What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Software Engineering position at Petco?
About the Role
As a Front-End Engineering Leader at Petco, you’ll guide the technical vision, architecture, and execution of our customer-facing digital products—including Petco.com, our mobile web experience, and other connected commerce platforms.
You’ll lead a talented team of front-end engineers, championing best practices in React.js, Node.js, and Next.js, while building performant, accessible, and engaging experiences that help pet parents connect more deeply with their pets.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of technical strategy, engineering excellence, and team mentorship.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the front-end engineering strategy and execution across Petco’s digital ecosystem.
- Define, evolve, and enforce best practices for front-end architecture, component libraries, and performance optimization.
- Collaborate closely with Product, UX, and Backend teams to deliver seamless and scalable user experiences.
- Guide architectural decisions on frameworks, libraries, and tooling—balancing innovation with long-term stability.
- Manage, mentor, and grow a team of front-end engineers; foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and accountability.
- Partner with backend teams on Node.js services and integrations to ensure end-to-end system efficiency.
- Drive initiatives around site performance, accessibility, observability, and maintainability.
- Influence Petco’s technology roadmap and advocate for technical investments that support scalability and innovation.
- Oversee engineering processes to ensure timely and high-quality delivery across multiple cross-functional teams.
- Collaborate with leadership to align technical direction with business goals and customer needs.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field—or equivalent experience.
- 12 years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership or management role.
- Deep expertise in React.js, Node.js, and Next.js in high-traffic, large-scale environments (preferably e-commerce).
- Proven experience designing and implementing front-end architecture for modern web applications.
- Hands-on experience with AWS, CI/CD pipelines, and application observability tools.
- Strong understanding of web performance, SEO, accessibility (WCAG), and responsive design principles.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills; able to align technical vision across engineering and business stakeholders.
- Passionate about Petco’s mission—and motivated to build technology that improves lives for pets and their parents.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- Purpose-driven work that directly impacts the health and happiness of pets and their families.
- A collaborative, inclusive environment where you’re encouraged to bring your whole self to work.
- Opportunities for continuous learning, leadership development, and career growth.
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and perks that support your wellbeing