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E-commerce, Live Streaming, Social Commerce, Marketplace

Senior iOS Engineer - China

ShanghaiHybridFull TimeSeniorPosted 1 month agoHidden Gem · YC Startup

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Required skills

  • Swift
  • iOS
  • declarative code
  • user-facing features
  • gamified mechanisms
  • buyer ecosystem
  • promotions
  • task achievement systems
  • virtual point system
  • English communication

Nice to have

  • Computer Science degree
  • equivalent work experience

Role summary

Whatnot is seeking a Senior iOS Engineer for its Games & Buyer Ecosystem Team in China. This role involves designing and developing gamified features, interactive challenges, and reward systems for the iOS app using Swift to drive purchases and engagement. The engineer will also analyze performance metrics and user feedback to refine product strategies. The position requires 4+ years of iOS native development experience, strong Swift and declarative UI skills, and a proven track record of delivering user-facing features. Flexibility to work from home or a global hub is offered, with a requirement to live within commuting distance of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Hangzhou.

## **🚀 Join the Future of Commerce with Whatnot!**

Whatnot is the largest live shopping platform in North America and Europe to buy, sell, and discover the things you love. Whether it's trading cards, fashion, electronics, or live plants, our sellers are building real businesses across hundreds of categories. We're building live commerce at a scale that's never been done in the West, and there's no playbook to copy. The people here are shaping how an entirely new industry develops.

As a remote co-located team, we're inspired by our [values](https://www.whatnot.com/careers#principles) and anchored in hubs across the US, UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Australia. We move fast, stay close to our users, and focus on the work that drives the most impact.

We're one of the [fastest growing marketplaces](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/business/dealbook/whatnot-livestream-shopping-fundraise.html) and were recently named the [#1 Best Startup Employer in America](https://www.forbes.com/lists/americas-best-startup-employers/) by Forbes. Check out the latest Whatnot updates on our [news](https://blog.teamwhatnot.com/) and [engineering blogs](https://medium.com/whatnot-engineering) and join us as we enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce.

## **💻 Role**

We are recruiting for our **Games & Buyer Ecosystem Team** in China that can bring best practices and leverage their expertise here at Whatnot. We develop features for our US & Europe markets.

In this role, you will:

- Design and develop end-to-end gamified mechanisms for our buyers to drive key business metrics such as purchases and engagement.

- Build interactive challenges and reward systems across the buyer ecosystem (ex. Promotions, Task achievement systems, virtual point system) that guide users and encourage ongoing engagement.

- Develop innovative systems and features for our iOS mobile app using Swift

- Continuously analyze performance metrics and user feedback to refine product strategies, ensuring we deliver enjoyable experiences.

**We offer flexibility to work from home or from one of our global office hubs, and we value in-person time for planning, problem-solving, and connection. Team members in this role must live within commuting distance of our Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen or Hangzhou hub.**

## **👋 You**

People who do well at Whatnot tend to be comfortable figuring things out as they go, biased toward action, and genuinely curious about what they're building. They care more about outcomes than credit and stay close to the product and the people using it.

As our next Senior iOS Engineer, you should have 4+ years of iOS native development experience, plus:

- A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent work experience.

- iOS expertise in creating fluid, responsive user interfaces. Strong knowledge of Swift and adept at writing declarative code.

- Proven track record of delivering user-facing features. You are known for shipping products and features lightning-fast.

- Excellent product instincts. You first think about users rather than the best technical solution.

- Good written and verbal English communication skills without relying on translation apps

- Bonus:

**Please note: Whatnot will only contact you through official @whatnot.com email addresses. If you see an email impersonating a Whatnot recruiter, please disregard and report it as spam.**

## **💛 EOE**

Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by local law. We believe that our work is better and our company culture is improved when we encourage, support, and respect the different skills and experiences represented within our workforce.

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