Sleeper - Senior Software Engineer, Backend
Requirements
• 5+ years of backend software engineering experience. • Proven ability to build and scale distributed systems that serve millions of users in real-time or gaming environments. • Strong proficiency in one or more backend languages (e.g., Go, Python, Node.js, Java), and an understanding of trade-offs between them. • Solid knowledge of databases (both SQL and NoSQL), caching strategies, and message queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ, Pub/Sub). • Comfortable designing and maintaining RESTful and/or graphql APIs, data models, and internal tooling. • Cloud experience (AWS, GCP, or similar), with familiarity with containers (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes a plus). • Strong product mindset—you care about the why, not just the how, and you build with users in mind. • Excellent communication and collaboration skills. • Bonus: Proficiency in Elixir • Bonus: Passion for sports, gaming, or building multiplayer or real-time systems.
Responsibilities
• Design and build core backend systems that power Sleeper's games and real-time user experiences—fantasy contests, Sleeper Picks, user profiles, leaderboards, and more. • Build scalable, distributed systems capable of handling millions of concurrent users with low latency and high availability. • Own backend initiatives from concept to deployment, ensuring clean interfaces, well-documented services, and resilient infrastructure. • Optimize system performance and proactively address bottlenecks through monitoring, profiling, and capacity planning. • Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, and frontend teams to deliver features that users love. • Contribute thoughtful code reviews and help strengthen backend engineering best practices and standards.
Benefits
• Massive Impact – Your work will touch millions of users and help shape the next generation of sports entertainment. • High Ownership – We trust our engineers to make high-leverage decisions and drive meaningful outcomes. • Startup Agility – Move fast, ship often, and see your work in the hands of users quickly. • Culture-First Team – We're a team of builders, thinkers, and sports lovers who value humility, collaboration, and having fun along the way. • Competitive salary ($170,000–$220,000) /year not inclusive of stock options and benefits) • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance • 401(k) with company matching • Generous PTO and flexible remote work policy • Opportunities for fast career growth in a high-impact role • A small, focused team where your contributions truly matter
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