Backend Developer
Summary
Backend developer owning the Node.js/Express backend of Meetswap, a location-based social app: building REST APIs, real-time chat with Socket.IO, SQL data modeling with Sequelize, Redis caching, background jobs, and Firebase/AWS integrations. Remote for now with future on-site relocation to Abu Dhabi on a small startup team.
About Meetswap
Meetswap is an Abu Dhabi based startup building a location-based social app that helps people meet others nearby in real life When two users cross paths they can connect chat in real time join place-based group chats and earn XP and achievements as they meet new people The app is live on iOS and Android
About the Role
We are looking for a Backend Developer Node js to own and grow the backend that powers Meetswap You will work on a live production codebase build new features keep the platform fast and reliable and work closely with our Flutter mobile team This is a hands-on role with real ownership in a small fast-moving team
Key Responsibilities
- Build and maintain backend services using Node js and Express js
- Design secure scalable and maintainable REST APIs for the mobile app
- Build real-time features such as chat and live updates using Socket IO WebSockets
- Develop and improve location-based discovery features
- Work with SQL databases MySQL PostgreSQL through Sequelize and optimise queries indexes and relationships
- Use Redis for caching real-time communication and distributed processing
- Build and maintain background jobs and queue-based processing BullMQ or similar
- Maintain Firebase services and push notification integrations
- Integrate third-party services and APIs including RevenueCat for subscriptions
- Build media upload and processing workflows on AWS S3 CloudWatch
- Implement authentication authorisation validation and security best practices
- Monitor production investigate issues and fix bottlenecks in performance scalability and reliability
- Maintain API documentation with Swagger OpenAPI
- Review code contribute to architecture decisions and support production deployments
What We Are Looking For
- Strong problem-solving and debugging skills
- Comfortable working in an existing codebase and taking ownership of it
- Able to work independently and as part of a small team
- Clear written and spoken English
- Able to turn business requirements into practical technical solutions
- Cares about code quality and production stability
Work Details
Location: Remote possible on-site relocation to Abu Dhabi in future
Salary: 50 000 1 00 000 per month based on experience
Salary: ₹50,000 – ₹1,00,000 per month, based on experience
Schedule: 48 hours/week (8 hours/day, 6 days/week)
Time tracking: Jibble time-tracking is mandatory during working hours
Must-have
- 3–5+ years of backend development experience with JavaScript / Node.js
- Strong hands‑on experience with Express.js and REST API development
- Practical experience with Socket . IO / WebSockets
- SQL databases and Sequelize (or a similar ORM), including database design, transactions, indexing and pagination
- Redis for caching and real‑time use cases
- Authentication, authorisation, API security and validation
- Asynchronous programming, error handling, logging and Git
- Experience running production applications and troubleshooting performance issues
Good to have
- AWS (S3, CloudWatch)
- Docker and CI/CD BullMQ or other queue systems
- Firebase Admin SDK and Firebase Cloud Messaging
- RevenueCat or in‑app subscription integrations
- Image or video processing
- Experience building chat, social or high‑traffic applications
- Flutter: a strong advantage, since you’ll troubleshoot across backend and mobile
