Software Engineer - Backend

As a Software Engineer - Backend at ShopBack, your main responsibilities include leading and delivering large-scale projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams to design and implement product features, and ensuring high-quality software architecture. You'll produce robust APIs and be involved in mentoring fellow engineers, all while striving to solve complex problems that enhance the eCommerce experience for our users.

Candidates for the Software Engineer - Backend role at ShopBack should have 2-4 years of experience in developing consumer-facing web applications, particularly with hands-on knowledge of NodeJS. Proven experience in designing distributed systems and deploying services to cloud environments like AWS is essential. Strong leadership, adaptability, and the ability to produce scalable web services are key qualifications for this position.

At ShopBack, Software Engineers - Backend are engaged with a variety of modern technologies. This includes cloud services (preferably AWS), programming languages such as NodeJS, Java, and Python, as well as Kubernetes for infrastructure management. Other tools like GitLab for Continuous Integration, Kafka for messaging, and PostgreSQL for database management are also integral to our development process.

The work culture at ShopBack for a Software Engineer - Backend emphasizes collaboration, feedback, and a growth mindset. You’ll be part of a vibrant team that values each member's contributions and encourages innovation. With a focus on speed and impact, you'll find an environment where your work truly matters and aligns with our mission to create the most rewarding shopping experience. Moreover, we support a work-from-anywhere philosophy that allows you to balance personal and professional growth.

At ShopBack, we are committed to fostering career growth for our Software Engineers by providing clear progression paths and opportunities for advancement. We encourage team members to take on challenges that help them realize their professional ambitions and excel in their roles. Our candid and collaborative culture ensures that you receive valuable feedback and support for continuous improvement, making your journey with us both exciting and rewarding.

When answering this question, highlight your leadership skills by detailing a specific project. Discuss the project's objectives, your contributions, the challenges faced, and the impact it made on the team or company. Use metrics when possible to quantify your achievements, showcasing your ability to drive results effectively.

To answer this, describe your process for understanding the requirements of the API, designing endpoints, and ensuring reliability and performance. Mention principles like RESTful design, error handling, and versioning, and how you validate that the API meets the needs of frontend applications. Highlight your experiences with specific tools or technologies that you've used in past projects.

When faced with application issues, I approach troubleshooting methodically. First, I replicate the problem to understand its scope, then I analyze logs and metrics to identify the root cause. I prioritize errors based on their impact, leveraging debugging tools and collaborating with team members if necessary. Once resolved, I implement changes to prevent reoccurrence and document the process for future reference.

Ensuring code quality is paramount to my development practices. I use unit tests and integration tests to validate my code before merging. Participating in code reviews with peers is essential, as it promotes knowledge sharing and adherence to best practices. Additionally, I utilize linters and adhere to coding standards to maintain clarity and maintainability across the codebase.

In interviews, share your specific experience deploying applications to cloud environments like AWS. Discuss the services you've utilized, such as EC2, Lambda, or S3, and how you've managed scalability and performance. Talk about any CI/CD pipelines you've implemented to streamline deployments, ensuring quick and reliable rollouts while minimizing downtime.

In response, provide an overview of a distributed system you have worked on, including its architecture and how you solved challenges related to data consistency, communication, and scalability. Discuss the technologies you used to manage these systems, like message queues or microservices, and the benefits they brought to your project.

To stay informed, I regularly follow industry blogs, attend webinars, and participate in tech conferences. I also engage with developer communities online, such as forums and GitHub, to learn from peers. Taking online courses helps me sharpen my skills and explore new tools or methodologies that I can implement in my work.

In discussing challenges, focus on aspects such as scalability, performance, security, and user experience. Provide examples from your past work where you tackled these challenges, detailing the strategies you employed to overcome obstacles and deliver a successful application. This reflects your problem-solving abilities and awareness of critical development factors.

Addressing this question, emphasize your prioritization skills. Describe how you break tasks into manageable chunks and set realistic timelines. I also advocate for the use of agile methodologies, as they promote regular check-ins and adjustments. Sharing your techniques for maintaining quality under pressure, such as automated testing and prioritizing critical features, showcases your ability to balance quality with deadlines.

My philosophy on mentoring revolves around fostering an environment of growth. I believe in setting clear expectations while encouraging questions and exploration. I prioritize open communication, providing constructive feedback, and setting up regular one-on-ones to track progress. Sharing my own experiences and encouraging junior engineers to take ownership of their growth helps nurture their confidence and capability.