Senior Backend Engineer

Summary

Join Sleeper, a rapidly growing fantasy sports platform, as a Senior Backend Engineer. You will design and build backend systems for core experiences, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and mentor other engineers. This hands-on role requires 5+ years of backend engineering experience with high-scale applications, proficiency in modern backend languages, and expertise in designing APIs and distributed systems. You'll work on a product used by millions, with ownership and decision-making responsibilities. Sleeper offers a collaborative culture, opportunities for growth, and competitive benefits.

Requirements

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience, ideally with high-scale, consumer-facing applications
• Proficient in modern backend languages such as Python, Go, Node.js, or similar
• Comfortable designing APIs, data models, and distributed systems
• Experience working with relational and NoSQL databases, message queues, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or similar)
• Excellent debugging and problem-solving skills; able to quickly identify performance bottlenecks or system issues
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative, team-first mindset

Responsibilities

• Design and build backend systems that power core Sleeper experiences, including fantasy contests, Sleeper Picks, user profiles, and real-time game interactions
• Work across the stack to develop APIs, services, and infrastructure that are reliable, scalable, and secure
• Improve system performance and reliability through profiling, monitoring, and optimization
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, and frontend teams to ship features end-to-end
• Mentor and support other engineers, contributing to code reviews and engineering best practices
• Own features from design to deployment, bringing a strong sense of ownership and product thinking to everything you build

Preferred Qualifications

Passion for sports, gaming, or fantasy leagues

Benefits

• Competitive salary and stock options
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible working hours and remote work options
• Opportunities for career advancement