Staff Technical Program Manager, Infrastructure

Staff Technical Program Manager, Infrastructure at Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. is a technology company driven by the belief that the camera enhances how people live and communicate. Our mission is to empower self-expression, promote living in the moment, facilitate learning about the world, and foster fun together. Snap's core products include Snapchat, a visual messaging app; Lens Studio, an augmented reality platform; and Spectacles, our AR glasses.

At Snap, the Technical Program Manager (TPM) role is not a traditional project coordinator position. Instead, it is a strategic, high-leverage leadership role for technically profound operators who excel at the intersection of software engineering, machine learning, data analytics, and program execution. Snap TPMs serve as single-threaded owners of large-scale, high-stakes, and often ambiguous programs, combining deep engineering knowledge with precise execution. They build trust across the company by delivering outcomes that power our core products and infrastructure. Unlike typical industry TPMs, Snap TPMs are hands-on contributors, proficient in writing Python notebooks, building dashboards, and developing automation tools. They collaborate closely with engineering leaders to define technical roadmaps, make architectural trade-offs, and drive the business's operational rhythm. The most successful TPMs quickly grasp new concepts, navigate complex technical challenges, and adapt to fast-paced environments. This role is ideal for former engineers or data scientists who have transitioned into program leadership while retaining their strong technical capabilities.

Our interview process reflects the technical rigor and strategic impact expected of Staff Technical Program Managers, Infrastructure at Snap Inc. Unlike standard program management interviews, our process evaluates candidates' ability to think like engineers and act like owners. The process begins with an introductory conversation with the hiring manager, followed by a technical screen covering core program execution and engineering fundamentals. Candidates then complete a hands-on data analytics assessment via HackerRank, where they write executable Python and SQL code to solve real-world data problems. The final stage is a virtual onsite, which includes a program leadership presentation and three 1:1 interviews with senior leaders across Snap. Throughout this process, we assess communication, collaboration skills, technical fluency, first-principles thinking, and the ability to drive strategic outcomes in complex, ambiguous environments.

What You'll Do:

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs across multiple engineering organizations, requiring deep technical understanding, rigorous execution, and strategic influence.
• Operate as a single-threaded owner (STO) for critical programs, managing ambiguity, dependencies, and alignment across diverse technical teams.
• Own the full program lifecycle, from ideation through execution to operational excellence, delivering outcomes that support Snap’s product, infrastructure, and platform goals.
• Partner directly with engineering and product leadership to shape roadmaps, influence technical decisions, and drive accountability.
• Utilize hands-on data analytics (Python, SQL, dashboards, notebooks) to guide programs, uncover insights, and communicate clearly with senior stakeholders.
• Contribute to Snap’s technical ecosystem by building automation tools, improving internal systems, and identifying opportunities for platform-wide transformation.
• Work across both development programs (spanning multiple orgs with complex interdependencies) and platform excellence programs (focused on reliability, efficiency, and performance).
• Drive the operating rhythm of the business, ensuring engineering systems scale effectively while remaining cost-conscious and performant.
• Mentor and grow other junior TPMs and Engineers to scale the performance of the organization.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's in a technical field such as computer science, mathematics, statistics or equivalent years of experience.
• 11+ years of experience spanning Engineering / Data Science / Technical Program Management leading cross-functional efforts in the software or tech industry in a data-driven environment.
• 6+ years of experience in Technical Program Management.
• A proven track record of leading large-scale, ambiguous programs across distributed teams in fast-paced, cross-functional environments, especially in the areas of improving platform reliability, operational stability and performance of production systems.
• Strong proficiency with Python and SQL, and experience using data to analyze systems, build tools, or inform decisions.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g. Grafana, Looker, Tableau) building dashboards, source control (e.g. GitHub), ticket management (e.g. JIRA).
• Experience working directly with engineers and contributing to technical design, architectural trade-offs, and roadmap planning.
• Comfort operating with high visibility and accountability; you thrive on ownership and impact.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new domains, systems, and technologies.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A background in software engineering, machine learning, or infrastructure systems.
• Prior hands-on experience with big data technologies such as Spark, Airflow, Hive, Kafka, or Flink.
• Familiarity with cloud-native infrastructure (e.g., AWS, GCP) and containerization tools like Kubernetes or Docker.
• Deep understanding of ML development workflows, model lifecycle management, or experimentation frameworks.
• Background in building internal tools or developer platforms to improve engineering velocity and system reliability.
• Experience managing production systems, reliability initiatives, or cost optimization programs.
• Exposure to high-scale consumer technology or social platforms with strong privacy, performance, or safety requirements.
• Strong storytelling and presentation skills—especially with senior engineering or executive audiences.
• Masters or PhD in a highly analytical field.

Key Skills/Competency:

• Technical Program Management
• Infrastructure Systems
• Cross-functional Leadership
• Data Analytics
• Python & SQL
• Cloud Computing (AWS/GCP)
• System Reliability
• Operational Excellence
• Architectural Planning
• Stakeholder Management