Senior Backend Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Connecticut, +8 more states.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of significant components of the backend.

• Define, design, deploy, and stabilize the services that other parts of the product rely on. You will also be responsible for resolving issues when they arise, even during off-hours.

• Make architectural decisions regarding data model evolution, caching boundaries, latency budget allocation, and determining when to refactor or rewrite code.

• Navigate seamlessly across the data layer, utilizing both relational databases at scale (MySQL, MariaDB) and document stores (Firestore) as appropriate.

• Treat infrastructure as code as an integral part of your responsibilities. Tools like Terraform and Ansible are essential, and a service is not considered complete until it can be redeployed without your presence.

• Incorporate performance, observability, and operational health into the definition of “done.” Ensure that dashboards and alerts are included with each feature release.

• Shift across the technology stack as needed by the tasks at hand.

• Open TypeScript pull requests in the Electron application when a feature requires end-to-end integration rather than a simple handoff. You are comfortable working on both sides of the interface.

• Have strong opinions about UX workflows and product interfaces, not just API designs. The best backend engineers we’ve encountered care about the overall user experience.

• Investigate issues within the Electron app, overlay, or web interface when that is where the bug is located.

• Lead the backend roadmap development.

• Own the decisions about what projects to pursue, what to prioritize, and the sequencing of tasks. Initially, you will closely collaborate with the Head of Engineering, but the expectation is that you will eventually guide the roadmap independently.

• Advocate for cross-functional initiatives that may be overlooked, such as addressing observability gaps, managing data model debt, improving performance regressions, and ensuring API hygiene. Focus on the work that builds up over time.

• Provide meaningful code reviews, mentor team members organically, and elevate the level of design discussions whenever necessary, not just during implementation.

• Bring a thoughtful approach and genuine enthusiasm to your work. Engage in roadmap discussions with an emphasis on achieving positive outcomes.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 6 years of experience in developing production backend systems, preferably for a consumer product at scale. You can discuss your contributions, their users, and the results achieved.

• Proficient in PHP 8.2 (Laravel or Symfony), or have equivalent experience in another modern web stack with a solid plan to quickly learn PHP. While PHP proficiency is valued, we prioritize the engineer's overall capabilities.

• Experience with relational data modeling at scale (MySQL, MariaDB, or Postgres). You have made decisions between using wide tables and join tables, along with understanding the implications of those choices.

• Familiarity with various data stores. You have also utilized document or NoSQL databases (Firestore or similar) when the data structure demanded it, and know when it’s appropriate to do so.

• Embrace infrastructure as code as a standard practice. Familiarity with Terraform, Ansible, or similar is expected. You think about deployment and redeployment strategies before shipping a service.

• Comfortable working across the full stack. TypeScript in an Electron or web application is an area where you have prior experience.

• Outcome-focused and possess a strong sense of ownership. You evaluate your contributions based on the team’s achievements rather than solely your own work. You find ambiguous challenges stimulating rather than intimidating, and you tackle them head-on.

• Well-versed in AI tools that are transforming engineering practices. You stay updated on tools like Claude Code or similar, and the coding-agent ecosystem because you find it intriguing, not just because it is required.

• Have strong viewpoints on UX workflows and product development. You challenge product decisions when API designs could lead to complications, and you self-reflect when optimizing efforts may be misguided.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. You can produce design documents that engage readers from beginning to end.

• Ability to self-manage. You can independently take on ambiguous projects and see them through to completion without needing daily oversight.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and equity package.

• Fully remote working environment.

• Opportunity to develop core infrastructure for a community of over 40 million players who will appreciate your contributions.

• Work alongside a team of passionate individuals who love gaming, move quickly, and care deeply about the products they create.