Engineering Manager, Etsy
Search Systems
$226-294k
+ Eligible for an equity package, and annual performance bonus
More information about location
1-2 days a week in office (Brooklyn, NY)
eCommerce platform for handcrafted goods
Open for applications
eCommerce platform for handcrafted goods
1001+ employees
Open for applications
$226-294k
+ Eligible for an equity package, and annual performance bonus
More information about location
1-2 days a week in office (Brooklyn, NY)
1001+ employees
Company mission
To keep human connection at the heart of commerce.
Role
Who you are
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD 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 (e.g., Elasticsearch, Lucene, Solr, or modern hybrid search or 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, fostering growth, and cultivating an inclusive, learning-oriented team culture
What the job involves
- We are looking for an Engineering Manager, Search Systems to join our Search Relevance initiative at Etsy
- You’ll lead a talented team of engineers and applied scientists responsible for the ranking algorithms and systems that determine how hundreds of millions of unique listings are ordered for Etsy buyers
- This team plays a pivotal role in defining and delivering Etsy’s search experience — helping buyers find items they’ll love by combining relevance, personalization, and marketplace value in every search result
- The work directly contributes to Etsy’s growth by driving better buyer engagement, higher conversion, and a healthier marketplace
- As the Engineering Manager, you will provide technical direction, strategic focus, and people leadership — guiding your team through iterative experimentation, learning from data and outcomes, and delivering high-impact improvements to Etsy’s search ecosystem
- Reporting to the Director of Engineering
- The Search Ranking team is a core part of the Search Relevance organization. We build large-scale ranking systems that optimize how Etsy surfaces results — ensuring every search connects buyers with the most relevant, inspiring, and meaningful listings
- Our work spans the full lifecycle of modern ranking systems: from model architecture and data pipelines, to feature engineering, experimentation, and production deployment
- We use data-driven iteration and continuous learning to make every search more human, intuitive, and rewarding
- You’ll collaborate closely with product managers, data scientists, and other engineering teams to translate insights into measurable impact
- The team’s focus on strategic delivery, technical excellence, and iterative experimentation is key to scaling Etsy’s marketplace while staying true to our mission
- Lead and grow a team of engineers and applied scientists building and maintaining ranking algorithms that power Etsy’s search results
- Define and execute the technical strategy for ranking systems, ensuring we balance innovation, scalability, and reliability
- Partner cross-functionally to set clear goals and success metrics, ensuring that the team’s work directly contributes to Etsy’s business and marketplace growth
- Foster a culture of experimentation and learning, using data, A/B testing, and iteration to drive continuous improvement in search relevance and engagement
- Collaborate with teams across Search teams, ML Platform, and Infrastructure to ensure reliable, scalable systems and shared learning across Search
- Ensure the team delivers strategically impactful projects that balance user experience, ranking performance, and business outcomes
- Promote engineering and ML best practices, from model quality evaluation to operational excellence in production environments
- Of course, this is just a sample of the kinds of work this role will require! You should assume that your role will encompass other tasks, too, and that your job duties and responsibilities may change from time to time at Etsy's discretion, or otherwise applicable with local law
Application process
- If you're interested in joining the team at Etsy, please share your resume with us and feel free to include a cover letter if you'd like. As we hope you've seen already, Etsy is a place that values individuality and variety. We don't want you to be like everyone else -- we want you to be like you! So tell us what you're all about
Our take
Created as an alternative to more corporate eCommerce sites, Etsy is a peer-to-peer (P2P) website where users buy and sell handmade crafts, vintage items, art and photography. The online marketplace works similarly to Amazon and eBay, only with an emphasis on unique items rather than mass-produced merchandise.
Since its IPO in 2015, it has managed to hold its own in an increasingly competitive eCommerce industry, including from Amazon's handmade section that launched in 2015. Further, by providing sellers with ownership over pricing and branding, the site is attractive for those wanting to set up a business on an established platform.
However, the seller-side of Etsy is not without problems. A hike in transaction fees and the introduction of mandatory marketing fees for artists with high turnovers created significant discontent amongst sellers. Despite this, Etsy continues to connect artists and consumers, attracting shoppers with its message of extraordinary, handmade and affordable products.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
8% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
May 2012
$40m
LATE VC
Aug 2010
$20m
SERIES E
Total funding: $91.7m
Company benefits
- Equity (offers vary by country)
- Performance bonuses
- Paid gender neutral parental leave
- Adoption and family planning
- Back-up care
- Volunteer time off
- Donation matching
- Employee resource groups
- Global virtual events
- Employer paid health benefits
- Fitness benefits
- Wellness programming
- Mental health benefits
- 401K matching/Pension contributions
Company HQ
Downtown Brooklyn, NY
Leadership
Josh Silverman
(CEO)Previously senior executive at eBay, CEO of Shopping.com, CEO of Skype and President of Consumer Products & Services at American Express.
Salary benchmarks
We don't have enough data yet to provide salary benchmarks for this role.
Submit your salary to help other candidates with crowdsourced salary estimates.
Share this job
View 27 more jobs at Etsy