Senior Backend Software Engineer

Senior Backend Software Engineer

Level: L3 — Senior   •   Location: Remote in Europe   •   Reports to: Head of Engineering    Employment: Full-time

About UpScrolled

UpScrolled is an independent social media platform built on a simple idea: people should control what they see, say, and share online.

We exist because we were tired of social media that treats people like products. So we’re building the alternative: a platform where your data stays yours, your voice actually reaches your followers, and your feed belongs to you, not an algorithm.

We’re a small, fast-moving team with a big mission and a community of millions of UpScrollers who joined because they were done waiting for someone else to fix social media. We need people who care about that as much as we do. Come scroll differently with us.

About the Role

UpScrolled is looking for a Senior Backend Software Engineer to take ownership of complex backend systems on a platform used by millions. This is a role for someone who has moved beyond executing individual tasks and is ready to own meaningful parts of the product — from design through delivery, operation, and iteration.

You’ll work with high independence on the features and systems that matter most, contribute to architectural decisions, and help less experienced engineers on the team grow. You know how to operate in ambiguity without losing quality, and you hold a high standard without creating friction.

What You'll Do

• Own complex backend features and services end-to-end: design, implementation, deployment, and operation
• Build and maintain scalable REST APIs and backend systems using TypeScript and C#/.NET
• Contribute meaningfully to architectural decisions — bringing a clear point of view while remaining open to the team’s input
• Design and work within cloud-native, serverless systems on AWS built for reliability and operational simplicity
• Mentor L2 engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and day-to-day technical guidance
• Drive technical initiatives within your domain — scoping, coordinating, and delivering with minimal direction
• Improve engineering practices: testing, CI/CD, observability, and the reliability of the systems you own
• Collaborate with product, design, and infrastructure to scope work accurately and surface technical constraints early
• Identify and address performance and reliability issues before they become incidents
• Participate in on-call coverage; respond to incidents, troubleshoot backend services, and support issue resolution with the team

Technical Expertise

Backend & Platform

• Server-side JavaScript / TypeScript architecture
• REST API design and implementation
• High-availability backend services
• Real-time systems and notification architectures

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Cloud & Infrastructure

• AWS cloud services
• Cloud-native and serverless architecture
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, AWS CDK, CloudFormation)
• CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions

Databases

• PostgreSQL
• MongoDB

Engineering Practices

• Test-driven development
• Deployment automation
• Performance optimization
• Observability and operational reliability

Nice to Have

• Experience building frontend applications with React and/or Next.js
• Experience developing cross-platform mobile applications using Flutter

What Success Looks Like

• The systems you own are reliable, well-understood, and require minimal firefighting
• Engineers you’ve mentored are shipping with more confidence and making fewer architectural mistakes
• You’re consistently scoping and delivering complex work on time without requiring check-ins to stay on track
• Your architectural contributions are well-reasoned and documented — no black boxes
• The team trusts your judgment on technical decisions in your domain

What You Are

• 7–12 years of professional backend engineering experience with strong command of JavaScript and TypeScript

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• Someone with a track record of owning complex backend systems or features in a production environment
• Experienced designing and operating cloud-native systems on AWS
• Fluent in English
• A strong engineer who also makes the people around them better — through reviews, guidance, and clear communication
• Comfortable with ambiguity: you define the approach when the scope isn’t fully clear, rather than waiting for direction
• Someone who brings a strong technical perspective while remaining collaborative — you influence architectural decisions without steamrolling them

What You Are Not

• Someone content to execute tickets without understanding or contributing to the broader technical direction
• Someone who mentors by doing the work for others instead of helping them grow through it
• Someone who treats reliability and observability as post-launch concerns
• Someone who avoids owning hard architectural conversations

Compensation

We believe in transparent compensation. Our salaries vary depending on work location. Please see our zones and ranges below.

Netherlands, Ireland, UK, Germany: €67,916/ £60,429

Spain, Portugal, Poland: €52,426

We hire in most European countries. If your location is not listed above, please still apply, and note your location. We will share salary information during the first interview.

We offer health insurance to all employees, along with paid time off (vacation, sick, parental, etc.) in compliance with local labor regulations in the employee’s country of residence.

Equal Opportunity

UpScrolled is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the people our product serves. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or any other protected characteristic. If you need accommodations at any stage of the hiring process, please reach out — we will work with you.

Application Process

We accept applications on a rolling basis until the role is filled. 

Our process typically looks like this: a 30-minute introductory call with People Operations, followed by at least two additional interviews with the team. We aim to respond to all applicants within 5 business days of the application window closing.

If you need any adjustments to our process, please let us know.

Work Authorization

Candidates must have the legal right to work in their stated location. UpScrolled does not currently offer visa sponsorship.