Distinguished Architect

Who we are 

At Twilio, we’re shaping the future of communications, all from the comfort of our homes. We deliver innovative solutions to hundreds of thousands of businesses and empower millions of developers worldwide to craft personalized customer experiences.

Our dedication to remote-first work, and strong culture of connection and global inclusion means that no matter your location, you’re part of a vibrant team with diverse experiences making a global impact each day. As we continue to revolutionize how the world interacts, we’re acquiring new skills and experiences that make work feel truly rewarding. Your career at Twilio is in your hands.

See yourself at Twilio

Join the team as Twilio’s Distinguished Architect focused on building our Next Generation Set of Products and Capabilities across the Twilio Platform. 

About the job

The successful candidate for this critical role will serve as a strategic leader, reporting directly to the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Engineering. This individual will play a vital part in expanding our product capabilities and platform primitives to support innovative customer use cases, harnessing data and contextual insights to bring these new features to life. Additionally, they will contribute to elevating the standards of excellence across the R&D organization by driving improvements within the Engineering teams, while also helping shape future strategic areas for Twilio.

Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll:

• Define and drive the strategic vision with senior leadership to craft and refine the strategy for the Platform Experiences team and Twilio Platform.
• Establish standards, architect, and develop scalable, fault-tolerant, and efficient distributed systems to support platform operations, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Collaborate closely with different teams (both technical and non-technical), fostering a clear understanding of project objectives and expected outcomes.
• Debug and resolve the most complex issues in distributed systems, addressing challenges which are critical to our customer to resolve in a timely fashion.
• Stay abreast of cutting-edge developments in technology and explore how these can be leveraged within our current and future products or processes.
• Mentor senior and principal engineers, conduct code reviews, and foster a culture of collaboration and technical excellence.
• Set industry standards for innovation and best practices.

Qualifications 

Not all applicants will have skills that match a job description exactly. Twilio values diverse experiences in other industries, and we encourage everyone who meets the required qualifications to apply. While having “desired” qualifications make for a strong candidate, we encourage applicants with alternative experiences to also apply. If your career is just starting or hasn't followed a traditional path, don't let that stop you from considering Twilio. We are always looking for people who will bring something new to the table!

*Required:

• Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and lead organizations through complex architectural transformations.
• Skilled at balancing long-term strategies and execution with short-term business priorities, enabling pragmatic and sustainable solutions.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to a varied audience.
• Ability to handle and balance multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated track record of being fully accountable for outcomes, with a demonstrated ability to think strategically and optimize for the greater company.
• High level of comfort engaging simultaneously with both the front line engineers and product managers, as well at the executive team to resolve disputes, dispense guidance, and negotiate the art of the possible
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively articulate security and identity concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong collaborator, able to influence without authority and build productive relationships across engineering, security, product, and business teams.
• Proven ability to mentor and grow engineering talent while maintaining a high standard of excellence.
• Knowledge of large-scale, multi-product portfolio systems which are designed to support diverse business applications, and maintain high performance, scalability, and reliability.

Desired:

• 15+ years of software development experience.
• BA/BS degree in computer science or similar degree. 

Location:

This role will be remote and based in the US. 

Travel 

We prioritize connection and opportunities to build relationships with our customers and each other. For this role, approximately 25% travel is anticipated to help you connect in-person in a meaningful way. 

What We Offer

Working at Twilio offers many benefits, including competitive pay, generous time off, ample parental and wellness leave, healthcare, a retirement savings program, and much more. Offerings vary by location.

Compensation

*Please note this role is open to candidates outside of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington D.C., and Washington State. The information below is provided for candidates hired in those locations only.

The estimated pay ranges for this role are as follows:

• Based in Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, Washington D.C., New York, New Jersey, Washington State, or California: $318,100 - $397,600.
• This role may be eligible to participate in Twilio’s equity plan and corporate bonus plan. All roles are generally eligible for the following benefits: health care insurance, 401(k) retirement account, paid sick time, paid personal time off, paid parental leave.

The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills, experience, and geographic location.

Applications for this role are intended to be accepted until September 26th, but may change based on business needs. 

 

Twilio thinks big. Do you?

We like to solve problems, take initiative, pitch in when needed, and are always up for trying new things. That's why we seek out colleagues who embody our values — something we call Twilio Magic. Additionally, we empower employees to build positive change in their communities by supporting their volunteering and donation efforts.

So, if you're ready to unleash your full potential, do your best work, and be the best version of yourself, apply now! If this role isn't what you're looking for, please consider other open positions.

Twilio is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Additionally, Twilio participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law.