As a Backend Engineer at Gallatin, your main responsibilities will include developing and maintaining backend services and APIs that support our AI-driven logistics solutions. You'll also be involved in designing system architecture, ensuring high service availability, and implementing robust testing strategies to guarantee platform stability and reliability.

To qualify for the Backend Engineer role at Gallatin, you should have proficiency in backend programming languages such as Python, Node.js, or Java. A solid understanding of API design and experience with various database systems, both relational and NoSQL, as well as familiarity with cloud environments like AWS or GCP, is also essential to the role.

Gallatin offers a dynamic and collaborative work environment in El Segundo, where you'll work alongside a passionate team of engineers and industry experts. We prioritize a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging team members to share knowledge and mentor each other while focusing on building impactful defense logistics solutions.

As a Backend Engineer at Gallatin, you'll be using a variety of tools and technologies including programming languages like Python, Node.js, or Java, cloud service providers such as AWS or GCP, and database management systems including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Redis. Familiarity with containerization tools such as Docker and Kubernetes will also be important in this role.

At Gallatin, Backend Engineers can expect significant growth opportunities, working in a fast-paced, mission-driven startup environment. With a commitment to continuous learning and professional development, team members can advance quickly in their careers while taking part in exciting projects that make a real difference.

In answering this question, emphasize your understanding of system architecture and the trade-offs involved in different design choices. Discuss the importance of scalability, security, and performance, and provide examples from your experience where you successfully implemented these principles.

When discussing your experience with database design, highlight specific projects where you improved data schema or made optimizations that enhanced performance or reliability. Show your understanding of both relational and NoSQL databases and discuss any relevant strategies you've employed.

To address high service availability, mention practices such as proactive monitoring, detailed logging, and professional alerting strategies you've employed in past projects. Highlight your experience with load balancing and failover techniques that ensure consistent service delivery.

Prepare to share a specific example of a complex issue you encountered and how you approached solving it. Detail the steps taken, any collaboration with teammates, and the outcome of your solution to showcase your problem-solving skills.

Illustrate your commitment to continuous learning by mentioning online courses, tech blogs, community involvement, or participation in relevant meetups. Highlight specific technologies or practices you're currently excited about and how that knowledge can be applied at Gallatin.

Discuss the significance of testing methodologies in your workflow, including unit tests, integration tests, and performance testing. Provide examples of how thorough testing has helped you catch issues early and improve the overall reliability of the applications you've built.

Talk about your familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes. Describe how you've used Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, like Terraform or CloudFormation, to manage and deploy applications efficiently in cloud environments.

Explain your collaborative mindset and offer examples of projects where you worked hand-in-hand with front-end and AI/ML teams. Emphasize your communication skills and how you strive to create seamless integrations between the different service layers.

In your response, detail methods you've implemented to write clean, maintainable code, such as following coding standards, commenting on your code effectively, and leveraging design patterns. Demonstrating your attention to detail and adherence to best practices will give quality insight into your work ethic.

Discuss your experience in mentoring others, whether through formal or informal processes. Provide examples of how you've helped junior engineers grow their skills, including code reviews, sharing resources, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.