Software Development Engineering
About the team
The Rich Media (RMX) team is reimagining virtual touring at Zillow—building immersive, next‑generation experiences that combine mobile devices with ML/AI and computer vision to give shoppers the feeling of “being there.” We partner across product, research, and engineering to capture, process, and present rich media that elevates Zillow’s core experiences.About the role
This is a zero‑to‑one leadership role to build and lead a new, senior team spanning machine learning engineering, computer vision, full‑stack/web, and native iOS. You’ll drive high‑profile programs across teams and disciplines, set a strong technical and operational foundation, and deliver ML/CV‑powered mobile experiences with measurable customer impact.
As a Senior Manager, Software Development Engineering, You Will Get To:
Establish, grow, and lead a high‑performing team (senior SDEs, ML engineers, applied scientists, full‑stack/web, and iOS) to ship novel, high‑quality user experiences powered by ML/AI and computer vision.
Define and drive a portfolio roadmap with Product and Design; decompose cross‑team programs into reliable, low‑risk execution plans; and align stakeholders through clear communication.
Introduce AI‑accelerated engineering practices (tools and agents) to improve learning velocity, productivity, and product quality.
Build the technical foundation—architecture, quality mechanisms, observability, and a healthy on‑call—to support rapid iteration and durable operations across mobile and services.
Hire, mentor, and sponsor talent; foster an inclusive, feedback‑rich culture; create growth paths for senior ICs; and partner with recruiting to attract top talent.
Lead cross‑org collaboration with adjacent platform, data, and product teams to align on interfaces, standards, and shared investments.
Operationalize quality: set and inspect standards for reliability, performance, and cost; ensure SLOs, error budgets, incident reviews (RCAs), and runtime cost controls are owned and improved.
Who you are
Proven success building and leading high‑performing engineering teams that deliver and operate complex systems, including influence across teams you don’t directly manage.
Deep experience with native iOS development and mobile constraints (sensors, offline workflows, performance, memory, energy), and strong fluency partnering with full‑stack/web and platform teams.
Hands‑on leadership taking ML/AI and/or computer vision from research to production in collaboration with applied scientists and ML engineers.
History of driving multi‑team initiatives, making sound decisions in ambiguity, and aligning diverse stakeholders on product and technical outcomes.
Strong commitment to quality and operational excellence: SLOs, on‑call health, incident/RCAs, code/design reviews, and cost stewardship.
Demonstrated aptitude for hiring, coaching, and addressing performance; a track record of growing senior ICs and emergent leaders.
Experience building mobile experiences that blend on‑device ML/CV with cloud pipelines and near‑real‑time feedback; or adjacent systems such as low‑latency media, offline‑first operation, or scalable data/compute.
Familiarity with experimentation, measurement, and learning systems for ML‑driven features.
Here at Zillow - we value the experience and perspective of candidates with non-traditional backgrounds. We encourage you to apply if you have transferable skills or related experiences.
Get to know us
At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help customers navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company that's reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.
Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the country. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2025, and included on the PEOPLE Companies That Care® 2025 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow.
No matter where you sit in the organization, your work will help drive innovation, support our customers, and move the industry—and your career—forward, together.
Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. 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 have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
