Staff Engineer, Backend Platform

Location: Redwood Shores, California; hybrid work with onsite attendance three days per week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Candidates must already be based in the Bay Area.

Targeted base salary: $240,000–$280,000 annually in California, plus stock options.

Company

Zūm provides a connected mobility platform that coordinates students, vehicles, and transportation operations in real time for schools and families.

What you will do

• Design the architecture of the backend platform and contribute hands-on code.
• Work with 2–4 backend developers to deliver high-quality product features.
• Own the full development lifecycle from ideation through deployment.
• Collaborate with Product and Design on planning and delivering new features.
• Improve the existing backend platform and introduce tools and processes that scale development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of industry experience as a Software Engineer or Staff Engineer.
• Experience building enterprise-level backend systems across multiple platforms.
• Strong architectural design and backend development skills, including relational and non-relational databases.
• Proficiency in Node.js, Java, or Python; experience with AWS or Google Cloud deployment and management.
• Experience with scalable systems, APIs, microservice architectures, and performance and security considerations.

Nice to have

• Strong experience with Node.js and TypeScript.
• Experience in the transportation industry.
• Interest in working for a mission-driven company.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on ownership of products with significant business impact.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k), holidays, wellness benefits, and vacation.
• Additional compensation may include equity or commissions.