Quick take: Axios is a respected media company dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news content in an audience-first format. We're hiring a Senior Backend Engineer to join our Application Development organization!  This role will come in at either the Senior II or Staff level, to be determined during the interview process.

Why it matters: As a Senior/Staff Software Engineer you will be responsible for the evolution and maintenance of the backend architecture and services that enable Axios journalists to reach its readers through our editorial tools, website, newsletters, subscription services, and live events.   

Go deeper: This Engineer will oversee the evolution and maintenance of the technical architecture of our platform and core services. This involves spearheading technical initiatives and coordinating their implementation with our product, data, and infrastructure teams, while also developing and evangelizing engineering standards and principles across the organization. In this role, you will drive impact at Axios through the following responsibilities:

  • Driving strategic platform initiatives, collaborating with application, data, and platform team members to ensure stable and performant application services.
  • Establishing and aligning technical vision with engineering and product leadership.
  • Working closely with product development teams to define and adopt engineering principles and standards
  • Mentoring less experienced team members through pair programming, code review, and group learning sessions
  • Proactively identifying technical debt and prioritizing its remediation with the development teams
  • Staying up to date with industry trends, technologies, and best practices
  • Evaluating and recommending new tools and technologies to improve the platform and developer experience
  • Works closely with cross functional teams and business stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver solutions.
  • Contributes to a culture of documentation, including platform architecture, processes, and workflows.

The details: Ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit, be highly collaborative, exhibit a passion for building technology products, and have the following qualifications:

  • Experience building web-scale systems in languages such as (but not limited to) Golang, Python, and TypeScript
  • Demonstrated senior-level expertise in proactive problem-solving and driving technical innovation.
  • Track record of designing and building scalable systems
  • Strong understanding of database concepts such as modeling, querying, and performance tuning.
  • Proficient in diagnosing and resolving performance issues within complex, large-scale systems.
  • Experience working on cloud-based infrastructure using AWS.
  • Proficient in Agile Software Development methodologies.

Starting salary for this role is in the range of $155,000 - $190,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation and benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

  • 401(k) with employer match
  • Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
  • Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high deductible health plan option
  • Dental and vision coverage
  • Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
  • Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
  • One mental health day per quarter
  • Annual learning and development stipend
  • $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
  • Tele-mental health services through Headspace
  • OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
  • Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
  • Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
  • Access to the Axios “Family Fund”, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
  • Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
  • Virtual company-sponsored social events
  • A strong and positive work environment
  • A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement 

Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

Apply for this Job

* Required
resume chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel
cover_letter chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel
Axios Demographic Questions

What’s next: Below are some demographic questions that we hope you will answer because they will help us in fulfilling our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at Axios. 

  • Why it matters: We believe that by hiring people that reflect our diverse audience, we produce the best editorial and business outcomes.
  • But, but, but: While all of the questions require answers, it’s your decision whether to provide your demographic information or select “I prefer not to answer.” 
  • Bottom line: Your responses will not be associated with your specific application and will not in any way be used in the hiring decision. 

Details: Your responses are completely anonymous and can only be viewed by Axios in aggregate with other candidates’ responses to these questions. This information will be stored in Greenhouse (you can view the Greenhouse privacy policy here). 

What is your racial or ethnic background? (mark all that apply) *











What is your gender identity? (mark all that apply) *





Do you consider yourself to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual) community? (Select one) *



Would you describe yourself as someone with a disability? (physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, mental, emotional, or other) (Select one) *



Are you a veteran or an active member of the United States Armed Forces? (Select one) *



Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Axios’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Enter the verification code sent to to confirm you are not a robot, then submit your application.

This application was flagged as potential bot traffic. To resubmit your application, turn off any VPNs, clear the browser's cache and cookies, or try another browser. If you still can't submit it, contact our support team through the help center.