Role Overview

Datadog's Manager I, Engineering - APM SDK Capabilities role represents a strategic leadership position at the core of our observability platform. APM (Application Performance Monitoring) is mission-critical for developers seeking production insights into service behavior. This role leads the team building foundational infrastructure that powers tracing libraries across every language, framework, and runtime.

The APM SDK Capabilities team delivers the configuration systems, startup validation, extension points, and APIs enabling consistent telemetry generation. Their work underpins product features throughout the APM suite while maintaining exceptional developer experience. As Engineering Manager, you'll guide technical strategy across Datadog-native and OpenTelemetry instrumentation, influencing how thousands of engineering teams implement observability.

Based in Madrid, Spain or Paris, France, this hybrid role combines hands-on leadership with high-impact strategy. You'll partner with APM product teams, shape industry standards, and build systems that scale effortlessly for enterprise customers.

Key Responsibilities at Datadog

• Lead a high-performing team of 5-7 polyglot engineers delivering industry-leading APM capabilities
• Drive feature adoption including runtime metrics, startup diagnostics, and default-safe configurations
• Architect APM configuration management systems that are simple, observable, and customer-extensible
• Represent Datadog in the OpenTelemetry ecosystem, influencing specifications and standards
• Guide technical roadmap across multiple language SDKs and tracing libraries
• Ensure seamless integration between Datadog-native and OpenTelemetry instrumentation
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Customer Success teams
• Champion developer experience through clean APIs and predictable library behavior
• Build reliable systems handling telemetry from millions of services worldwide

Qualifications & Requirements

• Engineering Management Experience: Proven track record leading senior engineering teams to production impact
• Polyglot Proficiency: Deep experience in 2+ languages with cross-runtime system development
• Observability Expertise: Hands-on work with tracing, metrics, or APM tooling
• Library/SDK Development: Passion for building reusable libraries and OSS projects
• Developer Focus: Obsession with API design, documentation, and DX
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate product vision into technical execution

Datadog values growth mindset. If you have passion for observability and want to level up your leadership skills, we encourage you to apply even if you don't match every qualification perfectly.

Salary & Benefits

Competitive compensation package including base salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits tailored to European markets. Total compensation for this senior leadership role typically ranges based on experience and location.

• Equity Package: New hire RSUs + ESPP participation
• Health & Wellness: Global medical coverage for employees + dependents
• Mental Health: Free global benefits for employees and children age 6+
• Professional Growth: Training, career pathing, mentorship programs
• Culture & Community: Guilds, Inclusion Talks, networking opportunities
• Work-Life Harmony: Hybrid model with office culture benefits

Why Join Datadog?

Datadog (NASDAQ: DDOG) combines explosive growth with profitability in the $100B+ observability market. We're building the definitive platform for cloud-native monitoring, used by 20,000+ customers including Airbnb, Peloton, and Slack.

Engineering-First Culture: 50%+ of employees are engineers. We prioritize technical excellence, ownership, and impact. Your work directly shapes how developers worldwide understand production systems.

High-Leverage Impact: APM SDK Capabilities influences every Datadog tracing integration. Your decisions impact millions of services across every cloud provider and runtime.

Global Scale with Local Teams: Join thriving Madrid and Paris offices while collaborating with 5000+ Datadogs worldwide. Hybrid model balances collaboration with flexibility.

How to Apply

Ready to shape the future of cloud observability? Submit your application today. Include resume, LinkedIn, and brief note about your observability experience. Datadog's recruitment process includes:

• Initial recruiter screen (30 min)
• Technical leadership discussion (60 min)
• Cross-functional partner interviews
• Take-home leadership case (optional)
• Final leadership conversation

We review applications on a rolling basis. Top candidates hear back within 3 business days. Apply now to join the team building tomorrow's observability standards.