Staff Backend Engineer- Rental Platforms

Location: United States

We are seeking a Staff Backend Engineer to design, build, and scale critical rental systems that power core business operations. This role requires strong expertise on backend development, with the ability to design end-to-end solutions, drive architecture decisions, and deliver highly scalable, resilient systems.

You will partner with product, design, and engineering teams to build modern, customer-centric rental experiences and robust backend platforms.

A Day in the Life:

As a Staff Full Stack Engineer, with a backend engineering focus you will:

• Design and develop end-to-end features
• Own critical components of rental systems such as reservations, pricing, fleet, and checkout flows
• Build scalable microservices and responsive user interfaces
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Lead architectural discussions and influence system design decisions
• Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering best practices
• Ensure high standards of performance, security, scalability, and maintainability

 

What you will do:

Full Stack Development

• Design, develop, and maintain production services
• Develop backend services using Java, Node.js, or similar technologies
• Design and implement RESTful APIs

 

System Design & Architecture

• Architect scalable, distributed systems for rental platforms
• Design domain-driven solutions for reservations, inventory, pricing, and customer workflows
• Ensure systems are resilient, fault-tolerant, and highly available
• Cloud & DevOps
• Build and deploy applications in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Implement CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code practices
• Monitor and optimize system performance and reliability

 

Data & Integration

• Work with relational and NoSQL databases
• Design efficient data models and ensure data consistency
• Integrate with internal and external services (payments, identity, third-party APIs)
• Quality & Engineering Excellence
• Drive test automation (unit, integration, end-to-end)
• Participate in code reviews and enforce coding standards
• Improve engineering processes, tooling, and developer productivity

 

Collaboration & Leadership

• Partner with Product, UX, and business stakeholders
• Break down complex problems into deliverable solutions
• Mentor engineers and contribute to team growth

 

What We're Looking For:

• 7+ years of software engineering experience
• B.S. in Computer Science or equivalent
• 5+ years of full stack development experience; backend focused
• Proven experience building and scaling production-grade systems
• Experience in domain-heavy systems (e.g., rental, travel, e-commerce, logistics) preferred
• Proficiency in Java, Spring Boot, Node.js, or similar
• Strong experience designing APIs and microservices
• Understanding of authentication, authorization, and security best practices
• Experience with AWS/Azure/GCP
• Strong knowledge of databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, etc.)
• Experience with caching, messaging systems (Kafka, SQS), and event-driven architecture. 
• Strong understanding of system design, scalability, and distributed systems
• Experience with CI/CD, DevOps practices, and observability tools
• Test-driven development and automation mindset
• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking
• Ability to own features end-to-end
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Product mindset with focus on customer experience
• Adaptability in fast-paced environments

 

Nice to Have

• Experience with rental, mobility, or travel systems
• Knowledge of pricing engines, inventory systems, or booking platforms
• Exposure to event-driven systems and domain-driven design 

 

The starting salary is $175k but will be commensurate with experience. 

What You’ll Get:

• 40% off any standard Hertz Rental
• Paid Time Off
• Medical, Dental & Vision plan options
• Retirement programs, including 401(k) employer matching
• Paid Parental Leave & Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program for employees & family
• Educational Reimbursement & Discounts
• Voluntary Insurance Programs - Pet, Legal/Identity Theft, Critical Illness

Perks & Discounts –Theme Park Tickets, Gym Discounts & more

About Us

The Hertz Corporation operates the Hertz, Dollar Car Rental, Thrifty Car Rental brands in approximately 9,700 corporate and franchisee locations throughout North America, Europe, The Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The Hertz Corporation is one of the largest worldwide airport general use vehicle rental companies, and the Hertz brand is one of the most recognized in the world.