Senior Backend Engineer - Core Services

As a Senior Backend Engineer at Verkada, you'll be responsible for designing and developing scalable distributed systems that manage high traffic from various IoT devices. You'll work extensively with microservices architecture and storage systems like Redis and DynamoDB. Additionally, you will lead projects, mentor junior engineers, and drive technical direction for your team.

Candidates for the Senior Backend Engineer role at Verkada should have a degree in Computer Science or a related field, with at least 4 years of relevant industry experience. Mastery of programming languages such as Python or Go, knowledge of relational databases like Postgres or MySQL, and experience with distributed systems are essential qualifications.

At Verkada, a Senior Backend Engineer will engage in projects that include building the Core Platform that powers our IoT solutions. This includes developing robust distributed systems, creating new microservices, and working on integrations that improve the safety and efficiency of workplace environments.

As a Senior Backend Engineer at Verkada, there are significant opportunities for growth, including leading project teams, mentoring junior engineers, and directly influencing the technical direction of key initiatives. With a rapidly expanding team and evolving projects, your contributions will be crucial for the company's future.

Verkada offers a comprehensive benefits package for its Senior Backend Engineers, which includes generous medical, dental, and vision insurance, unlimited paid time off, daily healthy meals, a wellness allowance, and robust parental leave policies. These benefits reflect our commitment to fostering a supportive and healthy workplace.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects where you've designed or worked with distributed systems. Discuss challenges you faced, technologies used, and how you ensured system reliability and scalability.

Use this opportunity to highlight your proficiency in languages like Python or Go. Provide real examples of projects where you utilized these languages effectively, and mention any frameworks or technologies that complement your skills.

Explain your methodical approach, covering aspects like identifying service boundaries, managing data consistency, and ensuring effective communication between services. Include any relevant tools or platforms you’ve used to facilitate microservices architecture.

Recount a specific instance where you took charge of a project. Emphasize your leadership style, how you motivated team members, and the outcome of the project, including any measurable successes.

Discuss tools and techniques you've utilized to identify and resolve scalability issues. Examples might include load balancing, caching strategies, or database optimization methods.

Outline key factors such as scalability, reliability, maintainability, and performance. Discuss how you balance these considerations during the planning phase and any past experience that showcases your design acumen.

Share specific resources you use to stay informed, such as online courses, blogs, forums, and developer communities. Highlight any recent technology you learned and its application in your projects.

Describe a situation in which you identified a bottleneck or inefficiency in an existing system. Detail the improvement strategies you implemented and the impact this had on performance and user experience.

Discuss your practices for maintaining code quality, including code reviews, unit testing, and use of static analysis tools. Provide examples of how these practices positively affected your past projects.

Take this opportunity to display your understanding of the anticipated challenges such as high traffic management or complex integrations. Discuss how your past experiences have prepared you to tackle these challenges effectively.