Staff Engineer, Backend Architecture

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Germany.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of and enhance the backend and service architecture across various product teams.

• Ensure that services are consistent, scalable, and maintainable.

• Lead the transition from a legacy monolith to a modular, API-first service architecture.

• Plan and execute the migration process hands-on.

• Design an event-driven architecture utilizing Kafka and establish streaming patterns.

• Make and document key architectural decisions.

• Facilitate cross-team alignment and communicate trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Mentor and develop engineers through pair programming, design reviews, and feedback on code quality.

• Drive AWS infrastructure decisions related to service delivery, including deployment pipelines and cloud cost management.

• Identify and implement AI tools that enhance developer productivity and improve product quality.

• Communicate technical risks, progress updates, and recommendations to managers and peers.

⛳️ Requirements

• Currently operating at the Staff Engineer level or in a similar role.

• Proven technical leadership across multiple teams.

• Expert-level knowledge of backend systems in a modern typed programming language and framework.

• Extensive understanding of contemporary architectural patterns.

• Hands-on experience in incrementally breaking down a monolith into services.

• Proficiency in designing event-driven architectures using Kafka, including aspects like event and topic design, delivery semantics, and schema evolution.

• Strong experience with AWS.

• Insight into how cloud infrastructure influences service delivery.

• Familiarity with Kubernetes as a deployment target.

• Active engagement in exploring and applying AI tools and techniques in everyday engineering tasks.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a proactive approach.

• Proficient in English.

• Knowledge of German is a plus.

• Experience with PHP/Symfony and TypeScript is advantageous but not mandatory.

🏝️ Benefits

• Remote First: the flexibility to work from home, utilize co-working spaces throughout Germany, or operate from the Cologne headquarters.

• Provision of suitable home-office hardware.

• Budget allocated for ergonomic home-office equipment following the probation period.

• Flexible working hours with a core time frame from 9:00 to 12:00.

• Workation Worldwide: the option for remote work for up to 60 days per year from anywhere within ±4 hours of the German time zone.

• Monthly flexible benefits budget via Probonio for meal subsidies, childcare support, vouchers, or Urban Sports Club memberships.

• 32 days of paid vacation each year.

• Full days off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

• Culture Day.

• Company-wide bonus through the Shared Success Plan.

• Attractive leasing conditions for FINN JobAuto electric vehicles.

• Bike leasing options available.

• In-person team meetings held once per tertial, including summer and winter events.

• Access to Urban Sports Club.

• Life coaching programs and additional wellness offerings.

• Dog-friendly headquarters.

• 20% contribution to the company pension plan.

• Access to a corporate benefits portal.