[Remote] Engineering Manager I

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Inductive Automation is a company focused on industrial automation innovation, and they are seeking an Engineering Manager I to lead cross-functional teams. The role involves managing team dynamics, streamlining processes, and fostering a culture of collaboration to ensure efficient software delivery.ResponsibilitiesDefining and maintaining the team’s core mission, goals, and operating values ensuring every team member has a clear sense of purpose and alignment with company objectivesEstablishing and documenting a clear interaction model for the team. Clarifying how external stakeholders and other teams engage with them, providing visibility into technical boundaries, communication protocols, and roadmap prioritiesUsing the team’s interaction model to reduce friction and cognitive load for both their own team and external partners, ensuring that cross-team engagements are intentional and efficientHolding ultimate accountability for the execution of Scrum Master best practices within the team, either fulfilling the role personally or delegating responsibilities to team members while ensuring the successful execution of key rhythms like daily syncs, planning sessions, reviews, and retrospectives to ensure alignment and momentumGuiding the team in adopting and refining Agile methodologies that best suit their workflow, focusing on continuous improvement, efficiency, and the department’s delivery goalsProactively identifying and removing blockers (whether technical, social, or organizational) to maintain team velocity and focusPartnering with Product Management to ensure the backlog is healthy and refined; monitoring work-in-progress (WIP) to prevent bottlenecks and managing the team's "Cognitive Load"Acting as the manager accountable for all assigned team(s) output, quality, and moraleProtecting the team from external interruptions and noise safeguarding deep-work cycles and commitment targetsFacilitating internal team communication to reduce the need for constant manager-to-manager or team-to-team syncing, driving a decentralized decision-making modelMonitoring team pace to prevent burnout while maintaining a high standard of excellence and urgencyOwning and overseeing implementation plans and milestone planning with significant input from the technical teamEnsuring technical accountability by overseeing ticket work, documentation updates, and technical debt managementAdvising the team on quality principles and testing toolsets ensuring that "Quality" is built-in, not treated as a separate phaseLeveraging the "Inverse Conway Maneuver" by ensuring the team's internal communication and structure mirror the desired modular software architectureBuilding strong, trusting relationships with direct reports through regular 1:1s, prioritizing psychological safety and career growthConducting performance reviews, consulting with specialized Chapter Leads to ensure technical or design-specific growthManaging onboarding for new team members to ensure they are quickly integrated into the team’s culture and technical stackSetting clear expectations and managing performance discipline in coordination with Human Resources when necessaryCollaborating with Product Management and Department Leadership to align the team’s work with the broader roadmapMaintaining a deep understanding of the product domain to effectively convey priorities and the reasoning behind the work to the teamSkillsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, related field or comparable experienceA minimum of 8 years in Software Engineering in a Developer or Quality Assurance role, with at least 2 years in a formal technical leadership or management roleProven ability to act as the single manager accountable for the end to end delivery, quality, and morale of a cross-functional teamDemonstrated success in bridging the functional identities of Development, Quality Assurance, and Design into a unified, high-performing team cultureDeep experience in facilitating agile rhythms and removing technical or organizational blockers to maintain team velocity and fast flowActs as a steward for team health by establishing high-trust environments where psychological safety is prioritized and experimentation is treated as a learning toolSkilled in guiding teams toward architectural alignment and ensuring that quality principles are built into the development process rather than treated as a separate phaseExperienced in conducting holistic performance reviews and providing high-quality career coaching to direct reports in coordination with Chapter LeadsExpert knowledge of agile methodologies and the ability to optimize work-in-progress (WIP) to manage team cognitive load and prevent burnoutMaintains a strong level of proficiency in the SDLC, Java or TypeScript, and Quality Assurance automation frameworks to effectively govern team standards and technical successExceptional soft skills for resolving internal team conflicts and facilitating decentralized communication to reduce coordination taxHighly proficient in detailed milestone planning, ticket management, and overseeing the execution of team implementation plansAble to maintain a deep understanding of the team's product domain to effectively convey priorities and the reasoning behind technical decisionsSkilled in collaborating with Product Management and management leadership to ensure team output is perfectly aligned with the broader roadmapBenefits100% Employee Covered Health Care: Don’t pay a dime for your medical, dental, and vision insurancePaid Time Off: Receive paid holidays, vacation, and sick time401k with Match: Save for the future with our company-matching 401k programWorld-Class Headquarters: While on-site, enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages, then challenge a friend to a game of pool, table tennis, shuffleboard, or foosballAdjacent Nature Reserve: On-site employees enjoy breathtaking views and adventures that energize and inspireCompany OverviewInductive Automation, a web-based HMI system, provides clients with SQL database-centric OPC-based control and industrial reporting systems. It was founded in 2003, and is headquartered in Sacramento, California, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is http://www.inductiveautomation.com.