• Deep fluency in at least one backend language (TypeScript/Node.js, Go, Python, or Java) — we use TypeScript heavily but value polyglot thinkers
• Hands-on experience with PostgreSQL (query optimization, indexing strategies, schema migrations) and Redis (caching patterns, pub/sub, rate limiting)
• Familiarity with message broker patterns — RabbitMQ preferred, but Kafka or NATS experience translates well
• Solid understanding of distributed systems fundamentals: consistency models, failure modes, backpressure, idempotency
• Experience with Kubernetes in production — not just deploying, but debugging networking issues, resource contention, and pod lifecycle surprises
• Strong debugging instincts: you're the kind of engineer who reaches for tcpdump or strace before restarting the service
• Experience with event-driven architectures or CQRS patterns
• Familiarity with Temporal.io or similar workflow orchestration frameworks
• Background in transit, logistics, or any domain where latency directly impacts a physical-world experience
• Experience operating multi-tenant or multi-site deployments
• You've written a runbook that actually saved someone at 2am