Senior Backend Developer at 15Five

ROLE MISSION

We take pride in our position as an innovator in the Human Resources landscape. This wouldn’t be possible without our outstanding team of engineers that apply next-generation thinking to our software - their abilities allow us to continually elevate the user experience and push leading performance-management technology into the global market.

Senior Backend Software Engineers elevate 15Five by evolving our application using the latest software development infrastructure and methods. Senior Back-End Software Engineers ensure high responsiveness and performance to requests from the frontend. This is a key role that supports our wider R&D Team to build our product based on Best-Self philosophy. Senior Back-End Software Engineers have deep technical expertise as well as confidence in guiding balanced decision-making when it comes to the development of various features within the product.

OUTCOMES

• Work with your squad to build, test, and deploy new features
• Create or update internal APIs to support new feature development
• Write tests to cover new code and maintain our target of 80% test coverage
• Review pull requests submitted by other backend engineers on the squad
• Participate in regular squad meetings and share project updates
• Solve problems by writing high-quality code
• Write efficient, easy-to-understand, and flexible code that results in increased customer value
• Apply 15Five standards, guidelines, and practices to writing quality code
• Make logical decisions keeping in mind various tradeoffs and main stakeholders
• Balance complexity, readability, performance, maintainability, flexibility, and other tradeoffs
• Lead problem-solving initiatives and escalate problems with a wider scope in a timely manner

Help maintain high technical standards in our application Actively participate in discussions about adopting new standards or new technologies Review pull requests for engineers outside your own squad Identify technical challenges and suggest solutions through our Review For Comments (RFC) process Monitor error reporting and application performance within your squad’s domain Have a strong sense of connection to the outcome(s) of our product and the impact it has on our customers Work closely with product and design teams and other 15Five teams to understand the needs of our customers and the strategy behind the product vision and mission

Help 15Five Engineering grow and develop into a better, more mature organization Participate in code reviews, using each opportunity for training and mentoring the wider Engineering team Build and maintain engineering processes, standards, guidelines, and best practices Adhere to guidelines, making sound decisions on a case-by-case basis and escalating as necessary Develop processes to minimize situations that require decisions outside of established rules Assist and mentor other engineers in their professional development Participate in the hiring process, evaluate and screen candidates, conduct or lead interviews when required

COMPETENCIES

• Seen as a subject matter expert with strong working knowledge in the subject area
• Able to solve difficult problems and improve results by leveraging data and technology
• Focus mainly on tactical execution with some attention on strategic efforts
• Recognize and plan work-arounds for potential obstacles from within the Engineering department and your designated squad
• Able to work well with minimal supervision and maintain productivity independently
• Manage day-to-day issues that arise without needing to escalate to the manager
• Proactively identify and propose new ways to contribute to the company/team
• Eagerness to mentor other team members to foster learning and growth
• Accountable for own decisions and act as an informed participant in team-level decisions
• Proactively propose ideas to improve 15Five’s culture and support others’ ideas, rather than detract
• Contribute to an inclusive and effective environment for collaboration
• Ensure teammates and fellow employees feel a sense of belonging
• Understand and articulate 15Five’s position within the competitive landscape

DESIRED EXPERIENCE

• 4+ years of experience with back-end web-based application development
• 2+ years of experience with Python development, preferably with the Django framework
• Experience writing modular, well-structured code
• Experience analyzing, improving, and debugging server-side code
• Experience modeling data and implementing those models in Django
• Experience working in remote teams
• Able to work efficiently with relational databases using the Django ORM as well as other means
• Highly proficient in one or more technical areas of back-end software development: Django development, database optimization, performance optimization, code structure, asynchronous process analysis, automated test development
• Strong communication skills across multiple office and remote settings, cultures, and time zones
• Able to collaborate well with a team of designers, product managers, and business stakeholders
• Understand the need for strong cooperation between back-end, front-end, DevOps, and QA teams
• Understand the cross-functionality of various technical systems
• Understand the connections and interdependencies between teams and departments
• Use a balanced approach to writing clear, maintainable performance code
• Produce exceptional output and work quality
• Comfortable owning projects
• Have a strong reputation for accountability and reliability
• Enjoy working in a team but can thrive working independently
• Desire to always be learning and staying on top of the latest trends and technologies
• Passionate about being extraordinary in both your work life and personal lifeDeeply aligned with the Engineering team’s values and philosophy

SAMPLE WEEK IN THE LIFE

• Monday: Begin the week with the all-hands Boost to hear company updates and meet new hires, join the squad stand-up, then review pull requests and write code for product features/bugs
• Tuesday: Determine technical details or implementation with the squad before joining the squad huddle to review top-level initiatives, then research and resolve 2 bugs and write product code
• Wednesday: Meet with your manager for a 1:1 followed by the company Boost for an in-depth department update, spend the rest of the day on a project from your engineering working group
• Thursday: Join the bi-weekly Engineering meeting ahead of global happy hour, review pull requests, write code for product features and/or bugs, and write your 15Five check-in
• Friday: Participate in the Question Friday Boost call, join a planning session for the upcoming spring, write product code, and then finish your week by submitting your 15Five

ABOUT 15FIVE

Founded in 2011, 15Five equips HR leaders to play a strategic role in their company’s growth. HR leaders use 15Five to combine engagement, performance, and OKRs on one platform so they can make insightful decisions and take strategic action. Unlike other ‘command and control’ performance systems, 15Five uses the latest in people science to turn managers and employees into self-driven owners of performance and engagement. To further the impact of talent on company growth, 15Five also provides education, coaching, and community for HR leaders, managers, and employees. HR leaders at over 2,800 companies, including Credit Karma, Spotify, and Pendo, rely on 15Five’s software and services to make their talent a growth driver.

At 15Five we focus on building a diverse team that prioritizes inclusivity and celebrates everyone’s unique identity. We are proud of our thriving hybrid culture that supports a remote-first workplace balanced with distributed office hubs, and annual opportunities for all employees to connect in person. We also offer: full Medical, Dental, and Vision, employer paid Term, Short Term and Long Term Disability, paid Sick Time Off, Military Leave, Jury Duty Leave, Unlimited Vacation, flexible work arrangements, up to 16 weeks Paid Parental Leave for birth and non-birth parents, Bereavement Leave, therapy and relationship counselling, weekly Best-Self Time, monthly stipend for wellness, monthly reimbursement for phone and/or internet, Sabbatical Program accessed at 5 or 7 Years and Retirement Account Program with 4% match at 6 months employment. We also provide extensive training and development such as strengths discovery and alignment and Manager specific development opportunities.

For more information see: Our Mission, Vision & Values Our People and Culture Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Our Personal & Professional Development Resources

Reading over the role description and feeling like you don’t check every box? That’s okay; if you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily meet all the criteria, please apply—you could be exactly who we are looking for!

Position:

Employee

Work Schedule:

Full-time

Remote:

Yes

Relocation:

No

Salary:

120,000-130,000

How to Apply

Position is expired. Thanks for your interest.

---