Lead IT Engineer - Merchandise Technology
Ulta Beauty — Bolingbrook, Illinois, United States
Platform: Oracle Retail · Type: Full-time
Experience: 9-12 years
Modules: MFCS (SaaS), PL/SQL
Job description
Ulta Beauty’s Enterprise Systems organization is seeking passionate, hands-on Lead Engineer Merchandise Technology. The Lead Engineer, Merchandising Technology is responsible for the technical design, delivery, and continuous improvement of enterprise merchandising systems supporting planning, forecasting, allocation, and inventory management capabilities. This role partners closely with Product, Data, and Business stakeholders to deliver scalable, high-performing solutions that enable data-driven merchandising decisions. The Lead Engineer provides hands-on technical leadership across complex retail platforms and drives engineering excellence within an Agile product model.
YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY:
Lead the design, development, and deployment of merchandising technology solutions supporting demand forecasting, assortment planning, allocation, replenishment, and inventory optimization.
Serve as the technical lead within an Agile product pod, partnering with Product Managers, Product Owners, and Architects to deliver high-quality solutions aligned to business outcomes
Architect and implement scalable, resilient integrations across enterprise systems including ERP, planning platforms, data platforms, and downstream operational systems
Provide deep technical expertise in large-scale retail platform implementations, including configuration, customization, and integration of commercial off-the-shelf solutions
Drive engineering best practices across the team, including code quality, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, DevOps, and system observability
Lead technical solutioning and hands-on development for integrations involving merchandising, inventory, and financial data across complex system landscapes
Partner with Data & Analytics teams to ensure high-quality, governed data flows that support advanced analytics, reporting, and AI/ML use cases
Ensure system performance, scalability, and reliability to support high-volume retail operations across stores and digital channels
Identify and resolve technical risks, constraints, and dependencies across cross-functional initiatives
Provide mentorship and technical guidance to engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence
Collaborate with vendors and system integrators to ensure successful delivery, support, and optimization of commercial retail platforms
Participate in release planning, system demos, and production support, ensuring smooth deployment and operational stability.
ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
8+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 2+ years in a lead or senior engineering role
Proven experience working in retail technology environments, with strong domain knowledge in merchandising, inventory management, or supply chain planning
Hands-on experience implementing or supporting commercial retail planning and inventory management platforms such as Oracle Retail, Blue Yonder, or similar solutions
Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale, cross-functional platform implementations across merchandising, finance, supply chain, and data ecosystems
Strong understanding of retail data models, including product hierarchy, inventory positioning, demand forecasting, and financial planning concepts
Experience designing and building integrations using APIs, event-driven architectures, ETL/ELT pipelines, and middleware platforms
Proficiency in modern engineering practices including microservices architecture, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), and DevOps tooling
Experience working with data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks) and enabling data for analytics and AI/ML use cases
Strong understanding of Agile development methodologies and experience working within product-centric delivery models
Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate complex technical and business challenges
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Experience working with third-party vendors and system integrators in complex enterprise environments
YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY:
Lead the design, development, and deployment of merchandising technology solutions supporting demand forecasting, assortment planning, allocation, replenishment, and inventory optimization.
Serve as the technical lead within an Agile product pod, partnering with Product Managers, Product Owners, and Architects to deliver high-quality solutions aligned to business outcomes
Architect and implement scalable, resilient integrations across enterprise systems including ERP, planning platforms, data platforms, and downstream operational systems
Provide deep technical expertise in large-scale retail platform implementations, including configuration, customization, and integration of commercial off-the-shelf solutions
Drive engineering best practices across the team, including code quality, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, DevOps, and system observability
Lead technical solutioning and hands-on development for integrations involving merchandising, inventory, and financial data across complex system landscapes
Partner with Data & Analytics teams to ensure high-quality, governed data flows that support advanced analytics, reporting, and AI/ML use cases
Ensure system performance, scalability, and reliability to support high-volume retail operations across stores and digital channels
Identify and resolve technical risks, constraints, and dependencies across cross-functional initiatives
Provide mentorship and technical guidance to engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence
Collaborate with vendors and system integrators to ensure successful delivery, support, and optimization of commercial retail platforms
Participate in release planning, system demos, and production support, ensuring smooth deployment and operational stability.
ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
8+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 2+ years in a lead or senior engineering role
Proven experience working in retail technology environments, with strong domain knowledge in merchandising, inventory management, or supply chain planning
Hands-on experience implementing or supporting commercial retail planning and inventory management platforms such as Oracle Retail, Blue Yonder, or similar solutions
Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale, cross-functional platform implementations across merchandising, finance, supply chain, and data ecosystems
Strong understanding of retail data models, including product hierarchy, inventory positioning, demand forecasting, and financial planning concepts
Experience designing and building integrations using APIs, event-driven architectures, ETL/ELT pipelines, and middleware platforms
Proficiency in modern engineering practices including microservices architecture, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), and DevOps tooling
Experience working with data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks) and enabling data for analytics and AI/ML use cases
Strong understanding of Agile development methodologies and experience working within product-centric delivery models
Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate complex technical and business challenges
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Experience working with third-party vendors and system integrators in complex enterprise environments