Senior Engineering Manager

Summary

Join Upwork as a Senior Engineering Manager in the Emerging Business organization, leading the development of AI-native products. You will manage and grow multiple engineering teams, focusing on rapid delivery of AI-first features and systems. This role requires strong AI systems understanding, experience managing multiple engineering teams, and proven prototyping abilities. You will collaborate with various teams to align roadmaps and deliver value. The position offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to shape the future of work.

Requirements

• Demonstrated success managing multiple engineering teams (typically 2+ teams and 10+ engineers) in a fast-paced environment
• Strong understanding of AI systems, including LLMs, agent architectures, and real-world implementation challenges
• Proven ability to prototype and guide technical direction with hands-on contributions when needed
• Strong collaboration skills and a track record of working effectively across engineering, product, and machine learning teams
• Pragmatic approach to shipping working solutions while setting a long-term technical vision

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop multiple engineering teams focused on AI-native product development, ensuring high performance and collaboration
• Rapidly build functional prototypes and proof-of-concepts to validate ideas, demonstrating full-stack technical fluency
• Oversee the architecture and implementation of AI agent systems that enhance user experience and drive business outcomes
• Collaborate closely with Product, Design, and Machine Learning partners to align roadmaps and deliver value with speed
• Champion AI-first thinking, guiding teams to explore, adopt, and scale innovative technologies responsibly and pragmatically
• Translate emerging AI trends into actionable insights that influence technical strategy and product direction
• Ensure delivery of high-quality, maintainable solutions while balancing short-term milestones with long-term scalability

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family
• Unlimited PTO
• A 401(k) plan with matching
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• An Employee Stock Purchase Plan