[Remote] Manager, Software Engineering

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Cast & Crew is a leading provider of technology and services for the global entertainment industry, seeking a hands-on Engineering Manager to lead a critical product engineering team. The role involves modernizing a legacy platform, overseeing the full modernization roadmap, and establishing robust software development practices while ensuring production stability and team development.ResponsibilitiesLead the migration from legacy Java/Spring (non-Boot) to Spring Boot, establishing modular service boundaries, externalized configuration, and modern dependency managementSystematically refactor business logic currently embedded in SQL Server stored procedures into well-tested application-layer code, improving testability, portability, and developer comprehensionDefine and execute the front-end migration from JSP pages to a modern component-based UI stack (React preferred), including API contract design between the new front end and back-end servicesUpgrade the reporting system from its current legacy platform to a modern reporting solution, coordinating with stakeholders to preserve report fidelity while improving maintainability and performanceEstablish architectural guardrails (ADRs, tech radar, code-review standards) that keep modernization coherent across the teamTriage and prioritize the existing backlog of production defects; create a transparent burn-down plan with clear ownership and SLAsImplement a structured incident-response process: severity definitions, on-call rotation, blameless post-mortems, and follow-through on corrective actionsDrive root-cause analysis for recurring production issues and convert findings into permanent fixes rather than repeated band-aidsEstablish production readiness reviews for all releases to prevent regression and reduce escaped defectsStand up a complete software development lifecycle: version-control workflow (branching strategy, PR reviews), automated build/test pipelines, artifact management, environment promotion, and release managementIntroduce or mature CI/CD tooling so that every merge triggers automated unit, integration, and smoke tests before reaching productionImplement comprehensive monitoring and observability: application metrics, log aggregation, alerting thresholds, dashboards, and distributed tracing where appropriateDefine and enforce code-quality gates (static analysis, test coverage minimums, security scanning) in the pipelineDocument runbooks, on-call procedures, and operational playbooks so the team can respond to issues without depending on tribal knowledgeManage, coach, and grow a team of software engineers; conduct regular 1:1s, provide timely feedback, and support career developmentBuild a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and psychological safety where engineers feel empowered to raise concerns and propose better approachesPartner with recruiting to attract strong engineering talent — the modernization story is a selling point, so articulate the vision compellinglyCollaborate cross-functionally with Product, QA, Data, and Infrastructure teams to align priorities and dependenciesCommunicate progress, risks, and trade-offs clearly to senior leadership; provide regular, data-backed status on modernization milestones and production healthSkills7+ years of professional software engineering experience, including at least 2 years in a people-management or technical-lead role with direct reportsDeep hands-on experience with Java and the Spring ecosystem; direct experience migrating from legacy Spring (XML-config, WAR deployments) to Spring BootStrong SQL and relational-database skills, with demonstrated experience refactoring stored-procedure-heavy architectures into application-layer logicProduction experience with modern front-end frameworks (React strongly preferred; Vue or Angular acceptable) and familiarity with API-first front-end/back-end integration patternsTrack record of setting up or significantly improving CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and monitoring/observability stacksProven ability to manage competing priorities: simultaneous production firefighting and strategic modernizationStrong communication skills — comfortable presenting roadmaps and trade-offs to both engineers and senior business stakeholdersExperience in payroll, financial services, or other regulated/high-accuracy domains where data correctness is non-negotiableFamiliarity with reporting-platform migrations (e.g., Crystal Reports, SSRS, Jasper, Stimulsoft, or similar) and understanding of pixel-perfect document generation requirementsHands-on experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud platforms (AWS or Azure)Familiarity with Agile/Scrum at a practical level — not ceremony for ceremony's sake, but effective sprint planning, backlog grooming, and retrospectivesBenefitsMedicalDentalVisionPTOHealth and wellness programsEmployee discountsCompany OverviewCast & Crew began modestly as a small business that provided payroll services to the commercial and the music business. It was founded in 1976, and is headquartered in Burbank, California, USA, with a workforce of 501-1000 employees. Its website is http://www.castandcrew.com.Company H1B SponsorshipCast & Crew has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 6 in 2025, 2 in 2024, 3 in 2023, 7 in 2022, 5 in 2021, 11 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.