Back End Software Engineer II - App Foundations

As a Back End Software Engineer II at Abnormal Security, your primary responsibilities include collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver on the product roadmap, designing and maintaining high-performance services, optimizing internal processes through automation, and ensuring robust monitoring and alerting for our systems. Your focus will be on building scalable solutions that enhance the customer experience.

Abnormal Security requires candidates for the Back End Software Engineer II position to have a minimum of 3 years of experience with relevant technologies, including Python (Django), Go, and experience with MySQL and PostgreSQL. Candidates should also have at least 1 year of experience in production support for enterprise-class customers, as well as a strong background in system design and microservices.

At Abnormal Security, a Back End Software Engineer II should be proficient in tech stacks that include Python (Django), Go, MySQL, PostgreSQL, ElasticSearch, Redis, and Kafka. Familiarity with agile methodologies like scrum and kanban is also beneficial.

Abnormal Security fosters a culture of ownership and growth by encouraging Back End Software Engineer II candidates to take responsibility for their projects, actively seek clarifications, and engage with leadership to address ambiguities. The company supports ongoing professional development, empowering employees to own their growth paths while working on innovative solutions.

The base salary range for a Back End Software Engineer II at Abnormal Security ranges from $148,800 to $175,000 USD. Additional compensation options such as bonuses and stock units may be available based on individual candidate qualifications and experience.

In your response, highlight specific projects where you utilized Python for back-end development, focusing on your use of frameworks like Django and how you implemented scalable and efficient solutions. Discuss any challenges you faced and how you overcame them using Python.

When answering this, focus on principles like separation of concerns, scalability, and resilience. Explain how microservices can be independently deployed and maintained, and share an example of a microservice architecture you've designed.

Discuss your approach to code quality, including practices like code reviews, automated testing, and continuous integration. Share any tools you’ve used for maintaining quality and how they contributed to successful project outcomes.

Emphasize that system design is pivotal in creating scalable solutions. Discuss how you approach system design by considering performance, reliability, and maintainability, and give examples of systems you’ve designed or contributed to.

Provide an example of a project where collaboration was critical. Explain how you communicated technical requirements to non-engineers and worked with them to ensure the product met customer needs while still being technically viable.

Outline a structured approach to troubleshooting, such as investigating logs, monitoring system performance, and engaging with team members. Share a specific production issue you resolved, detailing your thought process and actions taken.

Discuss your methods for prioritization, including how you assess project urgency, impact, and resources. Provide an example of a time you successfully managed competing priorities and delivered results on time.

Explain how you leverage automation to enhance efficiency, whether through CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, or monitoring. Discuss a specific instance where automation improved your workflow or the development process.

Share your understanding of agile methodologies like scrum and kanban. Provide examples of how you’ve applied these practices in your previous roles, focusing on how they improved team dynamics and project outcomes.

Discuss challenges like latency, data consistency, or fault tolerance in distributed systems. Share examples of how you approached these challenges, including any specific solutions or technologies you implemented.