Staff Software Engineer, Ads Safety

Team Description

Ad Safety is a growing team focusing on user safety and advertiser trust by building a robust, automated ecosystem that prioritizes Brand Suitability and Ads Integrity. This is achieved by deploying highly accurate automated ad review systems that vet content before it goes live, coupled with advanced brand safety classifications and controls that give brands granular agency over their ad adjacency along with ensuring Reddit standards are adhered to. By further integrating with trusted third-party verification partners, the platform not only solidifies confidence in its ad effectiveness but also creates a transparent, scalable environment designed to unlock significant revenue growth.

The team is expanding its Fraud counter-measures by consolidating the identification and enforcement of deceptive ads (Malware, Phishing, Scams) and Billing fraud into a centralized platform. Collecting signals across multiple surfaces, in addition to third party vendor integration, will allow for more effective measures to analyze coordinated efforts of bad actors and pre-emptive detection of malignant intent.

Role Description

Reporting to the Ad Safety Engineering Manager, the person in this role will be the primary technical driver for the new Fraud detection system, working closely with Ad Review, Billing, Policy and other Reddit Safety teams to enhance overall systems. You will drive the long term strategy for the platform, setting measurable goals and taking overall ownership of a critical function in the Ads organization.

This is a high-agency position for an engineer who can navigate ambiguity and take decisive ownership of the platform's technical direction in collaboration with other engineers, teams, and stakeholders.

This role acts as both a technically adept deep coder and a force multiplier. It is responsible for working cross-functionally to help establish the long-term technical vision for Fraud Detection, ensuring our systems are highly available and capable of scaling with the marketplace. In this role you will lead large-scale projects through the entire software development lifecycle, from concept through implementation until delivery.

What You’ll Do

• Steer: Work with the team to select, scope, and drive high-leverage projects that accelerate the development of Fraud Detection to help Reddit achieve its ambitious goals.
• Architect: Help define the 2+ year technical roadmap for the platform, translating complex business needs into a clear strategy for highly available and performant backend services.
• Build: Execute on a strategy to create world-class Fraud Detection systems.
• Amplify: Mentor, coach, and collaborate with other technical contributors, fostering a culture of empathetic technical excellence and proactive problem-solving.
• Collaborate: Work together with a variety of cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Policy and Legal, to ensure Fraud Detection meets the needs of all stakeholders.
• Evolve: Learn and improve technical and non-technical abilities, staying up-to-date on trends and best practices in the Fraud Detection space across the industry.

Qualifications

• Experience: 7+ years of software engineering experience, with a track record of leading large-scale technical projects that require cross-team and cross-functional collaboration.
• Backend Expertise: Strong experience in large-scale distributed systems and developing highly scalable and reliable backend services.
• Technical Ability: Expertise in at least one general-purpose programming language (e.g., Go, Python, Scala, Java, or C++) and ability to grow expertise in Python and Go.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to disambiguate complex problems, align stakeholders with different priorities, and aggressively prioritize to execute effectively.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills employed to drive toward consensus, navigate disagreements, and influence decisions across the engineering organization.
• Agency: A bias for action. The ability to identify what needs to be done, take the initiative to make it happen without waiting for direction, and finish the swing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience as a Tech Lead or in a similar function.
• Previous success as part of an Ads team with a user base in the millions.
• Experience in Ads Fraud, Ad review or Ads Brand Safety
• Proven experience designing, building, and operating scalable platforms.
• Expertise in Python and/or Go.
• Prior experience in Fraud/Malicious actors space
• Proven track record of utilizing LLMs in production systems.