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Backend Engineer II

Hybrid in Santa Clara, California, United StatesFull Time$150,000–$172,000 /yrPosted 2 months ago

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Role summary

HackerRank is seeking a Backend Software Development Engineer to design, build, and maintain server-side logic, database architecture, and API integrations. The role involves developing efficient, scalable, and reliable backend code, optimizing database performance, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Candidates should have 2+ years of experience in server-side development, proficiency in modern backend languages, and a strong understanding of API design and databases. A key requirement is fluency with AI-powered coding assistants and a working familiarity with large language models for various development tasks. Experience with distributed systems, caching, messaging queues, and containerization is also expected. Preferred qualifications include experience with high-traffic applications, system design, and cloud platforms.

HackerRank helps companies like NVIDIA, Amazon, and Microsoft hire and upskill the next generation of developers based on skills, not pedigree. Our platform is trusted by over 2,500 of the world’s most innovative companies to build strong engineering teams ready for what’s next.Software has entered an era where humans and AI build side by side. As this shift accelerates, the definition of strong technical talent is changing. We give companies better ways to identify and invest in next-generation skills.People at HackerRank care deeply about the impact of their work and sweat the small details so our customers can be wildly successful with products they genuinely love to use. We move with urgency and believe great outcomes come from high standards.

About the role

Every day, millions of developers use HackerRank to prove their skills. We’re looking for a Backend Software Development Engineer who thrives on solving complex architectural problems and delivering high-impact product features. You will be responsible for the server-side logic, database architecture, and the integration of front-end elements. Your work will ensure that our core application remains fast, reliable, and scalable as we continue to grow our global user base.

What you’ll do

  • Design, build, and maintain efficient, reusable, and reliable backend code to support new product features and enhancements.
  • Develop and integrate RESTful or GraphQL APIs to serve front-end applications and external clients.
  • Design and optimize database schemas (SQL and NoSQL) to ensure data integrity and query performance at scale.
  • Collaborate with frontend developers, product managers, and designers to translate requirements into robust technical solutions.
  • Troubleshoot production issues, identify bottlenecks, and drive performance optimizations across the application stack.
  • Write comprehensive unit and integration tests to ensure high code quality and system stability.

    • Who you are

  • Backend engineer with 2+ years of experience in server-side software development.
  • Proficient in at least one modern backend programming language (e.g., Python, Ruby, Go, Java, or Node.js).
  • Deep understanding of API design principles (REST, GraphQL) and web standards.
  • Strong experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and familiarity with NoSQL stores.
  • Knowledge of distributed systems, caching mechanisms (Redis/Memcached), and asynchronous messaging (Kafka/RabbitMQ).
  • Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and basic CI/CD workflows.

    • AI fluency

  • Comfortable using AI-powered coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code) as a daily part of your development workflow.
  • Working familiarity with large language models — you understand what they can and can't do, and can write effective prompts to get useful outputs.
  • Experience using AI tools beyond code generation — for planning, writing documentation, drafting test cases, debugging, and code review.
  • Basic understanding of AI/ML fundamentals: how LLMs work at a high level (tokens, context windows, inference), common model architectures, and the difference between fine-tuning, RAG, and prompt engineering.
  • You stay current with the rapidly evolving AI tooling landscape and are eager to adopt tools that meaningfully improve your productivity.

    • Even better if you have

  • Experience working on high-traffic, customer-facing web applications.
  • A strong grasp of system design concepts and architectural patterns (e.g., Microservices, DDD).
  • Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and serverless technologies.
  • Experience optimizing legacy codebases for performance and maintainability.

    • You will thrive in this role if

  • You are passionate about shipping high-quality code that directly solves user problems.
  • You take ownership of your work, from initial design through to deployment and monitoring.
  • You enjoy breaking down complex requirements into clean, logical, and scalable technical implementations.
  • You value collaboration and actively contribute to code reviews and architectural discussions.

    • Compensation

    The base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $172,000, plus a target 10% annual bonus tied to individual and company performance. You will also receive equity (stock options) and a comprehensive package of cash and non-cash benefits.

    Want to learn more about HackerRank? Check out HackerRank.com to explore our products, solutions and resources, and dive into our story and mission here.

    HackerRank is a proud equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. We provide equal opportunity to everyone for employment based on individual performance and qualification. We never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital, veteran, or disability status. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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    Notice to prospective HackerRank job applicants:

  • Our Recruiters use @hackerrank.com email addresses.
  • We never ask for payment or credit check information to apply, interview, or work here.

    • Sample HackerRank interview questions

    • 1

      Design a system for online advertising.

      system designmedium
    • 2

      Sort a String by Frequency Sort a string by the frequency of its characters. Input: s = "cccaaa" Output: "cccaaa" or "aaaccc" Explanation: Both 'c' and 'a' appear three times, so sorting them by descending frequency keeps them grouped equally.

      codingmedium
    • 3

      Add Two Numbers Represented as Strings Add two non-negative integers represented as strings. Input: num1 = "456", num2 = "77" Output: "533" Explanation: Performs character-by-character addition from right to left, carrying the 1 from 6+7=13 to the next decimal place.

      codingmedium

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