Engineering Manager, Inbound
TLDR
Lead a software team building scalable backends for item ingestion, AI-driven classification, and robotics-enabled warehouse workflows.
About The Role
In this role, you will lead the engineering team responsible for the foundational engine of The RealReal’s marketplace: our automated item identification, intake, and authentication systems. Your squad sits at the critical interface of physical floor logistics and high-scale digital architectures, building tools that ingest millions of luxury items into our universal Item Master with impeccable quality and accuracy. You will partner deeply with Product and AI/ML teams to integrate state-of-the-art computer vision, automated tagging, and robotics conveyance systems directly into our warehouse execution workflows. This position is ideal for an engineering leader who thrives on scaling distributed systems and loves seeing their code drive real-world, physical operational excellence.What You Get To Do Every Day
Lead and mentor a high-performing team of software engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and clear accountability.
Partner cross-functionally with Product Management, Data Science, and AI/ML teams to build, deploy, and iterate on internal computer vision and automated item classification systems.
Own the architectural scalability and performance of backend services (Ruby on Rails, Elixir, cloud-native apps) powering our intake flow and global Item Master database.
Drive operational excellence by collaborating with hardware and vendor integration partners to orchestrate robotics and conveyance automation inside our execution facilities.
Manage agile delivery cycles using structured ceremonies, keeping the engineering backlog prioritized and closely aligned with quarterly operational OKRs.
Translate complex physical workflows into clean, reliable, and highly observable distributed software capabilities that reduce operational friction for our luxury experts.
What You Bring To The Role
Minimum Requirements:
3+ years of direct engineering management experience leading distributed software development teams in fast-paced environments.
Proven track record architecting, scaling, and operating distributed, public cloud-native systems and APIs.
Hands-on experience collaborating with Data Science or Machine Learning teams, explicitly deploying software that interacts with AI models (e.g., automated tagging, classification, or image processing).
Strong expertise in relational database systems (MySQL or PostgreSQL) optimized for complex data structures like product catalogs or item masters.
Excellent communication skills with a demonstrated ability to translate highly technical concepts to non-technical operational stakeholders and floor leaders.
Preferred Requirements:
Experience in supply chain tech, logistics software, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), or building high-throughput item ingestion platforms.
Familiarity with hardware/IoT integrations, vendor conveyance APIs, or robotics workflows.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
Compensation, Benefits, + Perks
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
401K with Company Match
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Paid Parental Leave
9 Paid Company Holidays
Flexible Time Off (With Manager Approval)
Find out more about our Benefits here.
The RealReal is the world’s largest online marketplace for authenticated, resale luxury goods, with 37 million members. With a rigorous authentication process overseen by experts, The RealReal provides a safe and reliable platform for consumers to buy and sell their luxury items. We have hundreds of in-house gemologists, horologists, and brand authenticators who inspect thousands of items each day. As a sustainable company, we give new life to pieces by thousands of brands across numerous categories—including women's and men's fashion, fine jewelry and watches, art, and home—in support of the circular economy. We make selling effortless with free virtual appointments, in-home pickup, drop-off, and direct shipping. We handle all of the work for consignors, including authenticating, using AI and machine learning to determine optimal pricing, photographing and listing their items, as well as shipping and customer service.
The RealReal is committed to providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, or Veteran status. We will consider qualified applicants for a position regardless of arrest or conviction records. At TRR, People Come First. That’s why diversity and inclusion are vital to our priorities as an equal opportunity employer. You can read about our Diversity Equity and Inclusion program here.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Benefits
Equity Compensation
401K with Company Match
Health Insurance
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Paid Parental Leave
Paid Time Off
Flexible Time Off (With Manager Approval)
Stock Options
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The RealReal is the largest online marketplace for authenticated resale luxury goods. We offer a reliable platform for consumers and consignors alike, managing the entire resale process from authentication and pricing to shipping, all supported by a team of experts in luxury goods. Committed to sustainability, we promote the circular economy by giving new life to luxury items across multiple categories.