Senior Backend Engineer (Node.js / Python)

About This Role

We need a backend engineer who thinks in systems, not just endpoints. You'll design APIs and microservices that power consumer apps used by millions, handle real-time data processing, and architect database schemas that will scale without requiring a painful rewrite at 10x traffic. Node.js or Python preferred — ideally both.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable RESTful and GraphQL APIs serving mobile and web frontends
• Architect database schemas for PostgreSQL and MongoDB optimized for both write throughput and read performance
• Build event-driven microservices using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or AWS SQS for asynchronous processing
• Implement authentication and authorization systems (JWT, OAuth2, RBAC)
• Set up caching layers with Redis for session management, rate limiting, and data acceleration
• Write infrastructure as code using Terraform or AWS CDK for reproducible cloud deployments
• Lead backend architecture reviews and establish API design standards for the team
• Optimize query performance — identify N+1 problems, missing indexes, and slow query patterns

Requirements

• 5+ years of backend engineering with Node.js and/or Python in production
• Deep understanding of SQL (PostgreSQL preferred) — query optimization, indexing strategies, migrations
• Experience with distributed systems concepts: eventual consistency, idempotency, saga patterns
• Solid understanding of HTTP, REST, and API design principles
• Production experience with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes or ECS)
• Strong security fundamentals: SQL injection prevention, input validation, secrets management
• Experience leading technical design discussions and documenting decisions (ADRs)

Nice to Have

Bonus points — not required

• Experience with GraphQL federation for microservices
• Familiarity with serverless architectures (AWS Lambda, Cloudflare Workers)
• Background in fintech or healthcare with compliance-aware system design
• Open-source contributions to backend frameworks or libraries