Software Engineer, Product Backend - job 1 of 3

As a Software Engineer at Glean, your primary responsibilities include overseeing the complete lifecycle of greenfield features—this means working through everything from creating ideas with product managers and designers to the implementation and launch of those features. You will architect REST APIs, write robust code, and collaborate with a cross-functional team to devise elegant solutions that cater to our evolving product requirements.

Glean requires candidates for the Software Engineer role to have a BA/BS in computer science or a related field. Additionally, prior experience in building and shipping scalable features in backend systems is essential. Familiarity with Golang and Java, along with a user-centric mindset, will serve you well in this position.

At Glean, the work environment is dynamic, customer-focused, and tight-knit. You will be part of a diverse team that values creativity and collaboration, providing an open space to tackle engineering challenges while working on innovative AI solutions that transform knowledge work. Your contributions will be valued, and there's plenty of opportunity to grow and develop your skills.

Glean offers a comprehensive benefits package for its Software Engineers, including competitive compensation, medical, vision, and dental coverage, a flexible work environment, a generous time-off policy, a 401(k) plan, and company events. Additionally, new hires receive a home office improvement stipend, an annual education stipend, and a wellness stipend, along with healthy lunches and dinners provided daily.

Glean is deeply committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that a diverse team leads to better ideas and innovation. We actively seek to attract and retain a wide range of talent, without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or any other factor. We strive to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and included.

When answering this question, share specific projects where you successfully built scalable backend systems. Discuss the technologies you used, the challenges you encountered, and how you overcame them. Highlight your understanding of both SQL and NoSQL databases, and illustrate how those choices contributed to the scalability of the system.

In response, you might mention the importance of creating a supportive environment that encourages learning. Explain how you share knowledge through code reviews and collaborative projects, and emphasize your commitment to helping junior engineers develop their skills and confidence.

Discuss practices like code reviews, unit testing, and writing clear documentation. Highlight how you prioritize readability and efficiency in your coding style, and explain your process for refactoring and maintaining codebases over time.

Describe principles such as resource-oriented design, uniform interface, and stateless interactions. Discuss how facilitating versioning and using OpenAPI specifications can help create future-proof APIs that are easy to maintain and extend.

Share an example of a project where you worked closely with product managers and designers. Discuss how you balanced engineering constraints and user needs to deliver a successful product feature, emphasizing communication and teamwork.

Talk about your strategies for managing time and tasks. Examples could include using tools for project management, prioritizing tasks based on impact, and maintaining clear communication with team members to realign on goals.

Provide a specific example of a challenge you faced during development, what made it challenging, and the steps you took to solve the issue. Highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to adapt to unexpected situations.

You can mention following industry blogs, participating in coding communities, attending conferences, or taking relevant online courses. Illustrate how staying informed helps you bring innovative ideas to your work.

Discuss the importance of user feedback in refining and improving your features. Describe how you gather, analyze, and implement feedback into your work to ensure that user needs are met.

Express your enthusiasm for Glean's mission to enhance knowledge work with AI. Talk about how your values align with the company's goals and your eagerness to contribute to such an innovative solution.