Lead Engineer - Operations Innovation

Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.

About us:

Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here.

The Lead Engineer, Operations Innovation will join a brand-new, high-impact engineering team focused on transforming Target's Supply Chain and Stores—starting with Supply Chain. As part of the Operations Strategy, Product & Innovation (SPI) group, we're moving fast to build what's next.

This team was created to turn bold ideas into real outcomes. We rapidly prototype, validate what works, and scale only what has proven impact. Engineers thrive here by navigating ambiguity, solving complex problems, integrating with real-world automation software that powers Target’s distribution, stores and fulfillment centers, and extending enterprise tools for long-term success. If you're energized by speed, ownership, and building from scratch—join us and help shape the future of Target's operations.

As a Lead Engineer, you will be a key technical leader responsible for driving the design and delivery of innovative, scalable systems in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment. You will lead by example—writing high-quality code, mentoring engineers, and shaping the team’s technical direction.

What You’ll Do

• Own and drive the architecture, design, and implementation of backend systems that power Target’s store and warehouse operations
• Lead technical discovery and rapid prototyping to evaluate new ideas and prove their value
• Collaborate closely with product, operations, and platform teams to translate real-world problems into scalable engineering solutions
• Guide the team through ambiguous problem spaces—making smart trade-offs and ensuring timely, high-quality delivery
• Champion engineering best practices and mentor other engineers on design, performance, and scalability
• Integrate with automation software and systems that interact with physical devices and operational workflows

Core technologies:

• Languages: Kotlin
• Runtimes/Frameworks: Micronaut, Frameworkless
• Event Streaming: Kafka
• Datastores: Postgres, Mongo, Cassandra, Elastic, RocksDB
• Metrics & Monitoring: InfluxDB, Grafana
• Caching - Redis

Core responsibilities are outlined below and may evolve based on business needs.

About you:

• 9+ years of software engineering experience
• Strong expertise in designing distributed systems and event-driven architectures
• Hands-on experience building resilient, high-throughput backend systems
• Ability to work across ambiguous, fast-moving initiatives and bring clarity and structure
• Experience working with automation, hardware integration, or operational tech is a plus
• Excellent communication and a strong bias for action
• Stays current with new and evolving technologies via formal training and self-directed education.
   

This position will operate as a Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement based on Target’s needs. A Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement means the team member’s core role will need to be performed both onsite at the Target HQ MN location the role is assigned to and virtually, depending upon what your role, team and tasks require for that day. Work duties cannot be performed outside of the country of the primary work location, unless otherwise prescribed by Target. Click here if you are curious to learn more about Minnesota.

Benefits Eligibility

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)