Software Engineer, Backend - job 1 of 2

As a Software Engineer, Backend at Glean, you'll take ownership of significant infrastructure challenges, guiding them from the design phase through to production launch. You’ll write high-quality code, contribute to design documents, and collaborate with a diverse team to prioritize impactful projects that enhance our platform. Your role will also involve mentoring junior engineers, fostering a culture of learning and collaboration.

To qualify for the Software Engineer, Backend role at Glean, candidates should possess at least 3 years of experience along with a BA/BS in computer science or a related discipline. Familiarity with building infrastructure for distributed systems or cloud-native applications is key, as well as proficiency in programming languages like Go, Python, Java, or C++. A proactive attitude and a strong team-orientation are essential traits for success in this position.

At Glean, mentorship is an integral part of the Software Engineer, Backend position. Experienced engineers are encouraged to mentor junior team members, sharing valuable insights and technical skills. This collaborative environment not only fosters individual growth but also enhances team performance, ensuring that all engineers can learn from each other’s experiences and expertise.

As a Backend Engineer at Glean, you will work with cutting-edge technologies to build a highly performant cloud-native application. You'll engage with distributed systems, develop reliable code, and leverage cloud services from providers like GCP, AWS, or Azure. Your projects will focus on ensuring system reliability, scalability, and security while maintaining seamless user experiences.

Glean offers a robust benefits package for Software Engineers, Backend. It includes competitive salaries, medical, vision, and dental coverage, a flexible work environment, and generous time-off policies. Additional perks include 401k plans, educational stipends, wellness stipends, and healthy meals provided daily. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where every team member feels valued.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects where you utilized cloud-native practices. Discuss the cloud platforms you’ve worked with, the architecture you implemented, and how you ensured scalability and reliability in those applications. Use concrete examples to illustrate your experience and contributions.

Discuss your testing strategy, emphasizing the importance of unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. Explain any frameworks or tools you've used for testing and give examples of how you’ve written thorough tests to ensure reliability and catch potential bugs early in the development cycle.

When answering this, outline your understanding of security principles and practices specific to distributed systems. Discuss approaches such as data encryption, access controls, and secure APIs, and provide examples of security measures you’ve successfully implemented in past projects to protect sensitive information.

Choose a project where you faced significant challenges, narrating the problem, your approach to tackling it, and the eventual outcome. Highlight your problem-solving skills, teamwork, and how you adapted to ensure project success.

Share your method for prioritization, emphasizing communication with team members and staying aligned with project goals. Mention any frameworks like Agile or Scrum that you’ve used to manage workloads and how this process leads to effective time management in your work.

Be specific about the programming languages you are skilled in and provide details about projects where you applied these languages. Discuss how your coding skills positively impacted the project's outcomes and how you've adapted to using different languages based on project requirements.

Illustrate your openness to feedback by describing how you view it as an opportunity for growth. Mention specific instances where constructive criticism has helped you refine your coding skills or improve project outcomes, demonstrating your commitment to continuous learning.

Discuss the principles you adhere to, such as microservices architecture, load balancing, and fault tolerance. Highlight your experience with database design and how you have implemented these practices in past work to ensure that the systems you built can handle varying loads efficiently.

Share an example where you successfully mentored a junior colleague or peer. Highlight the techniques you used, the skills you focused on, and the positive outcomes of your mentorship, such as enhanced performance or greater confidence in their abilities.

Explain your approach to professional development, including following tech blogs, attending meetups, or engaging in online courses. Highlight any specific resources or communities you rely on to stay informed about trends, ensuring you continuously enhance your skill set.