Staff Backend Engineer - Virtual

Alight•Deerfield, IL

2d•$180,000 - $240,000•Remote

About The Position

Alight is building Benefits Intelligence, powered by the Alight Data Engine, to help employers turn complex benefits data into meaningful insights and action. The Staff Backend Integrations Engineer will design and build the integration infrastructure behind this experience, bringing experience with complex, integration-heavy systems and making them reliable, scalable, and easier to operate. This hands-on role defines and evolves the Benefits Intelligence module’s architecture, domain model, workflows, and business logic. It builds services and APIs connecting Worklife with the Data Engine, leads integration of Data Engine capabilities into Worklife, and establishes reusable engineering patterns across the full stack. The role translates product concepts and business requirements into pragmatic technical decisions and drives execution across Engineering, Product, UX, Data, and platform teams. Alight offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including health, dental, and vision coverage starting on Day One; wellbeing programs; retirement plans with contribution matching; generous time off; parental leave; continuing education; and career growth opportunities. The role is described as virtual, with flexible working arrangements considered where possible. Virtual interviews are conducted by video, and occasional travel to a physical office location may be required.

Requirements

At least 6 years of progressive software engineering experience, including ownership of complex production applications.
Deep expertise in application data modeling, API design, and backend services, with proficiency in modern front-end development.
Demonstrated 0-to-1 system design and build experience for complex B2B use cases and non-technical users.
Product judgment and ability to convert ambiguity into clear technical decisions and incremental delivery.
Experience integrating new application capabilities into established products and technology ecosystems, including adapting and extending existing services and UI components.
Ability to independently execute cross-functional technical leadership across multiple Engineering and Product teams without relying on formal authority.
Demonstrated fluency with approved agentic coding practices and disciplined software engineering controls.
Experience integrating application platforms with data or AI-enabled services.
Experience improving observability, reliability, and operational efficiency for production applications.
Applicants must have work authorization in the employing country that does not now or in the future require visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Define and evolve the application architecture, domain model, workflows, and business logic for the Benefits Intelligence module.
Design and build application services and APIs connecting Worklife with the Data Engine, including interface contracts, error handling, observability, and operational ownership.
Lead the technical integration of Data Engine capabilities into Worklife, adapting existing user-interface components and developing new administrative experiences where required.
Establish reusable full-stack engineering patterns for maintainability, security, testing, observability, deployment, and operational efficiency.
Translate emerging product concepts and business requirements into pragmatic technical options; evaluate trade-offs and drive implementation with Product and Architecture.
Drive technical execution across Engineering, Product, UX, Data, and platform teams; surface dependencies early and bring design and integration decisions to closure.
Approve application architecture and domain models.
Produce production-ready APIs, services, workflows, and user experiences.
Document interface contracts and integration patterns.
Automate tests, telemetry, runbooks, and operational handoff.
Reuse engineering standards and reference implementations.