Senior Backend Engineer - job 1 of 4

A Senior Backend Engineer at Calm is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the backend systems for our mental health applications. This includes collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather requirements, implementing RESTful APIs, and ensuring the security and scalability of our services. You will also write high-quality code, continually monitor system performance, and mentor junior engineers.

To qualify for the Senior Backend Engineer position at Calm, candidates should typically have 8 years of related experience and a BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or a similar technical field. Proficiency in languages and tools like GoLang, Docker, Kubernetes, and GCP is crucial, along with experience in REST API-based microservices design and writing unit and integration tests in a CI/CD environment.

A Senior Backend Engineer at Calm should be well-versed in technologies such as GoLang, Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform, as well as cloud infrastructure tools like GCP and GKE. Familiarity with relational databases and SQL is also essential, given the need for robust backend system design and implementation.

At Calm, the environment is product-minded and team-oriented, structured into fast-moving pods. As a Senior Backend Engineer, you'll engage in dynamic collaboration with various stakeholders, ensuring that all products are reliable and performant while fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.

Calm encourages professional development, with ample opportunities for learning and growth. As a Senior Backend Engineer, you will not only enhance your technical skills but also take part in mentoring junior engineers, thereby offering leadership that can bolster your career trajectory within the company.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects where you utilized relevant technologies like GoLang, Docker, or Kubernetes. Mention the challenges faced during implementation and how your contributions led to successful system integration, keeping in mind Calm's focus on reliability and security.

In response, discuss your understanding of security protocols such as RBAC for API protection and practices like regular vulnerability assessments. Demonstrate your approach to writing maintainable code and implementing monitoring tools to ensure system reliability and performance.

Share a specific example that highlights your problem-solving skills. Explain the challenge, your approach to overcoming it, and how your team worked collaboratively to deliver an effective solution, ideally within a fast-paced, agile environment.

Tailor your answer to include specific tools and practices you employed in past roles. Discuss how you contributed to optimizing deployment workflows through automation and how this led to improved system reliability and faster delivery of features.

Explain your approach to conducting constructive code reviews, stressing the importance of code quality and how you mentor others through the process. Elaborate on elements you emphasize, such as efficiency, readability, and adherence to best practices.

Describe your methods for staying informed about industry trends—whether through professional networks, relevant online courses, or attending tech conferences—and discuss how you've applied new knowledge to improve your work or that of your team.

Mention your process for breaking down tasks based on complexity and urgency, as well as the collaboration with stakeholders to define project scope. Illustrate this with an example where your prioritization led to successfully meeting deadlines.

Provide details on how you have implemented REST API-based microservices, including any challenges faced and how you ensured that services integrated well with one another. Connect this experience to what Calm is looking for in maintaining scalable backend systems.

Highlight the importance of documentation in maintaining high-quality code and facilitating effective collaboration. Discuss your practices for keeping documentation updated and how this contributes to long-term project success.

Talk about specific techniques you use to guide junior engineers, such as pairing on coding tasks or reviewing their work collaboratively. Emphasize the value of fostering a growth mindset and how mentoring benefits both the junior engineer and the team as a whole.