Engineering Manager- Platform (Hybrid)

Engineering Manager - Platform (Lehi, Utah)

Who are we?

Kuali builds software solutions for higher education. We help our customers - colleges & universities - focus on providing a fantastic education to students by decreasing their administrative costs. We work in a competitive space, ripe for innovation, with users ready to be delighted.

Our Culture

As a company, we are guided by our cultural values:

Iterate to evolve

Cultivate openness

Act with accountability

Assume the best

Practice humility

Deliver amazing experiences As Kuali employees, we learn from and teach each other, we practice transparency and empathy, and we delight in delivering value to our customers, and we WIN!

We work remotely, and have for years. Distributed work is in our bones, with a history of institutions working across state lines on open-source software for more than ten years. Our employees each work in the environment where they're happiest, from Pennsylvania to Seattle. We work consciously to create a collaborative and healthy remote work culture, and we travel to meet in person a few times each year. We feel it's important for employees to come to work refreshed and ready for the week so we have a four day work week policy, Monday-Thursday.

Everyone should love their work.

At Kuali, we work hard and we play hard. With a four-day work week (Monday-Thursday) and "No-Meeting Tuesdays" for focused time, we prioritize balance and productivity. Although this is a hybrid position, for those who can work in our Lehi, UT office at least twice a week. Kuali is a very remote-friendly organization. With this position, we aim to provide a "best of both worlds" opportunity that will allow you to connect in person with your coworkers while also having the flexibility to work remotely as needed.

Kuali is proud to have been recognized as a top workplace by the Salt Lake Tribune for 9 years, honored on Forbes' list of America's Best Startup Employers in 2020, and recently named one of TIME Magazine's World's Top EdTech Companies. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level, valuing the diverse perspectives that fuel our success and enrich our community.

Minimum Requirements

As a Senior Software Engineer, you have:

At least 8 years in software engineering

At least 3 years in an engineering management role

Extensive experience working on large-scale SaaS web applications (millions of requests per day)

Strong technical skills in software architecture, database design and infrastructure Description

As an Engineering Manager at Kuali, you'll lead one of our software engineering teams. You will guide your team in owning their services end-to-end-from writing code and tests to deploying, monitoring, and operating those systems in production. You'll play a critical role in cultivating a culture of getting things done as quickly as possible while meeting our engineering standards.

You'll coach your team through the practice of building well-run services that are useful, fast, secure, and dependable-not just delivering code, but delivering value. You'll encourage a mindset that values test automation, sustainable delivery pipelines, and observability.

You'll be expected to model and promote strong technical practices, supporting up-front quality investment, and managing technical debt proactively. You'll help your team balance pragmatism and precision in their work, ensuring thoughtful trade-offs aligned with product and customer goals.

Our tech stack includes React.js, Node.js, Elixir, and MongoDB. While you don't need to be an expert in all of them, your ability to support and guide engineers working across a variety of platforms will be valuable. Our teams practice Continuous Delivery, and while we're not dogmatic about Agile, we are committed to its core values-especially the 12 principles of the original Agile Manifesto.

We support a prioritized, focused 4-day work week and believe that sustainable development and speed are not mutually exclusive. As a manager, you'll help your team strike the right balance-moving quickly when it matters most, without compromising long-term health or quality. You'll shield your team from unnecessary deadlines, promote a culture of focused, high-impact work, and ensure that urgency never turns into burnout. We don't romanticize overwork-"free dinner at work" is an anti-pattern, not a perk.

Expectations

You are a seasoned engineering leader with an extensive background in large scale SaaS application engineering. You enjoy leading teams that build with modern tools and practices.

When your team takes on a project-whether it's ambitious or mundane-you foster a culture of ownership and accountability, ensuring the work is completed with speed, care and excellence.

You set the tone for team culture. It's clear to everyone that you find joy in both the work and the people around you, and you encourage that same energy in your team.

You care deeply about the well-being and growth of your team. You lead with empathy and actively reflect on how your actions and decisions affect others.

You believe that clear, consistent communication is your most critical responsibility. You work to ensure context, alignment, and intent are never lost-up, down, and across the org.

You prioritize delivering useful software and reliable systems that serve your users, your business, and your teammates effectively.

You are mindful of your team's time and energy. You advocate for purposeful meetings, clarity in process, and reducing overhead that doesn't add value.

You balance flexibility with discernment. You're willing to adapt to tools, people, or processes when doing so serves the broader goals-but you're not afraid to push back when needed.

You make pragmatic technology and architecture decisions that support long-term success. You encourage thoughtful experimentation, but resist novelty for novelty's sake.

You don't seek validation through authority. You're comfortable owning mistakes and giving others space to shine. You lead with humility and integrity.

You believe that leadership means building others up. You actively mentor and coach with intent, and you continuously seek to learn from your team, your peers, and your experiences. Perks

Hybrid with Flexibility

4 day, 32-hour work week (we call Thursday's "Kuali Friday")

Top-of-the-line equipment of your choice to get your job done

An exceptional benefits package including...

full premium coverage for employee and dependent medical and dental care

zero deductible

401(k) matching (4%)

Paid Maternity/Parental leave

All the paid time off you need (just work it out with your manager)

Encouragement and support in learning and improving your skill-sets

Space to work on self-driven projects during quarterly "hack weeks"

Company retreats to connect, recharge, and collaborate