Staff Backend Engineer (Remote, UK)

As a Staff Backend Engineer at Nango, you will be responsible for developing our open-source platform to enhance product integrations significantly. Your duties will include designing and building scalable backend systems and APIs, collaborating with B2B SaaS engineering teams to create useful tooling and integrations, and optimizing the performance of our backend services to ensure reliability and efficiency.

To qualify for the Staff Backend Engineer role at Nango, you should have over 10 years of backend engineering experience, with a strong proficiency in Node.js. Additionally, you should demonstrate great organizational skills, effective communication abilities in a remote setting, and a product mindset focused on optimizing developer experience.

At Nango, the work environment is entirely remote, and we prioritize flexibility and ownership. We maintain core working hours from 8 AM to 12 PM EST, allowing team members from across the Americas and Europe to collaborate seamlessly. Our culture values impact over input, fostering a friendly atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to contribute and drive change.

Nango is dedicated to the personal and professional growth of our team members. As a Staff Backend Engineer, you will gain hands-on experience in building a developer tool startup and have opportunities to lead engineering best practices. You will also work closely with founders and early engineers, which will provide insights and mentorship to help elevate your career within the tech industry.

A Staff Backend Engineer at Nango will work on developing our open-source platform for product integrations, creating scalable backend systems, and establishing APIs. You may also undertake projects that involve optimizing existing services for better performance and collaborating directly with customers to improve their integration experiences.

To build scalable backend systems, I prioritize understanding the architecture of the application, ensuring it can handle increasing loads. I leverage microservices for modularity, utilize caching mechanisms, and ensure the database is optimized for performance. Conducting thorough testing and monitoring is also crucial to identify bottlenecks early.

One challenging problem I faced was optimizing the response time of an API that experienced high traffic. I identified slow database queries and restructured them while implementing caching strategies. As a result, I improved the response time by 70%, significantly enhancing user experience.

I focus on writing clean, modular code that adheres to established coding standards. I ensure to include comments and documentation for complex logic, and I follow design patterns to maintain consistency. I also encourage code reviews, which further enhance code quality and maintainability.

For performance tuning, I first analyze metrics to identify bottlenecks. I optimize queries, review server resource usage, and implement asynchronous processing where possible. Additionally, I regularly profile the application to uncover performance issues that can be addressed for improved efficiency.

I prioritize clear communication when collaborating with cross-functional teams. I engage early in the design process to gather input and align goals. Regular check-ins and updates keep everyone informed, and I always stay open to feedback and adjustments based on team needs.

Optimizing developer experience (DX) is crucial for productivity. I believe that clear documentation, providing helpful tools, and reducing friction in workflows are fundamental. Actively listening to developer feedback helps identify pain points that can be addressed effectively.

When facing tight deadlines, I prioritize tasks based on impact and communicate transparently with my team about timelines. I focus on delivering a minimum viable product while maintaining quality by adhering to coding standards and conducting thorough testing, ensuring both speed and reliability.

I have significant experience working remotely, which has taught me the importance of self-discipline and effective time management. I utilize collaborative tools to stay connected with my team and ensure that I set clear boundaries to maximize productivity while also encouraging informal check-ins to maintain social interactions.

I stay informed about the latest backend technologies through continuous learning. I attend relevant webinars, read tech blogs, and participate in online communities. Engaging in personal projects also allows me to experiment with new libraries and frameworks to stay sharp.

I have actively contributed to several open-source projects, where I gained valuable insights into community collaboration and best practices for maintaining software. My experience includes writing documentation, code contributions, and reviewing pull requests, which has deepened my understanding of how to engage effectively with a developer community.