Senior Backend Engineer

Join Wordly's fast growing global team! Description As a Senior Backend Engineer at Wordly, you will use your experience to design, build, and improve backend services across our technology stack. You will help maintain existing systems while taking ownership of complex new features and services that support Wordly’s real-time translation experiences. This is a hands-on individual contributor role. You will work from product requirements and established architectural direction to design and implement backend services and APIs, make sound technical decisions within your area of responsibility, and drive complex work through implementation and delivery. We are looking for someone who can operate independently with limited guidance, contribute technical judgment to design and code reviews, and help raise the quality of the software around them. Strong experience with either Java or Kotlin is required, along with experience using backend frameworks such as Micronaut, Spring Boot, or similar. You should be comfortable working with distributed backend systems, writing and maintaining comprehensive unit and integration tests, and using AI-assisted development tools effectively and responsibly as part of day-to-day engineering work. Minimum Qualifications 5+ years of hands-on experience building and maintaining backend services and APIs from product requirementsStrong hands-on experience with Java or Kotlin; experience with both is a plusExperience with backend frameworks such as Micronaut, Spring Boot, or similarStrong experience working in distributed systems and microservice environmentsExperience with messaging and event streaming systems, NoSQL databases, distributed caches, and CI/CD pipelinesStrong experience writing and maintaining unit and integration tests, with a focus on producing reliable and well-tested softwareExperience debugging and resolving complex issues in backend servicesExperience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, or similar, and comfort using them effectively and responsiblyExperience working in modern software development workflows, including version control and code review practicesComfortable working with a fully remote teamSelf-motivated and able to independently deliver complex features from requirements through implementation Desired Qualifications In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate meets some or all of the following desired qualifications. Manipulating real-time audio streams. Developing Node.js applications. B.S. degree in Computer Science or equivalent from an accredited institution. Responsibilities Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs from product requirements and established architectural directionTake ownership of complex backend features and services from technical design through implementation and deliveryImprove and support existing backend services, including debugging and resolving complex production issuesImplement solutions involving distributed systems, messaging and event streaming systems, caches, and NoSQL data storesWrite and maintain comprehensive unit and integration tests, and actively improve test coverage and code qualityParticipate actively in technical design and code reviews, providing constructive technical feedback to other engineersIdentify opportunities to improve maintainability, reliability, and engineering practices within the areas you work onWork cross-functionally with Product, other engineers, and technical leads to deliver backend functionalityUse AI-assisted development tools effectively and responsibly as part of day-to-day engineering work Located in Los Altos, California, Wordly is an exciting tech startup that is looking to grow its engineering and GTM teams! From virtual meetings to large, in-person conference venues, Wordly strives to provide high quality, real-time translation services in 50+ languages to anyone, anywhere. Wordly caters to numerous customers around the world which include local organizations and businesses; government entities; Fortune 500 companies; and much, much more. While this is a fully remote position, office space in Los Altos, California is available for San Francisco Bay Area residents that wish to utilize it. To learn more about Wordly visit www.wordly.ai and follow us on our LinkedIn page.