Backend Engineer - Mid-Senior Level (Scala)

As a Backend Engineer - Mid-Senior Level (Scala) at our company, you will be responsible for building and expanding our data analysis products, implementing API methods, and improving server-side performance. You'll work closely with frontend engineers to deliver seamless user-facing features and will play a crucial role in writing and reviewing technical proposals. Additionally, you'll actively participate in code reviews and contribute to elevating our engineering standards.

Candidates applying for the Backend Engineer - Mid-Senior Level (Scala) role should have demonstrable experience with server-side web development in languages such as Java, Scala, Ruby, Python, or Golang. A familiarity with computer science fundamentals, experience in building RESTful APIs, and knowledge of data ingestion are essential. An eye for maintainable code and a commitment to high code quality are also key qualifications.

The tech stack for the Backend Engineer - Mid-Senior Level (Scala) position includes technologies such as Golang, Redis, and NATS. These tools are integral to managing our platform, which powers over twenty trillion feature flags daily. Familiarity with these technologies will be an advantage when working on our various projects.

Our company culture embodies a you-build-it-you-run-it philosophy, promoting ownership and accountability among developers. We encourage collaboration and open communication, ensuring that all team members contribute to and learn from each other's work. This positive atmosphere allows everyone to focus on quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.

The compensation for the Backend Engineer - Mid-Senior Level (Scala) position ranges between $127,000 and $204,000, based on geographical location and level of experience. Additionally, we offer RSUs, health, vision, dental insurance, and mental health benefits, making for a robust and competitive compensation package.

When answering this question, be specific about the languages and frameworks you've used. Explain projects where you built RESTful APIs or worked with databases, highlighting any complexities or challenges you faced. It's vital to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and your familiarity with the tools relevant to the role.

To address this, discuss best practices you've adopted, such as clear naming conventions, modular design, and thorough documentation. Explain how you've incorporated testing – unit, integration, and load tests – into your development process to catch issues early and maintain code quality.

Explain the tools and strategies you utilize, such as monitoring APIs, analyzing logs, and implementing performance metrics. Discuss any past experiences where you optimized applications based on performance data, showcasing your ability to improve system reliability.

Share a specific incident that demonstrates your analytical thinking and technical skills. Describe the context, the steps you took to identify and address the issue, and the positive outcomes of your solution. This will illustrate your problem-solving abilities effectively.

Discuss your own experience working with frontend engineers and emphasize the importance of clear communication. Provide examples of how you've shared responsibilities, resolved conflicts, and contributed to a seamless integration of frontend and backend functionalities.

Share why you value automated testing and how it ensures code quality and reliability. Provide examples of projects where you implemented automated tests, detailing any improvements in the development process and the resulting reduction in bugs found in production.

Describe any initiatives you spearheaded to improve coding standards, documentation practices, or development methodologies. Detail how you communicated the changes to the team and the positive impacts these improvements had on project outcomes.

Discuss any projects where you worked with distributed systems, focusing on the challenges you faced, such as data consistency and fault tolerance. Explain how your understanding of concurrency and threading assisted you in those scenarios.

Share your experience with various networking technologies, including TCP, HTTP, and websockets. Discuss any projects where your knowledge of these technologies was crucial in enhancing application performance or user experience.

Mention the blogs, online courses, and communities you follow related to Backend Engineering. Discuss how you actively engage in learning opportunities – like attending conferences or participating in hackathons – to continuously grow your skills and knowledge in the field.