Senior Backend Engineer (f/m/d)

As a Senior Backend Engineer (f/m/d) at Contentful, you will be responsible for designing and delivering robust distributed systems, working with REST APIs, and addressing complex content modeling issues. You'll collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and other engineers to create top-notch experiences for users. Additionally, you will contribute to the enhancement of our App Framework and enhance our GraphQL API experiences, ensuring we cater to billions of monthly requests effectively. It's a role that combines technical expertise with creative problem-solving!

To be considered for the Senior Backend Engineer (f/m/d) position at Contentful, you should have extensive experience in designing and building distributed systems, preferably with a strong command of the server-side JavaScript ecosystem, including Node.js and TypeScript. Familiarity with automated deployment processes (CI/CD) is essential, along with excellent communication skills in English. A background in functional programming, GraphQL, and React would be advantageous but not mandatory.

Contentful places a high emphasis on work-life balance for all employees, including Senior Backend Engineers. The company offers generous paid time off, including vacation, sick, and educational days. Additionally, employees benefit from flexible working arrangements, a supportive work culture, and access to wellness stipends to maintain their physical, emotional, and financial health. The aim is to create an environment where team members can thrive both personally and professionally.

At Contentful, Senior Backend Engineers have access to multiple growth opportunities, including an annual education budget to develop skills relevant to their role and career aspirations. The company emphasizes mentorship and guidance, promoting a culture where experienced engineers can lead and nurture junior teammates. Engaging in projects that leverage cutting-edge technologies and involvement in cross-functional teams further augment your professional growth within the organization.

In the Senior Backend Engineer (f/m/d) role at Contentful, you will be working with a modern tech stack that includes AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform for service development. You will also work extensively with Node.js and TypeScript, focusing on building resilient REST and GraphQL APIs. Staying abreast of emerging technologies in AI and integration will also be part of your responsibilities, ensuring that Contentful remains at the forefront of digital experience solutions.

In responding to this question, share specific projects you've worked on where Node.js played a critical role. Discuss your familiarity with asynchronous programming, your ability to implement REST APIs, and how you have utilized Node.js libraries. Provide examples of how you have utilized Node.js for building scalable applications and your approach to debugging and optimizing performance.

Explain your approach to maintaining code quality, including methods such as code reviews, using static analysis tools, and implementing test-driven development (TDD). Emphasize your commitment to writing clean, efficient code and the importance of communication with team members during the development process.

Describe your familiarity with Git and how you use branching strategies to manage code changes effectively. Discuss how you document your processes and communicate changes to the team, emphasizing your experience with pull requests and code reviews to foster collaboration and prevent conflicts in a distributed environment.

Share specific instances where you identified performance bottlenecks in your backend services. Discuss the tools you used to analyze performance, the solutions you implemented to address those bottlenecks, and the impact of those solutions on the overall user experience. Highlight your analytical skills and problem-solving approach.

Provide a detailed explanation of a challenging technical issue you faced and the steps you took to troubleshoot and resolve it. Discuss your thought process, any collaborative efforts with teammates, and how your solution improved the system or process, showcasing your problem-solving abilities and critical thinking.

Convey your belief in the importance of mentorship and share specific examples of how you've successfully guided junior engineers in both technical skills and workplace culture. Discuss the techniques you use to provide constructive feedback and promote an environment of learning and growth around you.

Discuss your strategies for staying informed about industry trends, such as following relevant websites, attending conferences, participating in online communities, or enrolling in courses. Highlight your proactive approach to learning and your engagement with the software engineering community.

Demonstrate your understanding of REST APIs by discussing their role in enabling communication between the server and client applications. Explain concepts like statelessness, resource-based architecture, and how REST APIs facilitate scalability and maintainability in complex systems.

Talk about your familiarity with Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment practices. Provide examples of tools you've used for CI/CD, how you set up pipelines, and the benefits this has brought to your projects in terms of efficiency and reducing errors during deployment.

Express your views on AI’s growing impact in the software engineering field, including automation of repetitive tasks, enhancing user interfaces, and improving decision-making capabilities. Be prepared to discuss any experiences you have with integrating AI solutions in your work or research.