Staff Software Engineer

## About the Role Babylist is hiring Staff Software Engineers to join an 85-person engineering organization building a large-scale marketplace and technology platform for new and expecting families. Staff Engineers work across pod boundaries, owning complex problems from design through production and setting technical direction across teams. The work spans revenue and growth, consumer products and registry experiences, platform, and infrastructure. This role is designed for an experienced software engineer with strong backend and system-design fundamentals, a track record of shipping production systems at scale, and substantial experience using AI in engineering workflows. Staff Engineers partner directly with product, design, and data, mentor other engineers, make architectural decisions, and improve engineering processes and practices. ## Key Responsibilities * Own complex, ambiguous business and technical problems across team and pod boundaries from design through production. * Set technical direction and make architectural decisions that span services and engineering teams. * Design systems that balance development speed, software quality, and long-term maintainability. * Use AI tools as part of the software development workflow and establish effective practices for AI-assisted engineering. * Evaluate AI-generated output and apply sound technical judgment to determine when it should be used, modified, or discarded. * Partner directly with product, design, and data teams on product and architecture decisions. * Contribute technical perspectives and challenge decisions when important technical tradeoffs require consideration. * Mentor engineers, including senior engineers, through code reviews, design feedback, and guidance on problem-solving. * Identify gaps in engineering processes and implement improvements rather than simply flagging issues. * Communicate complex technical decisions and architectural tradeoffs clearly to engineers and executives. * Work through ambiguous problems independently, document reasoning, and involve appropriate stakeholders. ## Required Qualifications * 10+ years of experience building and shipping production software systems at scale. * Experience owning outcomes across teams rather than only within a single team or technical area. * Substantial experience using AI tools in real engineering work. * Experience influencing or establishing effective AI-assisted engineering practices. * Strong backend software engineering fundamentals. * Strong system design and software architecture experience. * Experience shipping production applications using Ruby on Rails, **or** experience with Python/Django or Node.js with the ability to ramp up quickly on Rails. * Ability to make technical decisions in ambiguous situations with incomplete information. * Strong product and architecture judgment. * Experience working directly with product and design as a technical peer. * Strong written and verbal communication skills. * Experience solving complex, cross-team technical problems. * Experience working with AI as part of day-to-day software development. ## Preferred Qualifications The source job description does not identify additional qualifications as preferred or optional beyond the required profile above. ## Skills & Competencies * Backend software engineering * System design * Software architecture * Production systems * Ruby on Rails * Python/Django * Node.js * AI-assisted software development * AI engineering workflows * Technical decision-making * Cross-team technical leadership * Product and architecture judgment * Cross-functional collaboration * Technical communication * Mentoring * Code review * Design feedback * Problem-solving * Working effectively with ambiguity * Engineering process improvement * Customer and product understanding ## Education & Experience **Education:** No specific education requirement is stated in the source job description. **Experience:** 10+ years of experience building and shipping production systems at scale is required. Experience with backend engineering, system design, cross-team technical ownership, and AI-assisted engineering practices is also required. ## Work Arrangement & Schedule * **Work arrangement:** Remote-first * **Employment type:** Not explicitly specified in the source job description. * **Location:** Remote; listed location is Pembroke Pines, FL, US. * Babylist has team members across the United States and Canada. * The company comes together twice a year to build relationships and collaborate. * The source does not specify required weekly hours or weekend requirements. ## Compensation & Benefits **Compensation:** * Starting salary: **$226,673–$273,100** * Target annual bonus: **20%** * Competitive equity * Starting salary is based on location, experience, and qualifications. * Salary increases over time are tied to performance, role growth, and internal pay equity. **Benefits include:** * Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance * Retirement savings plan with company matching * Flexible spending accounts * Generous paid parental leave * PTO * Winter Wonder Week: a company-wide paid week off at the end of the year * Remote work stipend * Perks supporting physical, mental, and emotional health * Parenting and childcare support * Financial planning resources * Access to AI tools including Claude and ChatGPT ## Compliance / Additional Information Babylist uses an interview recording tool to record and transcribe interviews for evaluation purposes in accordance with applicable privacy laws. Candidates consent to recording and transcription by participating in an interview. Babylist uses AI throughout its hiring process to assist with reviewing, screening, and assessing applications. These tools support the hiring team and do not replace human decision-making. Candidates are expected to ensure that applications and interviews reflect their own thinking. Babylist will communicate when AI use is encouraged, and misrepresentation may result in removal from consideration. Babylist states that interview decisions will be communicated within 45 days of the final interview. Official recruiting outreach comes from the Babylist Talent Team at an `@babylist.com` address.