Staff Software Engineer - Android Mobile, Otter - Los Angeles

Otter•Los Angeles, CA

7d•$213,000 - $269,250•Onsite

About The Position

We're seeking Staff Android Engineers who thrive in ambiguity, embrace a fast-paced environment, and want to work across the stack—from platform architecture to product-facing apps.

Requirements

10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with significant depth in Android development
Expert-level proficiency in Kotlin and the Android ecosystem
Strong experience designing and evolving modular, scalable mobile systems, using MVVM, MVI, or similar patterns
Proven track record of leading complex technical projects that span multiple teams or systems
Deep understanding of mobile performance, reliability, and observability, including debugging production issues at scale
Strong testing mindset, with experience defining testing strategies (unit, integration, end-to-end) for mobile platforms
Experience collaborating closely with backend teams on API design and system contracts
Comfortable operating in ambiguous problem spaces, bringing structure, clarity, and technical direction
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence without authority and align stakeholders around technical decisions
A product-oriented mindset, balancing technical excellence with real customer impact in a fast-paced environment
Proficiency utilizing AI-assisted development tools (such as Cursor and Claude Code) to enhance delivery speed, automate repetitive tasks, and ensure consistently high code quality.

Responsibilities

Lead the technical direction and architecture of complex Android initiatives across Otter’s mobile ecosystem
Own end-to-end delivery of high-impact features, from early technical design through launch, iteration, and long-term maintenance
Partner closely with Product, Design, Backend, and Infra teams to shape product strategy and technical roadmaps, especially for cross-team or cross-platform efforts
Drive mobile platform scalability, performance, reliability, and quality, proactively identifying architectural gaps and proposing long-term solutions
Set and evolve best practices for Android development, including architecture patterns, testing strategy, CI/CD, and observability
Provide technical mentorship and guidance to other Android engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and informal coaching
Lead architecture discussions and make high-leverage technical decisions that balance speed, quality, and future extensibility
Act as a technical owner and multiplier, unblocking teams, reducing complexity, and raising the overall engineering bar