Staff Software Engineer, AI Platform

eBay • Toronto, ON

28d • Hybrid

About The Position

At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader — we’re changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We’re committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts. Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work — every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet. Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers — and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all. About the team and the role: This role sits within eBay’s engineering organization in Toronto, Ontario (Hybrid) and is focused on building a next-generation AI-powered platform that transforms how software is designed, developed, and delivered at scale. Our Platform Engineering team builds and operates core backend systems that power AI-driven workflows and developer-facing capabilities, enabling product teams across eBay to ship faster with higher quality. As a Staff Software Engineer – Backend, you will be a senior technical leader for critical platform services, driving architectural decisions, leading complex cross-team initiatives, and elevating engineering standards. You will partner closely with product, data, and engineering leaders while mentoring engineers across the organization, all within a collaborative culture that values ownership, thoughtful collaboration, continuous learning, and sustainable work/life balance.

Requirements

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, including a proven track record designing, building, and operating large-scale backend systems in production.
• Strong proficiency in one or more backend languages (such as Java, Go, Python, or similar) and deep experience with distributed systems, microservices, and cloud-native development.
• Hands-on expertise with databases (SQL and/or NoSQL), messaging systems, API design, and modern cloud platforms (for example AWS, GCP, or Azure) including container orchestration with Kubernetes.
• Demonstrated strength in system design, debugging, and performance optimization, with the ability to make thoughtful trade-offs between speed, quality, and long-term scalability.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction without direct authority, collaborating effectively with engineering, product, and business partners and communicating clearly with technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in platform or developer tooling systems and/or familiarity with AI/ML-driven or workflow-based platforms is a plus; this role is based in Toronto, Ontario with a hybrid work model and may require occasional flexibility for key collaboration moments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of large-scale backend and platform services that power AI-driven workflows, directly improving developer productivity and product delivery across eBay.
• Define and evolve backend architectures with a strong focus on scalability, reliability, and maintainability, influencing long-term platform direction and technical strategy.
• Drive cross-functional technical initiatives with product, data, and partner engineering teams, aligning priorities and de-risking complex, multi-system projects from design through production.
• Raise the bar on engineering practices by championing high standards for code quality, testing, observability, automation, and operational excellence across the platform stack.
• Improve system performance, resilience, and cost efficiency by strengthening monitoring, incident response, and root-cause analysis for production systems.
• Mentor engineers at multiple levels, growing technical leadership within the team and fostering a culture of learning, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a target bonus and restricted stock units (as applicable) in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including RRSP eligibility, various paid time off benefits, such as PTO and parental leave).
• Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees