Senior Backend Engineer (Platform team)

About Baubap

We are a fast-growing, Mexican fintech startup with the mission to become the bridge to people’s financial freedom through technology.

We are providing microloans to people in financial need through a fast and efficient process, always treating them with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Our long-term vision is to become the largest inclusion bank in LATAM by 2030.

About your role

As a Senior Backend Engineer, you'll be instrumental in shaping the future of our product, making sure it's reliable, secure, and scalable. You'll have the chance to work on projects that directly impact the success of our business and our customers.

Outcomes

• Designing and implementing backend system architecture, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and efficiency.
• Enhance backend performance through code and architecture optimizations.
• Integrating different systems and services, including third-party systems and microservices
• Creating and maintaining robust and efficient APIs for server-client communication
• Implementing security measures to protect against vulnerabilities and cyber attacks
• Diagnose and solve complex problems in the backend
• Guiding and mentoring less experienced developers, contributing to the team's growth

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the frontend team, product managers, and designers to define feature specifications and build the next generation of our products.
• Participate in all phases of the development cycle – concept, design, development, testing, and release.
• Optimize applications for maximum speed, scalability, and reliability.
• Ensure all systems are designed and coded for security, privacy, and adherence to SOLID principles.
• Proactively identify and resolve software inefficiencies and potential issues.
• Contribute to the entire software development lifecycle including design, development, documentation, testing, and operations.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers.
• Regularly review and refine our backend engineering practices, ensuring high-quality software construction in accordance with SOLID principles.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in backend development.
• Deep understanding and practical experience in applying SOLID principles.
• Strong experience with data storage technologies such as MySQL and caching databases.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.
• Strong understanding of API design and RESTful principles.
• Excellent understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software design principles
• Strong problem-solving abilities and excellent communication skills.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies, Unit testing, Continuous Integration (CI), and Continuous Delivery (CD) practices.
• Great communication skills, and ability to explain how software is working to a non-technical audience.

Desirable Skills

• Experience in implementing security and data protection measures.
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and tools.
• Experience in a high-growth tech environment or startup.
• Experience in leading technical projects or teams.
• Experience with performance tuning and system load testing.
• Proficiency in using PHP and Python for backend development.
• Experience in working with Docker for creating containers and managing microservices.
• Strong familiarity with Linux environment, and experience in Linux server management and scripting. 

Your skills

• Clear and transparent communication. You are able to able to express your thoughts clearly, concisely and to the point. You can openly discuss any blockers you have, and constructively point out areas for improvement.
• Relentlessly resourceful at execution and problem solving. You make things happen, no matter what. You are disciplined, organized and systematically follow through on your work. Instead of getting stuck thinking "well, this doesn't work", you look for creative / innovative / outside-of-the-box solutions to fix the issue and move on.
• Sense of urgency. You operate with a constant sense of urgency (as if there was a large, hungry wolf chasing you), constantly looking for ways to move ahead and push everything around you to get to your desired outcome in the most efficient and productive way. You don’t wait around and make things happen.
• Flexibility / adaptability / resilience. You can maintain your composure and focus despite the constantly changing environment, and adequately adapt to new conditions. You can swiftly change the course of action when needed, and you don't get easily demotivated.
• Being self-driven /committed. You require very little guidance and intervention from your leader to move ahead. You can correctly read what the situation requires, and take the necessary action accordingly. If your leader were to disappear, you can still move ahead and make relevant things happen. You act because you want to, and not because someone else is telling you that you should.
• Strategic thinking / seeing the bigger picture. You can see further than just your immediate "doorstep". You can correctly assess the deeper implications of certain decisions that might materialise in the future, and take decisions accordingly. You often use data or previous research to inform your recommendations and decisions.
• Critical / analytical thinking. You can correctly analyse the root causes of a problem, without getting side-tracked by irrelevant, minor details. You can come to the right conclusion and propose a clear, logical plan of action. You don't stay on the surface of things.
• Helping others succeed / strong stakeholder focus. While tackling the responsibilities on your plate, you are constantly thinking "How will this impact the other party? Am I doing the absolute best I can to offer excellent support / service? What more could I do to help the other side achieve their goal or grow? Am I optimising for myself, or for the common good?"