Senior Engineering Manager

Role Summary

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Engineering Manager to lead our Games team. You will guide high-performing, multi-disciplinary engineers building diverse gaming experiences for Smart TVs and connected devices, using modern web technologies, Unity3D, and GPU/streaming architectures to deliver best-in-class, voice-activated entertainment.

The Games team is responsible for creating and evolving the core gameplay experiences and systems that power Volley’s growing portfolio of AI-powered titles across Roku, Fire TV, mobile, and the web. This includes cross-platform gameplay and progression, discovery and engagement surfaces, performance optimization for streaming devices and Smart TVs, and seamless continuity across platforms.

You’ll work closely with partners in product, design, data/analytics, platform engineering, and content to prioritize and execute our shared strategy. You’ll identify impactful opportunities, rapidly ship features, and drive audience growth and engagement through a data-informed, experiment-driven approach. We’re actively expanding our titles and platforms—this is a chance to play a pivotal role in building joyful, innovative game experiences across connected devices. Gaming experience is preferred but not necessary

This job opportunity offers a hybrid work arrangement, and we are specifically seeking candidates who are comfortable with on-site attendance in our Bay Area office 2-3 times per week and are either currently residing in or near the Bay Area or willing to relocate for on-site work.

What You’ll Do at Volley

• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Design, Data/Analytics, and Platform to define the roadmap, set priorities, and deliver delightful, high-impact features across our gaming portfolio.
• Lead and grow a team of engineers spanning web and 3D game tech; run effective 1:1s, establish growth plans, and foster a culture of ownership, learning, and product thinking.
• Ship features end-to-end across Smart TVs and streaming devices (e.g., Roku, Fire TV), mobile, and web—driving engagement, personalization, and cross-platform continuity.
• Guide iterative development using experimentation frameworks (A/B tests, feature flags) and clear success metrics to inform decisions.
• Own quality and performance, optimizing rendering, streaming, and client performance across a mix of Unity3D, WebGL/Canvas, and web stacks with robust observability.
• Collaborate with platform & infrastructure teams to align dependencies, schedules, and release processes; maintain low technical debt and high reliability.
• Drive strategy and execution for audience growth, platform-specific enhancements, and best practices for cross-platform game development and multi-technology deployment.

We're Excited About You Because You Have

• 5+ years of hands-on software engineering experience, ideally in fast-paced consumer product environments.
• 3+ years managing engineering teams, with a proven record of cultivating productivity and team satisfaction.
• Proven track record leading consumer-product initiatives across the full user acquisition funnel. 
• Hands-on experience with experimentation frameworks, A/B testing infrastructure, and feature flagging systems.
• Cross-platform development background: shipped products in web and/or 3D game technologies; strong understanding of rendering/performance and delivery across Smart TVs and streaming devices.
• Excellent collaboration and communication with a bias for action and data-informed decision making.
• Product and player empathy that informs pragmatic engineering choices and ships real value.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with gaming, interactive media, or AI-powered consumer applications.
• Prior work spanning web-based games and 3D engines (Unity3D/Unreal), including WebGL/Three.js/Canvas.
  
• Knowledge of game streaming (e.g., AWS GameLift Streams or similar), real-time multiplayer, and cross-platform deployment.
• Background in children’s/educational or family-friendly interactive products.
• Experience scaling teams working across diverse technology stacks.

Our Stack

• Game & Client: Unity3D (C#), TypeScript, WebGL/Canvas, React/React Native, BrightScript
• Backend & Services: TypeScript, Node.js / NestJS, API design, distributed systems
• Data & Analytics: Amplitude, Snowflake, Tableau
• Storage: DynamoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis
• Infra & DevOps: Kubernetes, AWS (including streaming/edge services)

The Hiring Process

• Stage 1 - Preliminary Phone Screen with our Senior Recruiting Lead
• Stage 2 - Video Call with various members of our engineering team.
• Stage 3 - On-site with various partners and teammates.
• Stage 4 - Founder Chat with our co-founders (CTO/CEO).
• Stage 5 - Offer

What’s in it for You

• Your medical, dental, and vision insurance is 100% covered by Volley, for yourself and all dependents and we match 401k!
• We offer a flexible, hybrid work-from-home and in-office work model.
• We offer 4 weeks of paid time off (enforced 2-week minimum), 16 paid holidays, 40 hours of bereavement leave, and unlimited sick days.
• Our generous parental leave policy includes 24 weeks at 100% pay for birthing parents and 12 weeks at 100% pay for non-birthing parents.
• We offer visa support for eligible candidates, making relocating for the job smoother and more streamlined.
• A full breakdown of our benefits is here!

For Pay Transparency: The base salary range for this position is $207,000 - 284,625 annually, based on a local (San Francisco) hire. The final offer amount may depend on experience, education, skills, and location. Base pay is one part of the total package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work.

About Us

Volley is the leading developer of AI-powered games for Amazon Alexa, Roku TVs, and mobile devices. Our games attract millions of users every month. Popular Volley games include Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, and The Price Is Right.

We believe voice interfaces will become the main way people access entertainment in their living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and cars. We’re building a bundled subscription product similar to Netflix or Spotify for the emerging category of “AI-powered games.”

Volley was founded by Max Child and James Wilsterman in 2016. We're headquartered in downtown San Francisco in the historic Phelan Building! We’re a quickly growing team that truly enjoys working together. If you think you would enjoy creating joyful games on top of a rapidly evolving AI technology stack, please get in touch!

Volley believes in an inclusive workplace and is committed to building a team from a variety of backgrounds. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive the other benefits and privileges of employment.

Underrepresented candidates and candidates from nontraditional backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply!