Senior Systems Engineer, Tech Foundations

The Community You Will Join:

The world is changing how it works; not just in where we do it, but in how fast and how well we can do it. Airbnb has already shown that we can move with speed and intention. We navigated a pandemic, rebuilt our company from the ground up, had a successful IPO, and shipped product upgrades – all while working remotely. That experience didn't just change where we work. It changed what we believe is possible.

Now, a new shift is underway. AI is fundamentally changing the leverage available to every team – compressing timelines, breaking down traditional job description silos, raising the ceiling on quality, and enabling small, focused groups to accomplish what once required much larger ones. At Airbnb, we are not treating AI as a future consideration. We are moving fast to embed it into how we operate today – using it to multiply the impact of every employee, every system, and decisions we make every day. The companies and teams that embrace this shift with urgency and discipline will define what's possible in the years ahead. We intend to be one of them.

Collaboration Products

The Collaboration Products team owns the enterprise systems that Airbnb's workforce relies on to plan, build, and deliver — including our Atlassian ecosystem, AI-powered tooling integrations, and custom-built engineering platforms. Our mission goes beyond keeping the lights on. We are moving fast to modernize our stack, retire technical debt, and integrate AI capabilities that directly multiply the productivity and quality of the teams we serve. We build with urgency, operate with rigor, and treat every system we touch as an opportunity to raise the bar on what BizTech delivers to Airbnb.

The Difference You Will Make:

The Senior Systems Engineer is a hands-on technical leader who moves fast, builds to last, and uses AI as a force multiplier — not a future initiative. In this role, you will own the configuration, migration, and continuous improvement of Airbnb's Atlassian platforms, including leading the active deprecation of Jira Data Center and full transition to Jira Cloud. But your impact goes beyond administration. You will identify where AI and automation can compress delivery cycles, reduce toil, and improve the quality and reliability of the systems our workforce depends on — and then build those improvements, quickly. You bring the platform depth to architect scalable solutions and the judgment to know when to move fast and when to be deliberate. You are the kind of engineer who raises the velocity and quality of everyone around you.

A Typical Day:

• Serve as the primary SME and hands-on administrator for JiraCloud Software, JiraCloud Service Management (JSM), and associated Atlassian tooling; own configuration standards, governance, and technical debt reduction across the environment
• Architect and implement scalable Jira configurations including custom workflows, issue type hierarchies, permission schemes, notification schemes, screens, and field configurations aligned with Atlassian best practices
• Lead and execute Jira migrations - including Data Center to Cloud - coordinating with cross-functional stakeholders to deliver seamless cutover experiences
• Design and configure Jira Service Management projects including SLAs, custom queues, JSM Forms, approval workflows, and security schemes to support internal service delivery teams
• Build and maintain advanced analytics, dashboards, and reporting solutions using native tooling for Jira Cloud as a first line of options; Airbnb has elected to avoid Atlassian Marketplace products for information security, privacy & legal prerogatives. Airbnb is building custom Forge applications that will require your ongoing maintenance and partnership with supporting systems engineering teams.
• Configure and administer Atlassian access management, user lifecycle management, license tier optimization, and security posture improvements
• Evaluate if Atlassian Marketplace plugins architecture evolves to a point where Airbnb could consider adopting plugins where business needs dictate, and where security, legal, and privacy requirements are satisfied.
• Act as a strategic partner to business stakeholders by leading requirements-gathering sessions, translating business needs into technical designs, and proactively identifying opportunities for automation and process improvement
• Configure and expand Atlassian Rovo AI agents and automation rules; evaluate emerging AI/ML capabilities within the Atlassian ecosystem and champion responsible, contextually appropriate AI adoption aligned with Airbnb's mission
• Write and maintain custom automation rules using Jira's native Automation engine and JavaScript; leverage Jira REST API for integrations, data imports, and custom reporting
• Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) efforts for platform changes and migrations; develop and maintain test plans, test scripts, and defect tracking documentation
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies (sprint planning, retrospectives, standups) as needed; operate as Scrum Master or Product Owner for platform-focused workstreams
• Document system configurations, runbooks, and knowledge base articles to support operational continuity and enable self-service across the organization
• Participate in on-call rotation and provide escalation support for critical Atlassian platform issues

Your Expertise:

• 7+ years of hands-on Atlassian administration experience, including Jira Software, Jira Service Management (across JiraCloud & JiraDC) in enterprise environments with large user populations
• Deep expertise in Jira workflow design, including post functions, validators, conditions, and custom properties; strong command of JQL for filters, subscriptions, dashboards, and board configuration
• Proven experience leading Jira migrations (Data Center to Cloud), including project configuration migration, macro compatibility, and data integrity validation
• Experience configuring and administering Jira Cloud native tooling for capacity planning and portfolio reporting
• Proficiency with Atlassian Marketplace plugins including JavaScripting
• Hands-on experience with Jira REST API using tools like Postman (GET/PUT/POST) for data extraction, integration, and custom reporting workflows
• Experience integrating Atlassian tools with identity providers via LDAP & Okta; familiarity with user lifecycle management, license governance, and security hardening practices
• Working knowledge of Atlassian Rovo and AI/ML capabilities within the Atlassian ecosystem; ability to configure Rovo agents with careful consideration for AI ethics, value alignment, and contextual appropriateness
• Experience configuring Jira Automation rules (native and scripting-based); working knowledge of JavaScripting and JSON for custom automation
• Strong background in Jira Service Management including SLA configuration, JSM Forms, custom queues, and approval workflows
• Experience leading UAT for complex migrations and platform changes; proficiency in developing and executing test plans, test scripts, and defect documentation
• Familiarity with SAFe Agile (SAFe Agilist and/or SAFe Scrum Master certification a plus); experience as Scrum Master or Product Owner for technical workstreams
• Strong analytical and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to translate complex technical concepts for both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience working in a remote-first, high-growth environment; ability to independently manage multiple priorities and keep stakeholders informed
• Familiarity with complementary enterprise tools such as Slack, Asana, Figma, Airtable, and Miro is an advantage

Your Location:

This position is US - Remote Eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager. While the position is Remote Eligible, you must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity. Click here for the up-to-date list of excluded states. This list is continuously evolving, so please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. If your position is employed by another Airbnb entity, your recruiter will inform you what states you are eligible to work from.

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

We strive to also provide a disability inclusive application and interview process. If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in order to submit an application, please contact us at: [email protected]. Please include your full name, the role you’re applying for and the accommodation necessary to assist you with the recruiting process.

We ask that you only reach out to us if you are a candidate whose disability prevents you from being able to complete our online application.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Airbnb values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Airbnb are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic.