Software Engineering Manager (Player-Coach)

Description

About the Role

RTA is looking for a hands-on Engineering Manager to lead a team of talented full-stack engineers building and scaling our modern Fleet Management Information System (FMIS) SaaS platform.

This is a player-coach role: approximately 50% hands-on engineering and 50% leadership. You’ll design and ship production software while leading a team of 5–8 engineers to deliver reliable, scalable features that help fleets operate more efficiently.

You will report directly to the Head of Engineering and play a key role in shaping our engineering culture, technical standards, team growth, and the future of a modern SaaS platform that is replacing a 30-year legacy system. In a growing engineering organization of our size, your leadership and technical decisions will have meaningful, visible impact.

While familiarity with our technology stack is helpful, what matters most to us is strong engineering judgment and exceptional problem-solving ability. We’re looking for someone who understands software design deeply, recognizes sound patterns and dangerous anti-patterns, and consistently makes thoughtful technical decisions that stand the test of time.

We also believe strongly in the power of AI as a tool in the engineering toolbox. We are looking for someone who is curious about emerging tools, open to experimenting with AI to improve how software gets built, and thoughtful about where it can create real value. We view AI as a tool to enhance strong engineers—not replace them.

If you’re the kind of engineer who raises the bar everywhere you go—code quality, architecture, team effectiveness, engineering culture, and thoughtful adoption of new tools—we’d love to talk.

What You'll Do

• Lead a High-Performing Engineering Team
• Manage and develop 5–8 full-stack engineers
• Conduct regular 1:1s, coaching, and career development
• Participate in hiring, performance management, and team growth
• Foster a culture that reflects RTA’s Humble, Hungry, Smart values while maintaining a high bar for engineering craftsmanship and excellence
• Encourage thoughtful experimentation with tools, including AI-assisted workflows, that can improve engineering effectiveness without compromising quality
• Build and Ship Software (~50% Hands-On)
• Solve complex engineering problems and design thoughtful full-stack solutions that are scalable, maintainable, and built to last
• Write clean, maintainable production code that sets the standard for the team
• Review pull requests and mentor engineers on writing excellent software
• Lead architectural discussions and contribute to technical decisions that shape the future evolution of the RTA platform
• Dive into complex technical challenges and production issues when they arise
• Explore practical ways to use AI tools to improve development workflows, accelerate iteration, and support better engineering outcomes
• Shape the Future of Engineering at RTA
• Influence the technical direction and architecture of our SaaS platform
• Raise the bar for code quality, system design, and engineering discipline
• Help the team deliver more effectively while maintaining the high standards our customers rely on
• Create an environment where engineers can do the best work of their careers
• Help identify and champion modern tools and approaches—including AI where it makes sense—that can meaningfully improve team productivity and product quality
• Collaborate Across the Organization
• Partner closely with Product, QA, and DevOps teams to bring ideas to life
• Contribute engineering perspective during solution design and planning
• Help teams converge on thoughtful technical approaches that balance customer value, system design, and long-term maintainability
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders across engineering and the business

Our Technology Stack

• Our engineers operate primarily as full-stack developers, and this role is no exception. The team works across a modern SaaS platform using technologies including Node.js, TypeScript, TypeORM, Microsoft SQL Server, Elasticsearch, Vue.js, Flutter, and event-driven architecture.
• You do not need deep experience in every part of our stack to be successful here. What matters most is your ability to learn quickly, solve hard problems, make sound technical decisions, and apply strong software design principles across the full stack. That said, candidates with experience building and scaling production SaaS applications in similar environments will stand out.
• We also value engineers who are comfortable exploring modern tooling—including AI-assisted development tools—with good judgment, curiosity, and a focus on practical results.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience
• 2+ years leading engineers as a team lead, tech lead, or engineering manager
• Strong experience designing and delivering production-grade full-stack applications in a SaaS or enterprise-scale environment
• Proven ability to build and scale distributed backend systems and APIs used in production
• Exceptional problem-solving ability and a track record of making sound technical decisions in complex systems
• Deep understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and common engineering anti-patterns
• Experience mentoring engineers and improving team effectiveness
• Ability to balance technical leadership with people leadership
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate cross-functionally
• Openness to using AI as a practical engineering tool and good judgment about where it adds value

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

You’re someone who:

• Takes pride in craftsmanship and writes production code that other engineers aspire to emulate
• Has exceptional problem-solving instincts and can navigate complex technical challenges with confidence
• Understands software architecture deeply, including design patterns, tradeoffs, and common anti-patterns
• Makes sound technical decisions that balance long-term maintainability with practical delivery
• Raises the engineering bar everywhere you go
• Mentors engineers and helps them do the best work of their careers
• Embraces useful new tools—including AI—with curiosity, pragmatism, and sound judgment
• Thrives in an environment that values ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
• We’re looking for someone who is not just a strong engineer, but the kind of engineer who makes the entire team better.

Our Culture

At RTA, our culture is built around being Humble, Hungry, and Smart.

We value engineers who:

• Care deeply about their craft
• Take ownership of outcomes
• Collaborate well with others
• Continuously improve themselves and their teams
• We also value people who stay curious, keep learning, and are eager to explore better ways of working—including thoughtful use of AI and emerging technologies where they can create meaningful impact.
• We believe the best engineering teams combine strong technical skills with strong character.
• Why Join RTA?
• RTA is a profitable, stable, and growing SaaS company serving fleets across North America.
• Our software helps organizations manage the vehicles that move communities and critical services — from school buses and ambulances to transit systems and delivery fleets.
• We are currently experiencing ~30% year-over-year growth with ambitious plans for the next several years.
• For the right engineering leader, this role offers:
• The opportunity to shape a modern SaaS platform replacing a 30-year legacy system
• A seat at the table to influence architecture, engineering culture, and hiring
• The chance to make a meaningful impact in a growing organization where your decisions matter
• A stable company with long-term growth potential
• If you're a strong engineer who enjoys leading people, building great software, and exploring better ways to work, you'll find a lot of room to grow here.

About Us
RTA has been established since 1979 and has the reputation of providing the best customer service in the market. Our purpose is to help fleets succeed. We pride ourselves on creating a caring, family-oriented atmosphere for both staff and clients, and love that our work makes a positive impact on all the lives we touch. Our clients carry kids in school buses, first responders in emergency vehicles, patients in ambulances, food and medical supplies in trucks, and people just taking the bus or train to work. We do meaningful work, and we want our clients to have the best tools available to them.  Our office spaces are open, spacious, and colorful, with an abundance of natural light. We come together often as a company to enjoy freshly baked desserts or awesome lunches, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. We offer some pretty unique perks and benefits, as well as all the standard ones.

Salary: $160,000 - $190,000 per year

Heading to RTA HQ?

Coming from the east side? You’ll enjoy waving at the traffic going the other way while never having to stare at the blinding sun. It only takes about 25 minutes to get here from downtown Scottsdale in the mornings. We are located close to Arrowhead Mall, with quick access to the 101 from multiple directions. If all of this sounds like you, and your type of company, then click apply! Seriously, we’ve asked you five times, and you are still reading.  

Reasonable accommodation statement
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the role, or to access other employment benefits, please let us know.

Physical and travel requirements (with reasonable accommodation)
This role typically involves the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time and to work at a computer for prolonged periods. This role may also require minimal travel, up to 10% of the time, based on business needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

RTA is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.