Staff Software Engineer, Inventory Management

About the role

The Device Management team at Rippling is building a product that feels like a seamless blend of Amazon-style logistics and UPS-level reliability. We don't just manage software; we manage the physical lifecycle of hardware for companies globally. From the moment a new hire is added to a system to the moment a laptop lands on their desk in a different continent, and all the way to buyBack customers outdated devices to give them maximum remaining value, our platform handles the heavy lifting.

As a Staff Software Engineer, you will be a technical leader within the Device Org, overseeing three interrelated product functions, which are

• Device logistics management (device warehousing, assignment and retrieval)
• New device procurement (selling new devices to customers)
• Device Buyback (buy unwanted devices from customers)

This is an "Operations-First" engineering environment where your code interacts with real-world warehouses, global suppliers, and the internal guts of the machines themselves (encryption, antivirus, and MDM). You will own the end-to-end lifecycle of device management, ensuring that as we scale from 40 to 130 countries, our systems remain robust, automated, and intelligent.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive AI-First Automation: Eliminate manual overhead by building AI-driven workflows. You'll develop systems that intelligently predict and order hardware based on hiring profiles (e.g., automatically determining the exact specs an engineer vs. a recruiter needs) and automate inventory replenishment.
• Architect Global Expansion: Lead the technical strategy to scale our fulfillment capabilities from 40 countries to 130. Since we can't build 130 warehouses ourselves, you will design the integration layer that plugs Rippling into dozens of third-party suppliers and logistics providers worldwide.
• Master Complex Integrations: Own the "messy" reality of third-party logistics. You'll build resilient systems capable of handling data discrepancies-like when a warehouse reports the wrong serial number or a tracking ID doesn't match-ensuring the "source of truth" in Rippling remains pristine.
• Fullstack Product Ownership: While your primary focus will be on complex Backend architecture, you'll work across the full stack to build intuitive interfaces for admins to track their global fleet.
• Bridge Physical & Digital Security: Oversee the "internals" of the device, ensuring that every computer shipped is automatically provisioned with "always-on" encryption, antivirus, and compliance software.

About you

• Technical Leadership: Proven experience as a Staff or Principal Engineer, preferably in a product-oriented environment where you've scaled complex systems.
• Fullstack Proficiency: Strong expertise in Backend development (Python/Django preferred) with the ability and willingness to jump into the Frontend (React) when building end-to-end features.
• Pragmatic Problem Solving: Experience dealing with "real world" data. You understand that third-party APIs are often unreliable, and you know how to build defensive, fault-tolerant systems to handle those gaps.
• A Product Mentality: You don't just "write tickets." You think about the user experience of a Hiring Manager or an IT Admin and proactively suggest features that make their lives easier.
• Experience with Logistics/Integrations (Bonus): Prior experience with warehouse management systems (WMS), supply chain logistics, or heavy third-party API integration is a massive plus.
• High Agency: You are comfortable owning the entire lifecycle of a project, from initial discovery with stakeholders to final deployment and maintenance.

Additional Information

Rippling highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. For office-based employees (employees who live within a defined radius of a Rippling office), Rippling considers working in the office, at least three days a week under current policy, to be an essential function of the employee's role.