At Prepared, a Senior/Staff Backend Software Engineer is responsible for collaborating with cross-functional teams to architect and launch new user-facing features. This involves designing initiatives to improve the reliability and availability of our backend systems, which are essential in our mission-critical environment. You'll also be instrumental in mentoring junior engineers and continuously enhancing our engineering processes for better scalability.

To qualify for the Senior/Staff Backend Software Engineer role at Prepared, candidates should have at least 5 years of software engineering experience and a relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Proficiency or a willingness to learn Ruby on Rails and Golang is crucial, as well as a desire to work in a fast-paced startup atmosphere. Knowledge of large-scale distributed systems is also beneficial.

As a Senior/Staff Backend Software Engineer at Prepared, you can expect a remote-first culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and personal ownership. With a team of around 20 engineers, you'll have the opportunity to significantly impact the company's direction and culture, working in an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prepared offers a competitive salary ranging from $140,000 to $230,000 for the Senior/Staff Backend Software Engineer position, along with equity in the company. Additional benefits include a flexible work environment, unlimited vacation, 401k, medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as a free membership to One Medical, making it an attractive place to work.

While having experience at an early-stage startup isn't a prerequisite for the Senior/Staff Backend Software Engineer role at Prepared, it’s definitely a bonus! Such experience can help applicants better navigate the dynamic and fast-paced environment we foster while also allowing them to adapt more readily to the evolving needs of our engineering projects.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects where you utilized Ruby on Rails or Golang. Discuss challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Emphasize your ability to learn and adapt to technologies that enhance the functionality of backend systems.

In your response, mention methodologies such as testing, monitoring, and implementing redundancy. Describe tools or frameworks you have used in the past to increase reliability and give examples of how these practices have positively impacted your previous projects.

Select a specific, relevant instance from your experience where you faced a significant challenge. Describe your approach, the steps taken to reach a solution, and the outcome. This showcases your problem-solving skills and ability to think critically in high-pressure situations.

Discuss specific mentorship techniques you employ, such as regular one-on-one meetings or pairing junior engineers with more experienced team members. Emphasize the importance of fostering an environment where junior engineers feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes as they learn.

Explain your approach to making decisions that involve trade-offs. Discuss how you prioritize stability while still pushing forward with product development, including any frameworks or methodologies you rely upon to guide your work in high-stakes situations.

Detail how you've effectively collaborated with product managers, designers, and other stakeholders in the past. Emphasize your communication skills, adaptability, and ability to understand different perspectives to achieve common goals.

Share a specific example where you had to deliver a feature quickly and effectively. Outline your planning, execution, and follow-up processes, and how you ensured quality while adhering to tight deadlines.

Mention specific tools you've used, such as Git or GitHub, alongside their advantages in managing code effectively. Discuss your philosophy on code reviews and how they contribute to team productivity and code quality.

Talk about your habit of following industry blogs, attending conferences, or participating in online forums. Highlight the importance of continuous learning and how it aids in your development as a software engineer.

Articulate your keen interest in Prepared's mission to revolutionize emergency response technology. Connect your personal values and professional experiences to what Prepared aims to achieve, and discuss how you believe you can contribute meaningfully to their important goal.