Senior Software Engineering Manager, Ads Auction & Marketplace Optimization
Roku · San Jose, California · Posted Jul 9, 2026
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Teamwork makes the stream work.
Roku is changing how the world watches TV
Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.
From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.
About the team
The Advertising Performance group focuses on performance for all participants in the Advertising ecosystem - Advertisers, Publishers, and Roku. The systems and solutions span multiple disciplines and technologies to perform real-time multi-objective optimization across distributed systems at large scale and with low latency. We use Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, AI, Control and Optimization Systems, and Auction Dynamics to solve a large set of complex problems. At the core of this is our Machine Learning, Experimentation, and Inference Platform, which powers the entire landscape, and we continuously evolve.
About the role
In this role, you will build teams focused on the Ads Auction and Marketplace to optimize yield and gross profit, perform real-time multi-objective optimization across short- and long-term objectives, build control and simulation systems, design and run experiments, and extend the experimentation framework.
You will partner closely with other Engineering, Inventory, and Product teams to define the vision and strategy for your group and to build and deliver the roadmap.
For California Only - The estimated annual salary for this position is between $328,500 - $451,600 annually. Compensation packages are based on factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, certifications, and specific geographical location. This role is eligible for health insurance, equity awards, life insurance, disability benefits, parental leave, wellness benefits, and paid time off.
What you’ll be doing
Building teams and mentoring engineers across geographic locations and time zones
Defining the strategy and building the long-term roadmap by partnering with Product, Science, and Engineering teams
Leading the design, implementation, and evolution of real-time ads auction and marketplace systems
Building and enhancing core auction capabilities, including ad pod construction, bid valuation, ranking, pricing, pacing, and budget enforcement
Designing auction logic that balances viewer experience (ad load, relevance, repetition) with advertiser performance, publisher yield, platform revenue, and gross profit
Driving yield and gross profit optimization through auction design, floor strategies, and pricing experiments
Leading experimentation using A/B testing, auction simulations, offline replay frameworks, and making data-driven decisions based on performance metrics and statistical rigor
Stay at the forefront of advancements in related areas
We’re excited if you have
3+ years of experience leading teams that apply auction theory, quantitative optimization, and advanced statistical methods to large, sophisticated datasets
5+ years of experience in leading engineering teams from design to implementation, ensuring scalability and reliability
Deep mathematical understanding of auction theory, game theory, economics, quantitative optimization, and statistics
Hands-on experience with Python and Java in a production environment
BS or higher in CS, Economics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in the Advertising domain
5+ years of experience applying auction theory, game theory, economics, quantitative optimization, and advanced statistical methods to large, sophisticated datasets
MS or PhD in CS, Economics, Math, or a related quantitative field
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Our Hybrid Work Approach
Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams generally work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are generally flexible for remote work, except for employees whose specific roles or assigned office location require five days' a week attendance.
Benefits
Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees …