Senior Backend Engineer, Web & Cloud

Firestorm•San Diego, CA

1d•$133,000 - $179,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Firestorm is building the next generation of autonomous systems for defense and national security. We move quickly, solve hard technical problems and build software that operates in real environments, not lab simulations. We are seeking an experienced & driven Senior Backend Engineer, Web & Cloud, who will own backend systems that enable real-time autonomy, data movement, and mission operations. You will architect and scale services, streaming pipelines, and secure cloud-to-edge capabilities that connect autonomous platforms, operators, and mission systems. This role is for engineers who build reliable and scalable systems, understand production constraints, and take ownership of outcomes. You will improve and extend core platform services, contribute to architecture decisions, and support a high-performance engineering culture as we scale.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
At least 5 years of software engineering experience, with a strong backend focus (e.g., Node.js, Django, Spring)
2+ years building and scaling cloud-based services and APIs in production environments
U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations & the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance
Proven experience building and scaling distributed systems with real-time data and public APIs
Familiarity with full-stack web development concepts, with deep backend expertise
Strong understanding of system architecture, modular services, and cloud design patterns
Experience with relational and distributed data systems (i.e., RDBMS, warehouses, time-series stores)
Hands-on experience with Docker and container orchestration in cloud environments (e.g., Kubernetes, AWS Fargate, CI/CD pipelines)
Experience building secure, monitored, and highly reliable production systems
Strong communication and ability to operate in fast-moving, mission-focused environments

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
Familiarity with robotics, IoT, or autonomous systems
Experience with GraphQL (i.e., Apollo or equivalent)
Experience with a compiled systems language (e.g., Go, Rust)
Strong background in distributed data and real-time streaming systems
Experience deploying software in on-prem or air-gapped environments
Knowledge of real-time systems for critical operations
Knowledge of modern communication and data protocols (i.e., HTTP/2, gRPC, NATS)
Experience with agile development, CI/CD, and DevOps practices

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain backend services that support high-rate data processing, system telemetry, and mission execution workflows
Architect scalable cloud and edge service infrastructure and drive system-level design decisions
Build and maintain APIs, service interfaces, and integration layers for internal systems and trusted external partners
Develop data models, schemas, and patterns for structured and unstructured data across distributed environments
Implement observability across all backend systems including metrics, logging, alerting, and performance analysis
Ensure system security, access controls, auditing, and data protections aligned to defense requirements
Lead technical discussions, conduct design reviews, and drive architecture improvements across the platform
Guide CI/CD, testing, automation, and deployment practices to support reliable releases and iterative delivery
Collaborate with platform, autonomy, and mission operations engineers to ensure system performance in real operational environments

Benefits

We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
Equity grants for new hires
Unlimited PTO
Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & December.
Generous Parental Leave
Lifestyle Spending Account
FSA
DCFSA
HSA
Hospital Indemnity insurance
Critical Illness insurance
Accident insurance
Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.