The Trade Desk seeks a Staff-level technical leader to define the vision and architecture for its partner-facing platform. Responsibilities include designing scalable systems with federated GraphQL, RESTful APIs, SDKs, micro-frontends, and developer tools; hands-on coding in TypeScript/React and C#/.NET; establishing standards for APIs, security, privacy, reliability, and observability; simplifying partner onboarding and integration; and guiding cross-team architectural decisions. The role requires partnering with product, design, and engineering teams to shape roadmaps and delivery plans, breaking down complex problems, driving alignment, and improving platform health metrics. The candidate will mentor engineers, lead by example, and foster an inclusive engineering culture. Requirements include 10+ years of software engineering experience, leadership of complex initiatives, expertise in distributed systems, cloud platforms, API design (especially GraphQL), frontend and backend development, and strong communication skills. Benefits include comprehensive healthcare, retirement plans, disability and life insurance, tuition reimbursement, parental leave, paid time off, stock-based compensation, and an employee stock purchase plan. Salary range is $137,300 to $251,800 USD.
What you'll do
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Define technical vision and architectural roadmap for partner-facing platform
Lead design of scalable platform including federated GraphQL, RESTful APIs, SDKs, modular micro-frontends, integration workflows, developer tools, and web experiences
Make hands-on contributions via prototypes, production code, architecture and code reviews in TypeScript/React front ends and C#/.NET GraphQL services
Establish standards for schema and API consistency, backward compatibility, authorization, security, privacy, reliability, observability, Kubernetes operations, and SQL data modeling
Simplify partner journey from discovery through onboarding, testing, certification, launch, and optimization
Turn shared needs across advertisers, data providers, publishers, and sellers into reusable platform services and front-end components
Guide cross-team decisions on schema governance, platform tooling, and architecture balancing usability, scalability, reliability, security, privacy, and delivery speed
Partner with Product Management, Design, and engineering teams to shape roadmap, technical approach, and delivery priorities
Break down ambiguous, cross-team problems into clear technical plans, milestones, dependencies, and risks
Drive alignment across contributing and consuming teams, communicating technical decisions and trade-offs clearly
Define and improve measures of platform health and partner success including integration time, adoption, API reliability, and developer experience
Promote high standards for production readiness, operational ownership, and continuous improvement
Raise engineering bar through design and code reviews, technical mentorship, and practical guidance
Coach engineers in system design, debugging, delivery, and operating services in production
Lead by example as a trusted, hands-on technical partner helping teams solve difficult problems and make durable decisions
Foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where engineers share knowledge, challenge assumptions constructively, and take ownership of outcomes
Requirements
Sustained record of leading complex, high-impact software initiatives from definition through production operation
Act as a Staff-level technical authority while contributing directly to the codebase
Experience leading engineers with different levels of experience and helping senior engineers and technical leads grow
Led initiatives involving several engineering and business teams, especially shared platform decisions affecting multiple teams
Ability to turn ambiguous product vision into coherent architecture and executable delivery plan
Strong knowledge of distributed systems, cloud platforms, service-oriented architecture, and modern software delivery practices
Experience designing durable APIs, especially GraphQL including federation and schema evolution, REST or event-driven interfaces
Experienced in modern frontend development with TypeScript, React, component-driven architecture, and data-rich SPAs
Proficient in C# and TypeScript/JavaScript, comfortable with SQL and relational data modeling
Understanding of developer needs integrating with external platforms including authentication, authorization, documentation, testing, versioning, observability, and supportability
Ability to evaluate technical trade-offs involving usability, scalability, reliability, security, privacy, and delivery speed
Effective communication with engineers, product leaders, commercial stakeholders, and external partners
Leadership with confidence and low ego, advocating well-reasoned decisions and openness to competing perspectives
Significant professional software engineering experience, typically 10+ years or equivalent technical impact
Experience managing engineers or comparable people leadership
Degree in computer science or related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
Comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependentsRetirement benefits including 401k plan and company matchShort and long-term disability coverageBasic life insuranceWell-being benefitsReimbursement for certain tuition expensesParental leaveSick time of 1 hour per 30 hours workedVacation time up to 120 hours in first year and 160 hours thereafter for full-time employeesAround 13 paid holidays per yearEligibility for stock-based compensation grantsVariable compensation-based incentives and commissions depending on roleEmployee Stock Purchase Plan with discounted stock purchase
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