Staff Backend Engineer

Staff Backend Engineer at HelloFresh

About the role As a Staff Backend Engineer at HelloFresh, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the architecture and development of our backend systems. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance our platform, ensuring it remains scalable, efficient, and capable of supporting our growing customer base. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment where your contributions will directly impact the success of our meal kit delivery service. You will be based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and will be part of a dynamic team that values innovation and excellence.

Key facts

• Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Engagement: Full-time
• Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience
• Visa: Open to candidates requiring work authorization

What you'll do

• Design and implement robust backend systems that support HelloFresh's core functionalities, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Collaborate with product managers and frontend engineers to define and refine system requirements, translating them into technical specifications.
• Lead architectural discussions and decisions, advocating for best practices in software design and development.
• Mentor junior engineers, providing guidance on coding standards, design patterns, and development methodologies.
• Develop and maintain APIs that facilitate seamless communication between backend services and frontend applications.
• Optimize existing backend services for performance, scalability, and maintainability, identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions.
• Conduct code reviews to ensure code quality and adherence to best practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, from concept through deployment and maintenance, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality software.
• Collaborate with DevOps teams to enhance deployment processes, automate testing, and improve system monitoring.
• Analyze system performance metrics and logs to troubleshoot issues and implement proactive measures to prevent future occurrences.
• Stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies, evaluating their potential application within HelloFresh's ecosystem.
• Contribute to the development of internal tools and libraries that enhance developer productivity and streamline workflows.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in backend development, with a strong focus on building scalable applications.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Python, or Node.js, with a solid understanding of their ecosystems.
• Extensive experience with relational and NoSQL databases, including but not limited to PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB.
• Strong understanding of RESTful API design principles and experience in building and consuming APIs.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, and experience in deploying applications in cloud environments.
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Nice to have

• Experience with microservices architecture and service-oriented design principles.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or CircleCI.
• Knowledge of message brokers like RabbitMQ or Kafka for building event-driven architectures.
• Experience in working with Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum or Kanban.
• Contributions to open-source projects or active participation in developer communities.

Skills & tools

• Programming Languages: Java, Python, Node.js
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
• Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes
• Development Tools: Git, Jenkins, CI/CD tools
• Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana

Practical notes

• This position is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and may require occasional travel for team meetings or conferences.
• Candidates must be eligible to work in Canada and may require visa sponsorship depending on their current status.
• The role may involve participation in on-call rotations to ensure system reliability and uptime.