Shipt HQ Spotlight: 5 Questions With Bryan D., VP of Engineering

From shoppers to members to engineers, marketers, and our shopper appreciation team, it’s the people who make Shipt, Shipt. In this special edition of our spotlight series, we’re learning more about what life is like inside Shipt’s headquarters (HQ) in downtown Birmingham.

Bryan D. started at Shipt in 2015 as the engineering lead. While his day-to-day focus has evolved throughout his four years with the company, he’s always been a great teammate and leader for Shipt’s various technology teams. From back end software to user experience to payments and everything in between, you’re not likely to find a piece of Shipt technology he hasn’t managed. As the VP of Engineering, Bryan’s work has helped transform Shipt from a small Birmingham startup into a leading nationwide same-day delivery marketplace. Keep reading for Bryan’s take on what it’s like to work at Shipt HQ.

What is it like working at the HQ office in Birmingham?

The first word that comes to mind is “exciting” – that might sound cliche, but it’s really the best way to describe Shipt HQ. It’s a high-energy environment and we all feed off of that energy. People are up moving around and conversations are happening in every corner of the office, and there’s always music playing in the background.

What excites you most about your job?

Just knowing the impact Shipt has on the lives of our members and shoppers. Shipt is a life saver for our family and so I take a lot of pride in being part of the team behind the scenes bringing this experience to others. We’re making a positive impact on people’s lives and I find that to be really exciting.

What are the keys to success at Shipt HQ?

We move fast and operate with a startup mentality, so the ability to balance working autonomously on some projects and collaboratively with larger teams on others is key. Attention to detail is important, even the smallest detail could have a huge impact on member or shopper experience. Most of all, we prioritize getting things done. We’re building something new and there’s no “rulebook” to follow, it’s all about making things happen (and quickly)!  

Pro tip for success: BYOH (bring your own headphones), it can get loud on the floor at HQ.

As a longtime Birmingham resident, what has Shipt meant to you and this city?

It’s been incredible to witness the positive impact Shipt has had on our community here in Birmingham. The downtown revitalization really stands out for me, I never imagined Birmingham would become a tech hub, but it has become an attractive destination for people and other companies.

Personally, being part of something bigger than myself has been so rewarding.

What’s your favorite Shipt memory?

I have two. The first didn’t take place at work, but you’ll see why I consider it one of my favorite Shipt memories. I had the opportunity to be in one of the first rideshare cars ever in Birmingham. Our CEO, Bill Smith, played an important role in bringing ride sharing services to Birmingham, and I found myself in the right place at the right time with Bill on this particular day. I don’t think we had a destination in mind when we hopped in the car, we were just excited to be in it. In the end I think we only drove a few blocks, but I’ll certainly never forget that car ride.

My second favorite Shipt memory did take place at work. In my role leading the engineering team, I travel to/from the SF office on a fairly consistent basis. That’s what made being part of the San Francisco launch last fall such a treat and one of my favorite Shipt memories. Prior to the launch, the team in SF had been working on Shipt for nearly two years without being able to use the service, so you can imagine the excitement on the launch day. It was a lot of fun being in San Francisco for that launch.

Bonus: What advice would you give to someone interested in working at Shipt?

Apply! We’re always looking for smart, self-motivated people who enjoy challenging work. You’re going to be challenged and you’re going to learn a lot, and that’s one of the things I love most about my job. We move fast and we‘re always looking for people who like getting things done.

Interested in joining the Shipt team? Check out the careers page at www.shipt.com/careers.