<p>At many companies, engineering stays behind a screen. You develop features and maintain systems, but rarely get to see the real-life results of your work.</p><p>But we do things differently at <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedgo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Go</a>, a new part of the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/about-vinted" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Group</a>, dedicated to developing a better approach to shipping. Whether it’s scaling our pick-up and drop-off network or streamlining warehouse logistics, we believe that to build systems for the real world, you need to step into it.</p><p>That’s why our Engineers spend time in the field, testing products in practice and learning directly from the people who use them. It leads to better decisions, stronger solutions, and work that feels more meaningful. Here, engineering has a physical footprint. The code we write moves parcels, supports drivers and helps shape how millions of people send and receive items.</p><p>So <strong>join us as we sit down with Judita (Web Engineer), Liudas (Backend Engineer)</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Viktorija (QA Engineer)</strong>, to discover how the projects they work on create change you can see.&nbsp;</p><h2>Testing a UI on the streets of Paris with Judita</h2><p>For Web Engineer, Judita, working at Vinted Go means bridging the gap between a digital UI and physical parcel lockers. She describes it as “a place you can literally touch your work”, where Engineers aren’t just “pushing code” but building meaningful products shaped by genuine user experiences.</p>

<p>And that connection to reality goes beyond the office. Recently, Judita travelled to Paris for a drive-along with one of our delivery drivers, to understand how the lockers she works on perform under day-to-day operations. She described the experience as eye-opening, saying it provides a vital reality check for Engineers: “As Engineers, we often assume a user will interact with a feature in a specific way, but seeing a human interpret it differently in a real-world environment is invaluable.”</p><p>Judita notes how it’s one thing to view a feature test in a sandbox environment, but it’s “another thing entirely to watch a driver use a feature you built and see the genuine excitement in their eyes because your work just made their day easier.”</p><p>Experiencing that first-hand changed how Judita approached her project. It helped her focus on the core driver flow and spot friction points that wouldn’t show up in testing. “After spending two months on the details of a major feature, I’d spent so much time worrying about complex 'edge cases' and fail scenarios that I’d lost sight of the core driver flow…watching a driver use the interface in a busy, high-pressure environment, I saw immediate UI/UX friction points that weren't obvious on a monitor.”</p><p>For Judita, the most fulfilling part of on-the-ground testing is the immediacy. Instead of taking notes to fix later, you’re solving problems in the moment, alongside the people using the platform.</p>

<h2>Writing the logic behind robotic movement with Liudas</h2><p>Working at Vinted Go means solving puzzles that don’t stay on a screen. For Backend Engineer, Liudas, that takes shape in the warehouse, where his code directly controls robots and keeps parcels moving through the system at scale. “Moving a single robot in a warehouse is easy in isolation. The complexity comes when we combine operational flows, state management, infrastructure reliability, scale, and people.”</p><p>That complexity is at the heart of his role. From defining how robots move and what they carry, to keeping systems aligned and machines running reliably, all while giving key stakeholders a clear insight into performance, Liudas’ backend code sits at the centre of a sophisticated physical and digital operation.</p><p>At this high volume, even small changes can have an immediate effect. A few lines of code can shift how key processes run, with feedback arriving almost as soon as something is released. Witnessing it all in motion brings a different kind of clarity:</p>

<p>For Engineers who thrive on speed, scale, and constant problem-solving, the job is very rewarding: “At Vinted Go, there’s always something new waiting just beyond what we’re currently working on. We’re constantly adjusting, testing, and building new ideas. There’s no chance of getting bored.”</p><h2>Taking quality assurance international with Viktorija</h2><p>At Vinted Go, when a product launches in a new market, testing travels with it. Recently, QA Engineer, Viktorija, travelled to New York City to support the US launch of our Parcel Shops. For her, working at Vinted Go means more than testing software from a desk – it’s about seeing how the product performs in “real shops, with real people.”</p><p>That’s because performing Quality Assurance on a physical-digital solution in a new country introduces more variables than a test environment can account for. You’re not just validating how the system should behave, but how it holds up in day-to-day use.</p><p>Plus, in a new market, there’s less familiarity with the user base. User behaviour and expectations can differ from those in the markets you’re accustomed to, making preparation even more important. Being on the ground helps close that gap. It adds context you can’t get from your desk and reveals details that only appear in live environments:</p>

<p>And it’s this experience that makes the position so fulfilling to Viktorija: “Once you see with your own eyes how much people are impacted by something you work on every day, the work stops feeling abstract. It becomes something tangible – something that genuinely makes people’s jobs easier.”</p><h2>Build code you can see in the real world</h2><p>Across Web, Backend, and Quality Assurance, one thing stays the same at Vinted Go: Engineers stay close to what they build.</p><p>Whether it’s riding along with delivery drivers in Paris, watching robots move parcels in the warehouse, or launching a product in New York City, the work doesn’t stop at release. It continues in live conditions, with real users.</p><p>That creates a stronger sense of ownership. On our teams, you’re not just maintaining features behind the scenes; you’re creating tools that power lockers, warehouses, and delivery experiences used by millions of members every day.</p><p>As Viktorija puts it: “at Vinted Go, there’s never a dull day. We’re constantly working on something new, something bigger, and sometimes on ideas that might have seemed impossible just a year ago – but now we’re implementing them. It’s a great place for engineers who want to see the impact of their work.”</p><p>So, if you want your code to do more than just render on a screen, Vinted Go might be your next big move.</p><p><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?unit%5B0%5D=Vinted%20Go&amp;page=1&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Explore our open Engineering roles</a> and help shape how shipping works in the real world.</p>

vinted go - robots (1).jpg

Inside Engineering at Vinted Go: building beyond the screen

<p>‘Decision Scientist’ isn’t a title you’ll hear often, but it’s an important role at Vinted. In this post, we’ll take a look at what Decision Scientists do, and why it’s a position where your work can make a real impact.</p><p>So, what is Decision Science at Vinted? The team’s goal is to guide Vinted’s decisions using the scientific method – and they don’t hesitate to use intuition when speed matters.</p><p>There are four key parts to their process:</p><ol><li>Influence</li><li>Decisions</li><li>Intuition</li><li>The Scientific Method</li></ol>

<h2><strong>Shaping decisions, not confirming them</strong></h2><p>Decision Scientists aren’t there to support a choice that’s already been made. They get involved earlier, when things are just taking shape, and there’s still space to create precise hypotheses and iterative roadmaps to test them.</p><p>That means asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, and setting the right metrics.</p><h3>You’re moving away from Decision Science if the focus is on:</h3><ul><li>Trying to build confidence in a decision that’s already been made</li><li>Looking for supporting evidence to match a gut feeling</li><li>Reaching a conclusion before exploring the data.</li></ul>

<h2>1. Influencing decisions from the start</h2><p>The first step is working with stakeholders to identify the jobs to be done, so it’s clear what needs to be decided and what will actually move things along.</p><p>That means:</p><ul><li>Co-creating with Product Managers, Engineers, and Designers to reach the best outcomes for Vinted</li><li>Building a strong understanding of product, engineering, and design realities</li><li>Understanding team goals and the constraints around them</li><li>Turning those goals into clear, testable questions and metrics</li><li>Communicating clearly and persuasively, without relying on formal authority.</li></ul>

<h3>What this looks like in practice</h3><p>Take something like using AI to auto-fill listing details from item photos. When uploading an item and selecting the brand, size, or fabric – speed matters for sellers, while accuracy shapes how easily buyers can find what they’re looking for. Improving one may affect the other.</p><p>That means, the task’s not just about efficiency, but how that change plays out across the entire experience, from listing through to purchase.</p><p>This leads to more specific questions:</p><ul><li><i>Does auto-fill actually reduce time to publish, or do people spend longer correcting it?&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>Does it improve search relevance, or make items harder to find?&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>And if details are wrong, what does that mean for trust, complaints, or returns?</i></li></ul><p>This is where Decision Scientists add value. They help teams explore those trade-offs, define what success really looks like, and develop tests that reflect how people actually use the product.</p>

<h2>2. Staying close to the decisions that matter</h2><p>Decision Scientists stay close to the decisions that inform how Vinted evolves. If there’s a chance that data or structured thinking can improve a decision, it’s worth engaging.</p><p>That can mean reframing a target that doesn’t quite reflect reality yet, or working with a team to test the thinking behind a direction before it moves forward. The role isn’t just about supporting decisions, but guiding them at the right moment.</p><p>This relies on two things working together. One is recognising where input can genuinely change an outcome. The other is building the trust that makes that input useful, so it’s heard and acted on.</p><p>At the same time, there’s a clear sense of focus. If a piece of work doesn’t lead to a decision, it’s a moment to reflect on why:</p><ul><li><i>Was the question the right one to begin with?</i></li><li><i>Did we define the problem and scope correctly?</i></li><li><i>Did we collaborate well with stakeholders to understand the need and challenge?</i></li></ul><p><strong>Example: </strong>If a team asks for a dashboard with 20 metrics, the first question is: what decisions will these metrics inform? That often leads to a smaller, sharper set of metrics, along with clear decision rules – helping teams move faster with less effort.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>3. Knowing when intuition should guide the way</h2><p>When we talk about intuition, we don’t mean guessing. It’s about using the evidence and patterns we’ve learned along the way to work faster, with confidence. Or, as Jevgenij puts it, “<i>...using accumulated evidence and patterns to safely cut corners.</i>”</p><p>Over time, Decision Scientists build a strong sense of how things tend to play out. Often, they’ve:</p><ul><li>Seen similar experiments before</li><li>Worked on similar features or markets</li><li>And understand how certain patterns show up in the data.&nbsp;</li></ul><p>That means they don’t always need to analyse everything from scratch.</p><p>Sometimes, that looks like recognising early that an idea is unlikely to have a big impact. For example, if several similar experiments on a screen have shown limited results, it can be enough to say: this opportunity is likely smaller than it seems, so it may be worth focusing elsewhere.</p><p>That kind of call lets teams move ahead without waiting for a full deep dive every time.</p><p>This allows Decision Scientists to:</p><ul><li>Move faster when timing matters</li><li>Avoid work that won’t change the outcome</li><li>And save their time and attention for the problems that require deeper analysis.</li></ul><p>At the same time, the use of intuition is never hidden or assumed. It’s important to be clear about where experience is being used, and why it’s safe to do so in that moment.</p>

<h2>4. Using the scientific method with intent</h2><p>When it comes to engaging with the scientific method, this can take different forms, from forecasting how something might perform to designing experiments that test a specific idea. What matters is being deliberate about how we approach it.</p><p>That means:</p><ul><li>Being clear on what we expect to happen, and why</li><li>Making assumptions visible, whether they relate to user behaviour, data quality, or how things connect</li><li>Deciding what needs to be tested, and what can wait.</li></ul><p>This is where strong technical skills come in. Experiments, statistics, and modelling all play a part, but always in service of helping teams make better decisions.</p><h3>What this looks like in practice</h3><p>For example, a country filter is a common request from buyers when they’re browsing items. At first glance, it seems like an easy feature to build. But instead of jumping straight into it, the focus shifts to understanding what problem it’s really solving.</p><p>The starting point is a clear hypothesis: making it easier to find local items should help people find what they want faster and improve conversion.</p><p>From there, the assumptions behind it need to be made explicit. Is this about faster delivery, lower costs, or more relevant content? Or is it actually about something else, like language?</p><p>Rather than testing everything at once, we concentrate on what matters most. For example, if people are actually trying to find items listed in their own language, then a country filter might not be the right solution at all.</p><p>That can change how the idea is tested. Instead of building a full feature, it might be enough to adjust how local items are shown and see if that delivers the same result.</p><p>This approach goes beyond surface-level answers. It shows us what’s actually driving behaviour, and ensures decisions reflect how people really use the product, not just what they ask for.</p>

<h2>Turning insight into impact</h2><p>Overall, Decision Scientists are part of how decisions get made at Vinted.</p><p>They help teams navigate uncertainty, make trade-offs, and allow us to grow with clarity. The results of their work show up in our platform and in the experience of millions of members.</p><p>It’s a role where you can see the connection between what you work on and what changes as a result.</p><h3>Want to see what you can do at scale?</h3><p>If you enjoy working through complex problems, thinking about impact, and helping teams progress with confidence, this is a role where you can make a real difference.</p><p>Explore our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Data%20Science%20%26%20Analytics&amp;page=1&amp;q=decision&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles </a>now.</p>

140126Vinted EB30895.jpg

What it means to be a Decision Scientist at Vinted

<p>Lithuania is where Vinted's story began, and it remains a place for bold ideas and new chapters. Today, more than 1,600 people shape our work in Vilnius and Kaunas, including many (100+ many!) who've relocated from dozens of countries across the globe to join our mission to make second-hand the first choice, everywhere.</p><p>And as our company grows, so do the possibilities. Along with the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/marketplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted platform</a> millions know and love, we've recently launched <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedgo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Go</a> and <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedpay" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Pay,</a> and there's always something exciting on the horizon. Whether you're drawn by the chance to work on meaningful projects, be part of a supportive and diverse team, or simply experience daily life in a new country, Vinted is a place to explore your potential.</p><p>Wondering what it's like to truly settle in and call Lithuania home? We talked to colleagues who've made the move to learn what brought them here, how they navigated their first steps, and their best tips for anyone considering their own move to Lithuania.</p><h2>What brought you to Lithuania?</h2><p>Every person's journey is unique: some arrived for a new adventure, to take their careers in a new direction, or were simply drawn by the sense of possibility in Vilnius and Kaunas. As one person shared, “I came for Vinted! But it was the people and the mild, lush summers that made me stay”.</p><p>In Lithuania, you'll meet talented folks from all over, making it easy to connect with others who share similar stories and fresh perspectives.</p>

<h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr">“Finding your people” at Vinted</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Settling into a new place is about more than just where you work – it's about community. Many of those we spoke to said the Internationals at Vinted group helped turn colleagues into friends. Regular meetups, cultural nights, and celebrations mean you can share experiences, get advice, and build connections from day one. As someone told us, “99% of my friendships in Lithuania stem from this community... they made it feel like home for me: holidays, birthdays, professional struggles – we were there for one another.”</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Our colleagues highlight how open and welcoming the group is. Whether you're looking for tips on navigating daily life or just want to join in on a tradition from back home, there's always a place for you.</span></p><h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr">Life in Lithuania</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Many of the team members we chatted to were surprised by how quickly Lithuania starts to feel like home. The relaxed rhythm of the cities, the welcoming culture at Vinted, and the ease of settling into new routines are some of the things people appreciate most. As one person put it, “(it's such a cosy place), that even the most central parts of Lithuania feel local”. Others highlighted “beautiful parks within 10–30 minutes' walk from almost anywhere you live”.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Forest walks, lakeside weekends, and a vibrant art and music scene are part of daily life. The tech culture is thriving, public transport and daily essentials are high-tech and accessible, and English is widely spoken (though several people advised learning some Lithuanian basics to make deeper connections). At Vinted, we collaborate in English too, which helps everyone work together more smoothly, and there's always someone to help if you need it.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The seasons are distinct, too, with “proper winters – snow and crisp air – as well as mild, vibrant summers.” For many, it's that combination of natural beauty, friendly communities and everyday convenience that makes Lithuania feel like the right place to settle down and Vinted a place to grow.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you’re thinking about relocating to Lithuania, here's what our Vinted community recommends:</span></p>

Advice for anyone considering a move

<h2>Ready for a new adventure?</h2><p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">We know that moving to a new country is a big step. But from workation and flexible policies, to tips on settling in, and a culture built on trust and openness, we’re with you every step of the way – before you arrive, through your first weeks, and as you settle in for the long term.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Whether it's navigating everyday life, making friends, or simply achieving the right work-life balance, you'll have the backing of a community and a company that believes in you.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you're considering your next big step, explore our&nbsp;</span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip:none;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Relocation page</span><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> and see the roles we're hiring for. The opportunity you've been looking for – and a new adventure – could be waiting for you in Lithuania.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/relocate-to-lithuania" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Relocating with Vinted -&gt;</span></a></p>

Vinted0705.jpg

Finding your place: Relocating to Lithuania with Vinted

<p>Scale changes everything – not just in systems, but in how we lead. Moving from an Engineering Manager to a Director of Engineering isn’t a simple step up the ladder; it’s a chance to expand your reach and evolve your mindset. It’s the shift from leading teams that deliver key outcomes to enabling entire domains of leaders to guide a platform that connects millions and keeps growing fast. All while driving our mission: making second-hand the first choice worldwide.</p><p>In this interview,&nbsp;<strong>Karolis Žilinskas,&nbsp;Director of Engineering</strong>, shares how he made that leap: what inspired him, how he prepared, and the lessons he’s learned about leadership, strategy, and sustainable evolution along the way.</p><h2>When an idea becomes a leadership journey</h2><p>The shift to Director didn’t come from chasing titles, but from following an idea that refused to fade. “I had an idea about building an identity platform: how it could work, how it would fit within our organisational design, and how it could strengthen our overall security posture…I began exploring it, talking to people across the company, and shaping how it could become a key enabler for Vinted.”</p><p>That journey of exploration soon became something bigger than a side project. As the idea evolved, Karolis realised that to make it real, to drive it at a company-wide level, he needed to take on a broader role. Stepping into the Director position became a natural progression, allowing him to turn that vision into reality and bring multiple teams together behind it.</p><h3>Defining the moment &nbsp;</h3><p>The recognition that he was ready to lead came gradually. “The realisation came when I started to clearly understand what my manager was doing – not just observing, but imagining how I’d approach things differently and what I’d improve. I began taking on stretch tasks that mirrored those responsibilities to test myself. Once I was comfortable operating at that level and still felt hungry for more, I knew it was time to take the next step.”</p><p>But readiness was about more than confidence; it required preparation. Karolis invested time in learning from mentors and peers whose leadership styles he admired. The combination of curiosity, feedback, and self-awareness made the transition smoother and helped him enter the Director role with clarity and purpose.</p><h2>The shift in scope</h2><p>At Vinted, the role of a Director of Engineering is defined less by control and more by context. “As an Engineering Manager, I focused on my team…their development, focus, and delivery. As a Director, the scale multiplies. My attention goes to the health of an entire domain, collaboration between teams, and whether our processes and practices are setting up everyone for long-term success.” &nbsp;</p><p>His work now involves shaping how Vinted plans, decides, and executes across engineering as a whole. Instead of optimising locally, he looks at how systems enable others to deliver, learn, and succeed sustainably.</p><h2>Leadership built on care and clarity</h2><p>Karolis’s leadership philosophy is straightforward: results matter, but they depend on a healthy, motivated team. He focuses on creating an environment where people are clear on priorities, supported in their work, and confident to make decisions.</p>

<h2>Turning strategy into action</h2><p>One of Karolis’s proudest achievements reflects how strategic leadership works at Vinted: turning alignment into real results. “The topic of centralised bot management had been discussed many times, but it never quite moved forward. Different domains saw it differently. I worked to align those perspectives…to define the shared problem, the risks, and the opportunity.” &nbsp;</p><p>What started as a recurring discussion became a company-wide initiative. Karolis and his team secured support to create a dedicated group for managing automation risks, a shift that now strengthens the resilience and scalability of Vinted’s platform. It’s a clear example of how deliberate planning and persistence can turn a difficult problem into meaningful, lasting change.</p><h2>Challenges worth having</h2><p>Leading at scale means knowing when to let go of what’s working. That, Karolis admits, is one of the hardest parts. In a rapidly expanding company, systems have to evolve constantly, and what was reliable last year might limit progress the next. It’s a continuous balance between maintaining stability and having the courage to rethink.</p><p>He leans on collaboration when change feels tough. “What’s helped me most is staying deeply connected to the work that excites me…in my case, security. When you genuinely care about the problem space, the hard parts of leadership become easier to navigate because you’re driven by purpose, not just responsibility.”</p><p>He’s also quick to point out that being in charge doesn’t mean doing it alone. “At the Director level, you simply can’t do it on your own. I’ve learned to actively lean on my domain leadership team, my Director peers, and senior colleagues. Knowing when to ask for help – and creating a culture where that’s normal – has been one of the biggest enablers of success.”</p><h2>Empowering others to lead with impact</h2><p>Mentorship has become a natural part of Karolis’ work. “I bring Engineering Managers into decision-making as early as possible. The best way to learn is to see how complex decisions are made…especially the hard ones. I also try to show that I don’t have all the answers. Transparency builds trust and confidence.”&nbsp;</p><p>That openness runs deeper than one-to-one guidance. Karolis helped shape peer-learning sessions within the domain leadership group, creating space for managers to discuss the real hurdles and share how they approach them. Together, they often tackle live topics such as balancing priorities or leading through uncertainty, which helps build collective ownership.</p><p>This investment in others is something Karolis sees as essential for keeping Vinted’s culture strong. “A company scales sustainably only if its leaders keep developing leaders. That’s where the real leverage happens.”</p><h2>Advice for future Directors</h2><p>Karolis’s advice for ambitious Engineering Managers is both practical and encouraging. He believes stepping into a Director role is more than a promotion; it’s an opportunity to expand how you make your mark and evolve how you lead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Balance, he adds, is essential. “Strong support structures, at work and at home, matter more than people think. You can’t lead effectively in isolation. And physical health is just as important; it’s not about pushing harder to do more, but making sure your energy levels can sustain the pace. Consistency and longevity come from looking after both your mind and body.”</p><h2>Reflection and what’s next</h2><p>Looking back, Karolis is most proud of how his thinking has evolved. Earlier in his career, he was focused on execution: solving problems directly and keeping delivery moving. Now, he approaches obstacles with a strategic lens, considering how today’s decisions will shape the business years from now.</p><p>His goal now is simple: keep evolving. “It’s easy to settle once things feel comfortable, but progress for me, like for Vinted…never stops. Every few months, I look for new opportunities that stretch me and the systems I help shape.”</p><h2>Make your next step count</h2><p>Leadership at Vinted is grounded in clarity, care, and ambition done right.&nbsp;If you’re ready to level up from managing a team to shaping an organisation&nbsp;– and want to see the difference your work makes for millions of members&nbsp;– this could be the next chapter in your story.</p><p>Explore open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1&amp;q=Manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Manager roles</a>.</p>

3110 Vinted9886 (1).jpg

The journey from Engineering Manager to Director: Leading at Vinted

<p>Taking on an Engineering Manager role isn’t about leaving coding behind, it’s about building on what you already know and discovering a new way to make an impact. Vinted is a great place to do that. With millions of members across more than 20 markets, it’s where technology meets scale and purpose. Many of our leaders started exactly where you might be now: writing backend code, solving technical puzzles, and wondering what comes next.</p><p>Two of them, Audronė Šopauskaitė and Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė, made that move into management after finding a new kind of problem‑solving – helping people and teams grow. In this post, they share how their journey developed, what shaped them most, and the mindset that drove their success.</p><h2>Starting out</h2><p>Rugilė and Audronė started their careers outside tech, but curiosity led them into engineering. For Rugilė, it began in civil engineering and architecture. “I worked as an Architect for four years but realised problem‑solving excited me more than design,” she said. “I began coding in my free time, building small apps to practise. After months of learning, I applied for a Backend Developer role and got hired. That’s how my path in IT began.”</p><p>Audronė’s journey took a similar turn. After studying history, she planned to become a professor but soon realised that path wasn’t for her. Curious about new challenges, she started learning to code at home and quickly got hooked, describing it as “feeling like solving puzzles all day”. That experimental mindset led her to join a programme that helped people switch careers into tech, which is where her engineering path began.</p>

<p>Working in Backend Engineering at Vinted gave both a strong sense of structure, teamwork, and ownership. “Since engineering and problem‑solving tasks were already my bread and butter, it didn’t seem too far away from being an Engineering Manager!”</p><h2>Taking the leap&nbsp;</h2><p>For Rugilė, the move into management came from a desire to work more closely with people. But stepping up to lead the same team she once worked in wasn’t easy. “The biggest adjustment was gaining trust,” she adds. “It’s strange at first when you go from teammate to manager.” Over time, she also learned how to find a better rhythm – something that now helps her lead with more confidence and balance.</p><p>Audronė’s transition unfolded gradually. She describes the main obstacle as shifting her sense of progress. “I had to move from the joy of coding to making sure projects run smoothly,” she explains. “At first it felt like I was doing nothing, just talking, but eventually I saw my contribution through the team’s success.”</p><h2>What Engineering Managers do at Vinted</h2><p>At Vinted, Engineering Managers balance human leadership and technical understanding, keeping projects aligned, supporting progress, and connecting technical context to wider company goals.“We do an important job: &nbsp;translating technical decisions into business language and vice versa, shaping our teams’ vision and supporting people’s development and well‑being.” - Rugilė </p><p>“The biggest difference at Vinted,” she adds, “is that we don’t expect Engineering Managers to have been programmers. What matters is interest in technology and the ability to make informed decisions. They are both a technical partner and a people lead.”</p>

<p>Roles differ across teams, and that’s by design. “The shape of the job shifts to fit each opportunity… In one team, I focused on long‑term goals; in another, on communication and dependencies.” - Rugilė. Her current mission centres on Trust and Safety. “We earn members’ trust through fair and transparent restrictions. We remove potentially harmful content while keeping processes open and accountable.”</p><h2>Challenges that shape growth</h2><p>For Audronė, the biggest change was shifting how she approached technical decisions. Having been a Backend Engineer throughout her career, it was an adjustment to move into a more advisory role rather than being the one making or executing those decisions. “A lot of Engineering Managers struggle with this, and I was no exception… but I got in the swing of things pretty quickly.”</p><p>For Rugilė, a major hurdle was managing her calendar – moving from one meeting a day to a schedule packed with them was a big difference. It took time to find space for everything, balance work with personal life, and make room for meaningful focus.</p><p>They both agree that leadership broadens your perspective, from building trust to changing how you make decisions and manage your time; the learning never stops.</p>

Tips for backend engineers aiming for leadership

<h2>Ready to lead at Vinted?</h2><p>Engineering Managers at Vinted don't just lead teams, they connect technical depth with human insight. Across Vinted’s Marketplace and our new payments and shipping companies, Vinted Go, and Vinted Pay, they shape how millions experience second-hand fashion online. &nbsp;</p><p>If you're driven by growth, wondering about leadership, and ready to support others while still staying close to the tech, this could be your next opportunity.</p><p>See our open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1&amp;q=Manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Manager roles</a></p>

Vinted20240418_48289_1.jpg

Becoming an Engineering Manager: A Backend Engineer's Guide at Vinted

<p>Millions of people rely on Vinted every day. Behind that scale is a platform built to handle massive amounts of data and constant change – powered by the engineers who keep it all running smoothly. Our Engineering Managers (EMs) lead those teams. They connect people, shape ideas into products and keep the technology strong as we expand to more than 20 markets.</p><p>We spoke with 3 Engineering Managers from across the Vinted Group about what the role really involves, how it differs between departments, and what they've learned about leading ambitious engineering work. Audronė Šopauskaitė, Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė, and Karolis Žilinskas each have different stories that show how technical skill and genuine care come together to build something that truly evolves with the company, and why Vinted is a place where talented engineers can become exceptional leaders.</p><h2>What being an Engineering Manager means at Vinted</h2><p>Some managers have a full Engineering, Product, Design &amp; Analytics (EPDA) team, but Audronė's is all Backend Engineers. Keeping close to the tech and working with a very technical team keeps her sharp.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There’s no single way to be an EM here. The details change from team to team, but the goal stays the same: help great engineers accomplish their potential and keep scalable systems moving forward.</p>

<p>Across the Vinted Group, managers spend less time in meetings about processes and more time helping people perform at a high level. They connect dots across product, delivery, and design, fostering real autonomy among their groups. It’s a role that mixes engineering context with leadership craft, and for ambitious engineers, it’s a chance to shape how millions experience the platform every day.</p>

The skills that make a difference – what our team thinks

<p>Good leadership at Vinted takes many forms, but the biggest misconception? That you need to be the strongest coder, or the only expert in the room. Many think that as an Engineering Manager, you’re the one making technical decisions that the team later has to implement, but that's not true! As an Engineering Manager, you enable others to own and deliver the tasks, making it more about the group, not just your own skills.</p><h2>Meeting new challenges, finding your stride</h2><p>Taking on leadership brings fresh complexity – different concerns, new problem spaces, and the challenge of defining success through others' progress. But here’s a little secret our Engineering Managers shared: When you're new to it, you might feel you have to own every issue. In reality, you rarely face obstacles alone. Peer support and asking for advice make a big difference.</p><p>Rugilė had the challenge of joining a group that was still finding its footing. At first, there were no clear ownership boundaries, which made things a bit uncertain, but then, through workshops, mapping responsibilities, and improving shared knowledge, real structure was built. The team became more aligned, and the results showed.</p>

<h2>Building a positive team culture</h2><p>Culture can make or break a team. One simple rule guides many of our leaders: "Would I want to return as an individual contributor to this department? If not, it's time to reflect and fix what's missing." &nbsp;</p><p>A meaningful, lasting culture is created when leaders lead by example. These Engineering Managers agree that Vinted treats them as partners, not layers of management. Everyone has a voice in shaping how things get done. When trust and communication flow openly, quality follows naturally.</p><p>Encouraging feedback, experimenting boldly, and celebrating learning wins – big or small – create a space where people can grow together.</p><h2>Advice for the next generation of Engineering Managers</h2>

<h2>Ready to lead at Vinted?</h2><p>Engineering Managers here have a real stake in the future of second-hand. If you want to combine technical expertise, leadership, and meaningful impact on a product used by millions, Vinted offers a place to shape your own path. Bring your ideas, growth mindset, and curiosity – we'll back you to take the next step.</p><p>Explore open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering roles -&gt;</a></p>

Vinted20240619_14298.jpg

Life as an Engineering Manager at Vinted

<p><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Closing the gender gap in tech isn’t just about numbers—it’s about opening doors. At Vinted, we believe in driving systemic change by showing the next generation that a career in technology is within their reach. Our ‘Girls in Tech’ shadowing program is our first step in inspiring high school students to explore what’s possible. For these young women, the experience is about more than just code; it’s about demystifying the industry and building the confidence to lead.</span></span></p>

<h2>A Glimpse into Life at Vinted</h2><p>Working in tech can feel like a mystery from the outside. That’s why we partnered with <a href="https://www.lja.lt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lithuanian Junior Achievement</a> to host 57 high school girls at our Vilnius HQ. The two-day event was a mix of hands-on learning and one-on-one mentorship. From testing their knowledge in a quick-fire quiz to exploring every corner of our office, the goal was to make tech feel tangible.</p><p>The heart of the program was the mentor-mentee matching. Our participants spent individual shadowing sessions with 31 of our female leaders—Engineering Directors, Engineers, Data Scientists, and more. They didn’t just watch; they saw how we collaborate, solve complex problems,&nbsp;sat in on real conversations, learning how decisions get made, and asking all the questions you don’t get to ask in a classroom.&nbsp;They experienced first-hand how to turn big ideas into a simple app used by millions.</p><p>We closed with a panel discussion about confidence—not the glossy version, but the everyday kind. Our mentors spoke openly about learning as they went, getting things wrong, being underestimated, pushing through discomfort, and choosing to show up anyway. By discussing self-doubt and ambition, they showed that confidence is a choice, not something you either “have” or “don’t have.” It’s something you build—through practice, support, and time.</p><h2>Biggest takeaways</h2><p>The clearest theme in the feedback: seeing real roles up close changed how students think about tech.</p><p>For some, it confirmed they’re on the right track. For others, it opened doors they didn’t know existed—like QA, Data Science, or Product and Engineering leadership. Many also said it helped them understand what an office environment is really like, and how much teamwork sits behind an app that feels simple on the surface.</p>

<p>By the end, almost everyone said they would consider a tech career. Highlights included the honesty of mentor conversations, the panel on confidence, and the sheer variety of paths within IT. One of the biggest surprises? How much complex thinking, collaboration, and iteration happens behind the scenes—long before anything reaches users.</p><p>A single day can’t solve a systemic challenge of enabling more girls to enter the tech field. But it can shift someone’s sense of what’s possible—and that matters.</p><h2>Why our leaders show up as mentors</h2><p>Many of our senior women leaders joined as mentors for reasons that were both personal and professional: they wanted to share the real story behind their careers (rarely linear), widen students’ view of what “tech” can mean, and make leadership feel more reachable.</p><p>For Vinted, the impact is also internal. Mentorship strengthens how we lead—through listening, clarity, and real care for people’s growth. It creates visibility for role models across levels, connects day-to-day work to a bigger purpose, and reminds us that investing in future talent starts long before someone applies for a job.</p>

<p>This is also why many Vinted people choose to mentor in other programs—through our internal learning initiatives and external partnerships. When you’ve learned something the hard way, sharing it can be one of the most meaningful ways to pay it forward.</p><h2>This is how we work at Vinted</h2><p>This project reflects what we try to practice every day: build things that are useful, invite different perspectives in early, and keep it real—especially about what growth actually looks like. We believe that being open about our challenges is the best way to build a community, and that we all have a responsibility to pull the next person up the ladder. We’re proud of the mentors who made time to lead by example, the students who showed up curious and brave, and the partners who helped us see the bigger picture.</p><p>If you’re someone who wants your work to mean something beyond your own inbox, you’ll find a lot of people here who feel the same.</p>

DSC_8213.jpg

Inside a Girls in Tech Shadowing Day at Vinted

<p><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedpay?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Pay</a> is a big step for our community with an ambitious mission: building an in-house payment platform that makes buying and selling across borders feel even easier, safer, and more supported. We approach this as a new part of Vinted – a chance to shape something important from the ground up, with the backing of a team that believes in moving fast but getting things right.</p><p>Our upcoming payment system not only connects buyers and sellers, but does it with stability, speed, and the ability to adapt fast as we grow – qualities at the heart of Vinted engineering. So, join us as we explore how we scale testing at Vinted Pay and what it really takes to deliver reliability for millions with the help of our Lead Test Automation Engineer.</p>

<h2>Solving technical puzzles at scale</h2><p>From the start, Vinted Pay has meant taking on fresh challenges. We needed to deliver all the payment features our members use – like card payments, Vinted Balance withdrawals, and verification – while also preparing to migrate millions of members from our previous providers to the new platform. From there, our focus turned to scaling even further: supporting additional users, introducing multiple currencies, and handling large transaction volumes, all without any disruption to the Vinted experience.</p><p>For this, "just running the usual tests" wasn't enough. Each step raised new questions: Would this experience scale for everyone who uses Vinted? Would it hold up under pressure? Could our systems recover quickly if something unexpected happened? To answer these, <strong>we developed a layered approach using API contract test automation, chaos and performance testing.</strong> More on this next!</p><h2>A team effort, every step of the way</h2><p>At Vinted Pay, testing is a team sport. Our architecture is built around microservices – so <strong>we work closely with SRE, Security, Backend, and Frontend Engineers </strong>to ensure everything integrates seamlessly and performs as it should. The frameworks and tools we create often reach far beyond their original scope, supporting more engineering teams than we anticipated, which means more ownership and faster feedback for everyone involved.</p>

<p>Teams collaborate closely – coordinating releases across services, building shared tools, and contributing ideas to sharpen our methods. When we're working on something unfamiliar or tricky, support from other engineers means there's usually someone who's seen a similar challenge before – or is keen to help find a fresh solution.</p><h2>Learning as we build</h2><p>Testing at scale means we learn as we go – spotting potential bottlenecks early, making more confident decisions, and building resilience into every part of the process.</p><p>Sometimes our work brings unexpected insights: we've used our test results to choose tools, compare programming languages, and refine how we work with data. The main thing that keeps coming up is simple: don't just assume something will work. Take the time to check and use the results to improve. At Vinted, we don't rely on assumptions; we build on evidence.</p><h2>What you'll find at Vinted Pay</h2><p>If you're looking for an environment that values hands-on technical growth, open problem-solving, and building something meaningful for our community, Vinted Pay could be the place for you. <strong>Here, you'll work with tools like Ruby, JavaScript, TypeScript, k6, Chaos Toolkit, CI/CD pipelines, GO, Kubernetes, AWS, Elasticsearch, Temporal, Grafana, Kibana, Datadog, Clean-Swift, Kotlin, Appium, ES6+, SCSS, HTML5, Playwright, and Postman </strong>– with the room to shape our engineering approach alongside skilled colleagues, all while making an impact beyond the code.</p><h3>Your next step?</h3><p>Vinted Pay is growing, and so are the possibilities. We're still early in the journey, but every challenge brings us closer to a payments system that’s ready for the future of second-hand. Want to help us build it? We'd be glad to <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hear from you.</a></p>

IMG_4546.JPG

Scaling Testing at Vinted Pay: How we Build Reliability for Millions

<p>At Vinted, behind every seamless transaction, there's a team of Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) keeping everything running smoothly for millions of members in over 20+ markets. By <strong>building, scaling and securing the infrastructure behind our pre-loved marketplace</strong>, they ensure Vinted stays reliable and ready for our members to discover their next great find. From orchestrating deployments to solving unique technical challenges, SREs play a key role in our platform's success.</p><p>In this post, you'll get a glimpse into SRE at Vinted – explore our tech, see how we solve problems at scale, and find out what it's like to be part of the team.</p><h2>What SRE Means at Vinted</h2><p>SRE at Vinted isn't just about keeping the lights on or maintaining servers. Here, it's about innovation – creating scalable solutions and giving developers what they need to deliver quickly, confidently and securely. <strong>We go beyond off-the-shelf systems, often designing and operating our own tools and infrastructure in our data centres, </strong>which means our SREs are at the core of productivity and the experience our members enjoy.</p><p>Vinted’s Site Reliability Engineers shape their own path. You’ll work across a range of challenges – from coding and automation to refining infrastructure and resolving complex issues – often all in the same week. Our teams’ mission is to offer a truly reliable platform that can scale with our community, always allowing room for innovation and backed by a supportive team.</p>

<p>If you love working at the cutting edge – this is the place for you.&nbsp;</p>

Our technology toolkit

<p>We run most of our infrastructure in <strong>3 on-premise data centers</strong> with <strong>more than 7,000 physical servers </strong>– a scale where usual approaches don’t apply – giving you the chance to solve unique challenges, boost performance, and bring innovations to life that you won’t find anywhere else.</p><h3>Meeting complexity with creativity &nbsp;</h3><p>Not every problem has a standard solution. At Vinted, SREs take on large-scale engineering challenges – designing and implementing innovative solutions for complex systems at scale. Whether it’s optimising Kubernetes clusters running up to 90,000 CPU cores, or running Redis at a scale where you have to get inventive, for each of our SRE teams, creative problem-solving is central to the role.</p><p>Some days, that means troubleshooting elusive bugs that turn out to be buried deep in the Linux kernel. Other times, it’s reimagining how we deploy infrastructure or developing custom tools to route millions of members’ traffic efficiently. <strong>Our goal is always the same: reliability, performance, and creating a seamless experience for both our members and our developers.</strong></p><h3>A day in the life of a Vinted SRE</h3><p>Collaboration is the name of the game. <strong>SREs at Vinted bridge the gap between infrastructure, product development, and support </strong>– partnering with everyone from backend and data engineers to product managers and other SRE teams. On any given day, this might mean:</p><ul><li>Writing and deploying code that supports real Vinted users.</li><li>Helping teams adopt new best practices.</li><li>Automating repetitive work so developers can focus on new features.</li><li>Debugging a critical incident and finding solutions that keep Vinted running smoothly.</li><li>Building, benchmarking, and deploying next-gen platform improvements.</li></ul>

<h3>On-call with confidence</h3><p>On-call at Vinted is designed to be sustainable and fair. Rotations are predictable and typically last a week (depending on the team). Most issues can be handled during the day, and clear runbooks make even the trickiest alerts straightforward for any engineer to follow. Each team member takes their turn, with plenty of support from colleagues whenever it’s needed. <strong>Our monitoring and alerting are continuously improved</strong> to streamline the on-call experience and ensure SREs always feel supported when incidents arise.</p><h3>What sets our team culture apart</h3><p>Walk into any SRE meeting – or hop on Slack – and you’ll spot a few things: trust, support, and a genuine passion for experimentation. Teams are invested in elevating each other, freely sharing what they know, and helping colleagues pick up new skills. We’ve cultivated <strong>a feedback-rich, blame-free environment,</strong> where learning from every experience is not just accepted, but encouraged.</p><p>There’s a deep respect for personal growth – engineers are supported to explore projects, attend conferences, and share ideas with the team. Whether you’ve recently joined the industry or you’re a seasoned expert, there’s always space to ask questions, contribute, and develop your craft.</p>

<p>There’s no single background or ideal checklist that defines our teams – our SREs come from all sorts of paths. But there are some things that unite us:</p>

What makes a great SRE?

<p>And don’t worry – nobody expects you to have all the answers on day one. If you’re keen to learn and ready to ask questions, you’ll find your home here.</p><h3>Ready to join us?</h3><p>If you want to work where your code, ideas, and curiosity can help millions shop (and live) a little more sustainably, we'd love to hear from you. Explore our current SRE opportunities and take the first step toward your next adventure at Vinted –&nbsp;<a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;q=Site%20Reliability%20Engineer&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> see open roles and apply here.</a></p>

tim_de_vos.jpg

Life as a Site Reliability Engineer at Vinted

<p>At Vinted, building the best platform for buying and selling second-hand starts with creating a great place to work. For us, that means fostering a space where you – no matter who you are, where you're from, or what makes you unique – can feel you belong.</p><p>Our&nbsp;Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) progress report for 2024&nbsp;highlights areas where we're making progress and where we can still go further. Here's a look at a few things shaping up daily life at Vinted, and what we're focusing on as we keep learning, growing, and celebrating our differences together through 2025.</p><h2>One team, hundreds of stories</h2><p>Vinted brings together a truly global team – over 78 nationalities are represented, with colleagues from both EU and non-EU backgrounds. While 68% of colleagues are from our home base of Lithuania, nearly a third have roots in countries across the world, making Vinted a place where diverse cultures and experiences meet every day.</p>

<h3>Making progress together</h3><p>Our people see diversity, equity, and inclusion as ongoing goals – not just a box to tick. We're making changes that show up in our policies, hiring, and day-to-day work. In 2024, nearly half of our organisation self-identified as women, and championing gender diversity remains a key focus for us. We're proud of the progress we've made across the organisation and within our leadership, and we're committed to building on that foundation to create even more opportunities for everyone at Vinted. Find out more on our&nbsp;<a href="https://careers.vinted.com/culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Culture page</a></p><h3>Communities that connect and support</h3><p>Life at Vinted isn't just about work – it's also about connection. In 2024, over a fifth of our organisation was part of an employee-led community, spaces where you can find support, be yourself, and meet new friends. You'll find employee-led groups across Vinted for LGBTQ+ colleagues, people of colour, neurodivergent, international team members living in Lithuania, and more.</p><p>Feedback from our communities has led to positive changes in the company, like introducing quiet spaces at events, adding gender-neutral bathrooms, and making policies more flexible to help everyone fit work around life’s needs.</p><h3>Room to grow</h3><p>We want everyone to feel comfortable, heard, and valued. Over 80% of our teammates said their leaders support them well, and 85% feel they can be themselves at work (according to our Annual Belonging Survey, 2024).</p><p>Our leadership toolkit, new learning opportunities, and regular DEI training programmes are designed to help everyone develop their skills and reach their goals. With that said, we know not everyone experiences inclusion or opportunity in the same way, and we’re always looking for new ways to improve.</p>

<h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>A commitment that's here to stay</strong></span></h3><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">In today's context, while some companies might be stepping back from their DEI goals, we're stepping forward. Our focus isn't on trends – it's about our values and the kind of workplace we’d like Vinted to be. We want everyone to thrive here: to find community, to feel understood, and to have the opportunity to achieve their ambitions.</span><br>&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you'd like to work in a place where you're welcome from day one and your ideas can&nbsp;shape our way of working, come and join us. Help us build a more inclusive future, one where you can do your best work and feel part of something bigger. We'd love to meet you.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">Explore our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles</a> and find your place at Vinted.</p>

Vinted pre-Fest 2025 57.jpg

Belonging at Vinted: Insights from our 2024 DEI Report

<p>At Vinted, our mobile engineers are developing an app used by millions of people across 20+ countries. Whether it’s enabling seamless second-hand shopping or creating intuitive tools to manage listings and deliveries, mobile is at the heart of how members experience Vinted.</p><p>So what’s it like to work behind the screen of one of Europe’s most-loved apps? To find out, we sat down with two of our mobile engineering leaders: <strong>Sam Vesali, iOS Staff Engineer</strong>, and <strong>Andrius Semionovas, Android Staff Engineer</strong>. They shared what makes our mobile domain special, how our teams work, and what it takes to thrive in this environment.</p><h3>What’s Special About Mobile at Vinted?</h3><p><strong>Mobile is not a separate lane—it’s a central one. </strong>Our mobile engineers are not just implementers. They’re co-creators, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, QAs, and Backend Engineers to build features that solve real-world problems for our members.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mobile teams contribute to all areas of Vinted’s business, from member experience to logistics. That means working at scale, building for <strong>multiple markets and millions of users</strong>, and constantly evolving our architecture to stay ahead.</p><p>We also maintain open communication across platforms. Android and iOS engineers regularly align to ensure <strong>feature parity and consistency</strong>, while still keeping pace with platform-specific innovations.</p><h3>Our Tech Stack &amp; How We Work</h3><p>We maintain a strong engineering culture that focuses on scalable architecture, modular codebases, and cross-platform consistency. Here's how we break it down:</p>

<figure class="table" style="height:100%;width:100%;"><table class="ck-table-resized" style="border-collapse:collapse;" border="1"><colgroup><col style="width:10.46%;"><col style="width:42.1%;"><col style="width:47.44%;"></colgroup><thead><tr><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">&nbsp;</th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">iOS</span></th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Android</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Language &nbsp;</strong></span><span style="color:#ECF9F9;font-size:14px;"><strong>.&nbsp;</strong></span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Swift</span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Kotlin (fully migrated since 2018)</span></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Architecture &nbsp;</strong></span><span style="color:#fafafa;font-size:14px;"><strong>.&nbsp;</strong></span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Modular Clean Swift, contract / implementation layering</span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">MVVM, modular pluggable system</span></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tools</strong></span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Tuist, Fastlane, GitHub Actions, Firebase Crashlytics</span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Gradle, Jenkins, OpenAPI for shared contracts, Jetpack Compose</span></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Testing</strong></span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Unit tests, snapshot, and integration tests</span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Unit tests, integration tests, static analysis, A/B testing</span></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<p>These tools and frameworks are just part of the story. Working at Vinted means solving technical challenges at scale—from modularising our architecture while avoiding tight coupling, to gradually adopting modern technologies like SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose. Across both platforms, engineers focus on secure, scalable, and privacy-first solutions that support independent team workflows and meet evolving business needs.</p><h3>Cross-Platform Collaboration</h3><p>Consistency matters, especially when millions rely on us daily. Our iOS and Android teams coordinate closely through shared specs, regular syncs, and aligned release strategies. From shared backend APIs to unified feature flags, both platforms deliver updates in tandem, ensuring every member has the same great experience, no matter their device.</p>

<h3>Day-to-Day in Mobile Engineering</h3><p>A typical day includes stand-ups, cross-team planning sessions, deep focus time for development, and collaborative reviews. Mobile engineers lead discussions on architecture, run experiments, and share feedback across various disciplines. Mentorship and pair programming are encouraged, especially for junior engineers joining through our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Academy</a>.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The scale is energising. You ship something in the morning and see real-world impact by the evening. However, scaling brings complexity—tight architectural discipline, legacy code migration, and the challenge of meeting diverse market needs across devices and platforms.</p><h3>Advice for Future Mobile Engineers at Vinted</h3><p>We value engineers who see beyond their code — think holistically about user experience, technical debt, and collaboration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From day one, our engineers are trusted and supported. You’ll learn fast, receive regular feedback, and grow into broader responsibilities—whether it’s leading architectural efforts, mentoring others, or shaping product direction. Your own career growth depends on you. The path can lead towards Staff or Principal roles, switching tracks entirely (e.g. from iOS to Backend), or challenging yourself with a technical leadership position! There's plenty of room to evolve.</p>

<h3>Ready to Build Mobile Products Used by Millions?</h3><p>If you love clean architecture, solving tough problems, and you're excited to make an impact by building high-quality mobile products with a passionate, experienced team—check out our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Engineering%20Academy&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>open roles</strong></a> or apply to the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Vinted Engineering Academy</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>

Iryna Horova.jpg

Engineering at Your Fingertips: Life in Mobile at Vinted

Engineering

Vinted Go

Data Science & Analytics

Inclusion

People Stories

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Whether it's coffee, lunch, a weekend walk, or a meetup, saying yes to the little things is the quickest way to feel at home.</span></p>

Start saying "yes"

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Getting familiar with the neighbourhoods, public transport, and some Lithuanian basics early can make life a little more convenient.</span></p>

Brush up on practical details

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Investing in a pair of decent boots and some warm clothes can be more than enough.</span></p>

Don't stress about winter

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Everyone remembers being new, and help is always within reach.</span></p>

Don't hesitate to reach out

<p>T<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">here's space for your story here.</span></p>

Most of all, be yourself

<p>“Discuss your goals with your current Engineering Manager. Find ways to contribute to their tasks or daily activities… it allows you to understand what the role is really like and whether it’s a good fit for you.” – Rugilė.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Start exploring early

<p>Here, there’s no shortage of Engineering Managers ready to share their knowledge and experience. Having a mentor can make the transition feel clearer and more achievable.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Find guidance

<p>“A great way to see if management suits you is to try it out through the Engineering Academy or by taking something off your manager’s shoulders. You can shape the role in a million different ways.” - Audronė.</p>

Experiment

<p>Don’t wait for a title to start acting like a leader. Get involved, support others, and opportunities will come sooner than you expect.</p>

Build your network

<p>“Clear communication and honesty are key for me. I’m always open about what I know and what I don’t. If you’re willing to listen, no challenge feels too big."</p>

Active listening and honesty

<p>Especially in domains like Trust &amp; Safety, challenges can evolve fast. “Priorities can shift fast, and we often need to deal with unexpected changes in our roadmap. Flexibility is essential…you can’t get bored here!”</p>

Adaptability

<p>“This role is unique, and every day can feel different. One thing I learned early is that you need to manage your energy levels well…a solid planner really helps.”</p>

Stay organised

<p>&nbsp;"No day is ever boring, and you learn the most when the unexpected happens."</p>

Openness to growth

<p>“A great way to see if management suits you is to join the Engineering Academy or take something off your manager’s shoulders. Trust me, they’ll thank you. You can shape the role in a million different ways, so curiosity and experimentation really help.”&nbsp;</p>

Audronė Šopauskaitė

<p>“There will never be a ‘perfect’ time to apply. You’ll always have doubts about what you don’t know yet. I’ve been a manager for more than three years now, and those thoughts never go away…they just change. Don’t overthink it. If you’re interested, go for it.”</p>

Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė

<p>“Build your support network early. Peers, mentors, and senior engineers who can both challenge and assist you.&nbsp;Don’t wait for a title to start acting like a leader. Take on broader problems, look beyond your own area, and you’ll show you’re ready for the next step.”</p>

Karolis Žilinskas

Vinted Group

<p>57 Students<br>31 Mentors<br>4 Speakers</p>

Girls in Tech who joined the event

<p>Student Satisfaction Score - 9.5/10<br>Mentors' NPS - 100<br>Event NPS - 100</p>

Feedback we are proud of

<p>90% of students now consider a tech career!</p>

New Career Paths unlocked

Vinted Pay

<p>Golang, Ruby, Chef, Ansible, Terraform, Temporal, Jenkins, ArgoCD</p>

Programming & Automation

Infrastructure

<p>MySQL, Vitess, Redis, Memcached, Ceph, ElasticSearch</p>

Storage

<p>AWS, GCP, Cloudflare, SONiC, Cumulus Linux</p>

Cloud & Networking

<p>Prometheus, Thanos, Grafana, PagerDuty, VITA (our in-house monitoring/incident management platform)</p>

Monitoring & Alerting

<p>From multi-cluster Kubernetes and Istio service mesh, to beginning to explore AI-powered innovation and fully open-source network switches.</p>

And more...

<p>Technology never stands still, and neither do we.</p>

Curiosity and a hunger to learn

<p>If you enjoy the puzzle of big engineering challenges, you’ll thrive in SRE.<br>&nbsp;</p>

A problem-solving mindset

<p>We work across many teams and domains – so, if you enjoy openly sharing or hearing about new ideas, you’ll fit right in.&nbsp;</p>

Communication and collaboration

<p>Confidence in Linux, networking, or automation go a long way, but what matters most is the drive to pick up what you don’t know yet.</p>

Foundations in infrastructure

<p>Over 80% of our colleagues feel that their leaders support them well. This support includes feeling safe to share concerns, trusting leaders to handle team issues, and believing that leaders look out for their best interests.</p>

Leaders are supportive

<p>Around 85% of colleagues feel supported by others, are comfortable being themselves, and feel confident in their abilities. Nearly 80% also feel comfortable sharing their feelings with their team and can balance work and home life well.</p>

Colleagues are supportive and people feel comfortable being themselves

<p>90% of colleagues feel that their voices are heard during discussions and decision-making.</p>

Vinted blog