Job Description A rapidly growing technology-driven organization is seeking a Lead Backend Software Engineer to help build and scale mission-critical platforms that support high-volume, real-time production environments. Based in Waltham, MA (Hybrid), this role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader who thrives in fast-paced engineering cultures where production code is deployed and delivered continuously throughout the day.
As a Lead Backend Engineer, you will balance technical leadership with active software development, guiding a team while remaining deeply involved in architecture, coding, and delivery. You will play a key role in shaping backend systems, advancing cloud-native infrastructure, and driving adoption of AI-powered development practices and solutions.
This position offers the opportunity to influence technical strategy, mentor engineers, and build highly scalable systems leveraging modern cloud technologies and AI-driven innovation. Required Skills & Experience
- 10+ years of experience in Backend Software Engineering
- 2+ years of experience leading or managing software engineering teams
- Expert-level proficiency with Python and modern backend development practices
- Professional experience with Kotlin in production environments
- Strong AWS cloud platform experience, including designing and operating distributed systems
- Experience building and supporting highly available, scalable microservices architectures
- Hands-on engineering leader who actively contributes production code
- Experience working in fast-paced environments with frequent production deployments
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and cloud-native engineering
- Strong understanding of software design, system architecture, observability, and performance optimization
- Experience mentoring engineers and driving technical excellence across teams
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
Desired Skills & Experience
- Experience leading platform engineering, developer experience (DevEx), or infrastructure-focused teams
- AI/ML experience, including implementing AI-powered tools, workflows, or products
- Experience with Agentic AI, AI-assisted software development, or SDLC automation
- Kubernetes (K8s) experience
- Infrastructure-as-Code experience (Terraform, CloudFormation, or similar)
- Experience with build tools such as Maven, Gradle, or Nx
- Familiarity with testing frameworks and modern observability platforms
- Experience working with globally distributed engineering teams
What You Will Be Doing Daily Responsibilities
- 70% Hands-On Development
- 30% Team Leadership, Architecture, and Strategic Planning
Key Responsibilities
- Lead a team of backend engineers while remaining an active contributor to the codebase
- Design, build, and scale cloud-native backend services using Python and Kotlin
- Architect and optimize AWS-based distributed systems
- Drive delivery of production-ready software in an environment where code is released continuously throughout the day
- Champion engineering best practices including testing, observability, reliability, and operational excellence
- Mentor and develop engineers through technical guidance, code reviews, and career coaching
- Partner with product, platform, and engineering leaders to define technical roadmaps
- Implement AI-driven capabilities and automate software development lifecycle processes
- Improve developer productivity through enhanced tooling, automation, and platform capabilities
- Ensure system reliability, scalability, security, and performance across all services
The Offer
- Base Salary: $173,000 - $234,000
- Annual performance-based bonus opportunity
- Hybrid work model in Waltham, MA
- Opportunity to help shape the future of AI-enabled software engineering and platform development
- Leadership position with significant technical influence and growth opportunities
You will receive the following benefits
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Benefits
- Vision Benefits
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- 401(k)
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Parental Leave
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis now and in the future.
Posted By: Nick Ramler