Senior Software Engineer, Backend - Experimentation Platform - job 1 of 2

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Experimentation Platform at DoorDash, you'll enhance and simplify the platform used by engineers across the company. Your responsibilities include designing and implementing backend APIs, optimizing system performance for high volume and low latency, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop cutting-edge features that drive significant business impact.

To qualify for the Senior Software Engineer, Backend - Experimentation Platform role at DoorDash, candidates should hold a B.S., M.S., or PhD in Computer Science or a related field along with at least 4 years of industry experience. A solid understanding of object-oriented programming languages, REST principles, and database technologies is essential. Experience with Java, Kotlin, Python, or Go-lang is highly desirable.

In the Senior Software Engineer, Backend - Experimentation Platform position at DoorDash, you'll work with various technologies including Java, Kotlin, Python, and Go-lang. Familiarity with big data technologies like PostgreSQL, Redis, and Elasticsearch will be beneficial. The role also involves exploring advanced statistical methodologies, machine learning techniques, and cloud-based environments such as AWS.

Collaboration is a cornerstone of the Experimentation Platform team at DoorDash. As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll work closely with Product Engineers, Data Scientists, and ML Engineers. This interaction will enhance your understanding of their requirements, enabling you to create tools and interfaces that facilitate data discovery and workflow integrations, ensuring everyone is equipped with the best experimentation capabilities.

The work culture at DoorDash is dynamic and inclusive, fostering innovation and collaboration. As a Senior Software Engineer in the Experimentation Platform team, you’ll be part of a diverse group of professionals eager to solve complex engineering challenges. The company values work-life balance, offering hybrid work options, and encourages a supportive environment where every employee’s perspective is valued.

When discussing your backend development experience during the interview for the Senior Software Engineer position at DoorDash, emphasize your projects that involved building APIs and backend systems. Mention specific languages such as Java, Python, or Go-lang, and the frameworks or tools you've leveraged like Spring or Node.js. Highlight any performance optimizations you executed to manage high-volume requests.

To demonstrate your ability to write efficient and scalable code, share examples from previous positions where you optimized algorithms or refactored existing code for performance improvements. Mention using profiling tools to identify bottlenecks and strategies such as caching and load balancing to manage scalability, ensuring a smooth user experience even under heavy loads.

When asked about working with cross-functional teams, share your strategy for effective collaboration, communication, and understanding different team members' needs. Discuss any tools or methodologies you use, such as Agile or Scrum, and provide examples of successful projects you've completed through collaboration, highlighting how it improved product outcomes.

To convey your commitment to staying current in technology trends, describe the resources you utilize, such as industry blogs, podcasts, and participation in developer communities. Mention any relevant conferences you attend, or online courses you take, and share how these have inspired or influenced your work as a Senior Software Engineer.

In answering this question, outline the key principles of REST, such as statelessness, resource representation, and use of standard HTTP methods. Provide examples from your experience where you effectively designed RESTful APIs, emphasizing how adhering to these principles facilitated better resource management and improved integration with front-end components.

Discuss your strategies for testing and maintaining code quality by detailing your experience with unit, integration, and end-to-end testing. Mention tools you've used such as JUnit or pytest and how you incorporate automated testing into your development workflow to catch issues early and promote code reliability.

When asked about a challenging technical problem, think of a situation where you had to troubleshoot a significant issue or enhance a system under pressure. Explain the problem clearly, your analytical approach to diagnosing it, and the steps you took to implement a solution, highlighting any innovative techniques or teamwork involved.

In a fast-paced environment like DoorDash, prioritization is crucial. Explain your preferred framework for task prioritization, whether it be the Eisenhower Matrix or Agile methodologies. Share examples of how you balanced competing deadlines and responsibilities, ensuring timely delivery of features without compromising quality.

When discussing your experience with big data technologies during the interview, mention any projects you've worked on involving tools like Postgres, Elasticsearch, or Spark. Explain how you utilized these technologies to process and analyze large datasets, and share insights into the performance considerations or architectural decisions you made along the way.

Express your enthusiasm for DoorDash's mission of empowering local economies and the innovative work being done within the Experimentation Platform team. Share how the company’s commitment to diversity, collaboration, and technological innovation aligns with your professional values and career goals, making you eager to contribute your skills.