Runware delivers AI-as-a-Service at 5–10x lower cost and with higher speed than competitors. Built for scale, the service has already powered 4 billion+ creations for +100K developers and +250M end-users worldwide. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in San Francisco, Runware is backed by Insight Partners and a16z.

Runware

Run any AI model with Runware, at the lowest cost. Pay less, build more.

We're looking for an Engineering Manager to lead and grow our core engineering teams.

This is a hands-on leadership role sitting at the intersection of people management, delivery, and technical decision-making. You're a hands on manager comfortable going deep into technical discussions, challenging designs, and helping the team make the right trade-offs.

You'll be responsible for building a high-performing team, ensuring predictable delivery, maintaining engineering quality, and partnering closely with Product, DevOps, and other engineering leaders to scale Runware's platform.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

 Lead, mentor, and grow a team of engineers in a fast-scaling environment  Create a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement  Support individual growth through regular 1:1s, feedback, and coaching  Participate in hiring, onboarding, and performance management 

Delivery & Execution

 Own team execution: planning, prioritization, and delivery of engineering work  Ensure projects are delivered on time, with high quality and clear ownership  Identify risks early and proactively remove blockers  Balance speed, reliability, and technical debt in a pragmatic way 

Technical & Architectural Oversight

 Act as a technical sounding board on system design, architecture, and trade-offs  Ensure backend systems are scalable, reliable, and performant  Promote best practices around code quality, testing, observability, and security  Partner closely with other teams like DevOps and Product to align technical direction 

Cross-functional Collaboration

 Work closely with Product, DevOps, ML and other teams to ensure strong alignment  Translate business and product goals into clear engineering execution plans  Communicate clearly and proactively in a fully remote environment

Requirements

 8+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 3 years in an engineering management or tech lead role  Strong backend background (PHP, Python, Go, Rust or similar), with solid understanding of distributed systems  Proven experience leading teams and delivering complex technical projects end-to-end  Comfortable discussing system design, APIs, performance, and scalability  Experience with modern engineering practices: CI/CD, testing, code reviews, monitoring  Strong people leadership skills: empathy, clarity, and the ability to raise the bar without burning teams out  Excellent communication skills and ability to operate autonomously in a remote setup 

Nice to Have

 Experience working on high-scale platforms, infrastructure, or developer-facing APIs  Exposure to AI/ML platforms, inference systems, or performance-critical workloads  Previous experience in fast-growing startups or scale-ups 

Benefits

We're a remote-first collective, meeting in person twice a year to plan, brainstorm, celebrate wins, and enjoy some face-to-face time. We have core hours for cooperative working and calls, but outside of that your calendar is yours. Work the hours that let you perform at your peak while also building a healthy life.

Our release cycles are fast and intense, but they're followed by real downtime. After big pushes we expect the team to unplug, recharge, and come back ready & stronger than ever for the next leap.

 Generous paid time off - vacation, sick days, public holidays Meaningful stock options - share in the upside you create Remote-first setup - work from home anywhere we can employ you Flexible hours - own your schedule outside core collaboration blocks Family leave - paid maternity, paternity, and caregiver time Company retreats - twice-yearly gatherings in inspiring locations

Please note: We are unable to offer visa sponsorship in the UK at this time. Candidates must have existing right to work in the UK.