Senior/Lead Backend Engineer - NYC at Modal

New York, New York, United States

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$180,000 – $275,000Compensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Gaming, TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

5+ years of backend engineering experience, with significant time in production environments
Strong proficiency in Java and hands-on experience building scalable microservices
Deep understanding of RESTful API design and distributed systems
Experience with relational databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL (including performance tuning and schema design)
Experience building systems that handle thousands of requests per second
Comfort with cloud infrastructure (GCP or AWS preferred), CI/CD, and infrastructure as code
Strong grasp of system design, architectural patterns, and security best practices
Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to drive cross-team projects

Responsibilities

Design and develop backend systems and REST APIs that serve millions of users and billions of clips
Own features end-to-end: from design and architecture through implementation and deployment
Work closely with cross-functional teams across product, ML, and mobile to build cohesive experiences
Scale our systems to support growth in users, content volume, and features
Lead engineering projects, drive architectural decisions, and mentor junior and mid-level backend engineers
Help maintain our cloud infrastructure and CI/CD pipelines
Optimize databases, APIs, and services for performance, scalability, and cost
Contribute to technical strategy, roadmap, and team-wide best practices

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

REST APIsBackend SystemsDatabasesCloud InfrastructureCI/CD PipelinesSystem ScalabilityLow-Latency SystemsSystem Architecture

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary range for this Senior/Lead Backend Engineer position?

The salary range is $180K - $275K.

Is this role remote or onsite?

This is an onsite position in NYC.

What are the key skills required for this backend engineer role?

Candidates need 5+ years of backend engineering experience, strong proficiency in Java, experience with scalable microservices, RESTful API design, relational databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL, and handling high-throughput systems.

What is the company culture like at Medal?

Medal has a fast-moving, builder-first culture where the team moves quickly, makes decisions with creators in mind, and challenges conventions to improve the product.

What makes a strong candidate for this Senior/Lead Backend Engineer role?

A strong candidate has 5+ years of backend experience including Java, microservices, REST APIs, databases, and high-scale systems, plus leadership skills to mentor engineers and drive cross-team projects; bonus for Redis, Kubernetes, and observability tools.

Modal

Employee training and skill development platform

About Modal

Modal Learning focuses on improving employee performance through skill development for businesses. Their main product, the Modal Mastery Platform, uses active learning techniques, including live cohort sessions, labs, and one-on-one coaching, to help employees engage with the material effectively. Unlike competitors, Modal Learning offers a subscription model that provides structured eight-week training programs, aligning skill development with organizational goals. The company's goal is to empower employees and help organizations retain talent by providing clear career development paths.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2021Year Founded

$30.8MTotal Funding

EARLY_VCCompany Stage

Consulting, EducationIndustries

51-200Employees

Risks

Competition from established players and emerging startups could dilute Modal's market share.

Focus on data and AI may limit appeal to companies seeking broader skill development.

Economic downturns could reduce corporate spending on employee training, impacting revenue.

Differentiation

Modal offers personalized technical skills training with on-demand coaching.

The platform uses cohort-based learning to enhance engagement and retention.

Modal's strategic skills planning aligns training with business goals.

Upsides

Increased demand for personalized learning experiences boosts Modal's market potential.

Growing emphasis on data and AI skills aligns with Modal's course offerings.

Subscription model provides steady revenue and predictable growth for Modal.

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