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Software Engineering Manager, Google Photos - Job Opportunity at Google

Sydney, Australia
Full-time
Senior
Posted: June 10, 2025
On-site
AUD 180,000 - 220,000 per year based on Google's competitive compensation structure for senior engineering management roles in Sydney's premium tech market

Benefits

Equal opportunity workplace with comprehensive diversity and inclusion initiatives that create a supportive environment for professional growth
Affirmative action employment policies ensuring fair advancement opportunities across all backgrounds
Accommodation support for employees with disabilities or special needs, demonstrating commitment to accessibility
Indigenous reconciliation programs and technology platforms that provide cultural connection and community impact opportunities
International project exposure across multiple sites globally, offering unparalleled career development and cultural experience

Key Responsibilities

Drive organizational alignment by establishing team priorities that directly support company-wide strategic objectives, ensuring maximum impact across Google's ecosystem
Lead talent development through structured performance management, providing individualized coaching that accelerates career progression and team effectiveness
Architect and oversee complex system designs that influence Google Photos' technical direction, directly impacting millions of users worldwide
Maintain engineering excellence standards through comprehensive code review processes that ensure scalability, security, and performance optimization
Shape long-term technical strategy in collaboration with senior leadership, making critical tradeoffs that balance innovation with engineering sustainability

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Experience

8 years of experience with software development in one or more programming languages (e.g., Python, C, C++, Java, JavaScript). 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role; overseeing projects, with 2 years of experience in a people management, supervision/team leadership role

Required Skills

Software development in Python, C, C++, Java, JavaScript Technical leadership and project oversight People management and team leadership Computer vision/graphics Machine learning algorithms Image/video processing algorithms Consumer photography applications Mobile application development
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The global shift toward AI-powered photo and video processing is accelerating, with companies investing heavily in computer vision and machine learning capabilities to enhance user experiences. Google Photos sits at the forefront of this transformation, requiring managers who can navigate the intersection of consumer expectations and cutting-edge technology. Mobile-first photography experiences are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with real-time processing, cloud integration, and intelligent organization features driving competitive differentiation. Engineering managers in this space must balance performance optimization with feature innovation. Privacy-conscious photo storage and processing solutions are becoming critical differentiators as consumers become more aware of data usage. Leaders must guide teams through complex technical implementations that prioritize user privacy while maintaining seamless functionality. Cross-platform synchronization and multi-device experiences are table stakes in the photo sharing market, requiring engineering teams to master distributed systems, real-time data sync, and seamless user experience across web, mobile, and emerging platforms.

Role Significance

Typically manages 15-25 engineers across 2-3 sub-teams, including client-side developers, backend engineers, and machine learning specialists, with indirect influence over broader cross-functional product teams
Senior management position with significant organizational influence, responsible for strategic technical decisions that impact millions of users globally while managing multiple engineering teams across different geographical locations

Key Projects

Large-scale infrastructure migrations affecting photo storage and retrieval systems serving billions of images AI-powered feature development including advanced search capabilities, automatic categorization, and intelligent photo enhancement Cross-platform synchronization improvements ensuring seamless experience across Android, iOS, and web platforms Performance optimization initiatives for mobile applications in emerging markets with limited connectivity

Success Factors

Ability to translate complex technical concepts into strategic business decisions while maintaining engineering excellence standards across globally distributed teams Strong product intuition combined with deep technical knowledge to guide teams through ambiguous problem-solving in the rapidly evolving photo technology landscape Exceptional communication and influence skills to coordinate across multiple stakeholders including product managers, designers, infrastructure teams, and senior leadership Data-driven decision making capabilities to balance user experience improvements with system performance and resource optimization Cultural sensitivity and leadership adaptability to manage diverse international teams while fostering innovation and psychological safety

Market Demand

Extremely high demand driven by limited supply of candidates with both deep technical expertise in computer vision/ML and proven people management experience at scale

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Software development expertise across multiple programming languages is essential as Google Photos requires optimization across diverse platforms and architectures, with performance directly impacting user experience for millions of daily active users Technical leadership experience is crucial for guiding complex system design decisions, architectural tradeoffs, and technology stack choices that will influence the product's scalability and maintainability for years to come People management skills are fundamental for building high-performing engineering teams, fostering innovation culture, and developing talent in Google's fast-paced, results-oriented environment Computer vision and machine learning knowledge is increasingly critical as Google Photos differentiates through AI-powered features like automatic categorization, search functionality, and intelligent photo enhancement capabilities

Beneficial Skills

Advanced knowledge of distributed systems architecture would be valuable for optimizing photo storage, retrieval, and synchronization across Google's global infrastructure Product management experience or strong product intuition would enhance ability to collaborate effectively with product teams and contribute to strategic product decisions Experience with mobile application optimization, particularly for Android and iOS platforms, would support Google's mobile-first strategic direction Background in user experience design or human-computer interaction would strengthen ability to guide technical decisions that directly impact user satisfaction and engagement

Unique Aspects

Direct impact on one of Google's most beloved consumer products, with the opportunity to influence photo and video experiences for over a billion users globally
Integration with Google's broader AI and machine learning ecosystem, providing access to cutting-edge research and computational resources unavailable at most technology companies
Cross-functional collaboration with Google Research, Android, and Cloud Platform teams, offering unique exposure to diverse technical challenges and solutions
Involvement in emerging technology areas including augmented reality, computational photography, and advanced computer vision that will define the next generation of visual computing

Career Growth

Typical progression to Director level within 2-4 years given Google's fast-paced promotion culture and the high-impact nature of consumer product management roles

Potential Next Roles

Senior Engineering Manager overseeing multiple product areas within Google Photos or expanding to Google's broader visual computing initiatives Director of Engineering positions leading larger organizations within Google's consumer products division Principal Engineer roles focusing on technical strategy and architecture across Google's imaging and computer vision platforms Product leadership transitions leveraging deep technical background to drive product strategy in visual computing or AI-powered consumer applications

Company Overview

Google

Google maintains its position as the global leader in internet services and technology innovation, with Google Photos representing one of the most successful consumer applications in the company's portfolio, serving over 1 billion users worldwide with advanced AI-powered photo management capabilities

Dominant market position in photo storage and sharing, competing directly with Apple iCloud, Amazon Photos, and Microsoft OneDrive while setting industry standards for AI-powered photo organization and search capabilities
Sydney office serves as Google's primary Asia-Pacific engineering hub, providing significant autonomy and responsibility for regional product development while maintaining close collaboration with Mountain View headquarters and other global offices
Data-driven, innovation-focused environment emphasizing technical excellence, user impact measurement, and collaborative problem-solving, with strong emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and employee development through internal mobility and learning opportunities
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