Senior Backend Engineer

As a Senior Backend Engineer at Aurora, your primary responsibilities will include building and maintaining scalable backend systems. You'll work closely with our CTO on system design, focusing on API performance, database optimization, and architectural patterns to ensure reliability. Additionally, you'll be involved in deploying and monitoring production systems on Google Cloud Platform while ensuring the code quality through comprehensive testing practices.

To qualify for the Senior Backend Engineer role at Aurora, candidates should have a minimum of 5 years of production experience with Django and Django Rest Framework. Strong knowledge in system design principles, experience in Linux systems, and proficiency in Google Cloud services are also crucial. Furthermore, the ideal candidate will have robust database management skills and a solid understanding of secure coding practices.

Aurora is dedicated to fostering growth for its Senior Backend Engineers by offering an environment that promotes learning and advancement. As part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside top-tier professionals, directly report to the CTO, and potentially reach an executive position within engineering and product. We also provide a tech & education budget to support your ongoing professional development.

As a Senior Backend Engineer at Aurora, you will work with an impressive tech stack that includes Django and Django Rest Framework for building scalable APIs, as well as Google Cloud Platform services like GKE and CloudSQL. Knowledge in relational databases, particularly PostgreSQL, is essential, and familiarity with NoSQL databases will be beneficial. You'll also engage in writing code with secure practices in mind and maintaining thorough documentation.

Aurora prides itself on its strong cultural values, which emphasize truth-seeking, high leverage, courage, care, and a belief that 'impossible' is merely an attitude. As a Senior Backend Engineer, you will find yourself in a collaborative and innovative environment that encourages open communication and teamwork, allowing you to work alongside frontend engineers, product managers, and designers in a high-performing atmosphere.

When answering this question, highlight your specific projects where Django was integral. Discuss how you utilized Django's features to enhance the backend architecture and your proficiency with Django Rest Framework to create scalable APIs. Providing examples of challenges faced and how you overcame them can strengthen your response.

In answering this, mention specific techniques you implement, such as optimizing query performance, leveraging caching strategies, and analyzing bottlenecks in API requests. Presenting tangible outcomes from past experiences will demonstrate your analytical skills and understanding of performance metrics.

Share your methods for designing database schemas that support scalability and maintainability. Discuss your experiences with PostgreSQL, including indexing strategies, normalization vs. denormalization, and how you ensure efficient data retrieval and storage during your previous projects.

Talk about your hands-on experience deploying applications via Google Cloud Platform. Discuss specific services you've used, such as GKE for container management or CloudSQL for database management, and how you’ve optimized cloud resource utilization in your previous roles.

Signify the importance of robust testing in your development process, and share the frameworks you're adept in, like pytest or Django Test Client. Explain how you incorporate unit and integration testing to ensure code quality and reliability, providing examples of how tests helped catch issues before deployment.

Discuss your approach to security within coding practices, such as validating input, using prepared statements, and implementing proper authentication and authorization techniques, such as OAuth2 or JWT. Including an incident where you successfully identified and mitigated a security vulnerability can showcase your proactive stance.

When answering this question, detail a project where you faced significant design challenges. Explain your approach in analyzing requirements, choosing appropriate technologies, and optimizing the architecture for performance and scalability. Your thought process and the results will showcase your expertise.

Emphasize the importance of communication and how you foster collaboration within cross-functional teams. Provide examples, such as participating in joint meetings, utilizing collaborative tools for project management, and being open to feedback to deliver cohesive products.

Reflect on your passion for innovative challenges and your drive to contribute to a rapidly growing company. Share how the ethos of enabling high performers aligns with your personal values and career aspirations, demonstrating your enthusiasm for making a meaningful impact.

Articulate your vision for your role at Aurora by discussing specific areas you want to improve or projects you wish to lead. Position your aspirations for personal growth, how you can help shape the company's backend architecture, and your commitment to driving innovation within the team.