Software Engineer (Backend)

TL;DR

Software Engineer (Backend): Building and scaling the infrastructure behind Notion’s database block, including views, boards, charts, forms, and AI-driven workflows, with an accent on performance, reliability, and high-concurrency systems. Focus on designing microservices, optimizing P95 database performance, and creating scalable platform architecture for enterprise workspaces and high-volume agent writes.

Location: Hybrid in San Francisco or New York City, with office attendance required on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Salary: $150,000–$200,000 base salary per year.

Company

Notion is a collaborative AI workspace that combines knowledge, projects, meetings, databases, and AI tools in one product.

What you will do

• Scale the infrastructure supporting Notion’s database block and its views, boards, charts, forms, and workflows.
• Improve database performance and reliability at P95 scale for larger enterprise workspaces and concurrent usage.
• Design and evolve backend architecture, microservices, observability, and system boundaries.
• Address high-volume writes from AI agents and other demanding customer workloads.
• Use AI to investigate unfamiliar systems, explore debugging paths, generate tests, summarize traces and logs, and evaluate implementation plans.
• Partner with senior engineers and product-facing teams to evolve Collections as a reusable platform.

Requirements

• Strong backend engineering fundamentals and interest in performance, reliability, scalability, and production systems.
• Curiosity about distributed systems, microservices, and data-layer trade-offs.
• Practical experience with JavaScript or TypeScript, or the ability to ramp up quickly in these technologies.
• Ability to investigate technical bottlenecks, iterate on solutions, and reason from first principles.
• Self-guided learning style with effective use of documentation, code, teammates, and AI tools.
• Ability to work from the San Francisco or New York City office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive cash compensation, equity, and benefits.
• Emphasis on craft, durable systems, collaboration, and customer impact.
• AI is encouraged as a practical engineering collaborator across the organization.
• Inclusive workplace with equal employment opportunities and reasonable accommodations.