Software Engineer - Backend

About Pocket Worlds:

At Pocket Worlds, we are building bleeding-edge technology that enables creators to develop the next generation of social experiences. Our flagship platform, Highrise, is where millions of people express themselves, engage in shared experiences, and create deep friendships. Over 40 million people have already joined the world of Highrise, and it's growing faster every day. Through Highrise, we are connecting the world through shared community created experiences and realizing the positive potential of the internet.

About the role: 

We are looking for an early career Backend Engineer with a passion for learning and a strong foundation in backend development to help us build and maintain large-scale applications and technologies in our stack. The ideal candidate should be eager to grow in a high-energy, fast-moving startup environment.

You will join our backend team of engineers to help build new features and support our existing infrastructure, which currently supports 300,000 Daily Active Users (DAU) and is set to grow significantly. This role offers many opportunities to contribute to backend features and infrastructure that directly impact our users. You’ll also have the chance to expand your knowledge as we develop support for user-crafted experiences and scale our architecture to handle User-Generated Content (UGC).

We value individuals who are curious, eager to learn, and excited to make meaningful contributions as part of a dynamic team. You’ll have opportunities to work closely with senior engineers and develop your skills in Python, Go, and other technologies in our stack.

Responsibilities: 

• Collaborate with the backend team to design, build, and maintain scalable backend features and services.

• Assist in developing and optimizing backend systems to support our growing user base.

• Learn and contribute to our backend stack, including Python, Go, AWS, and Kubernetes.

• Work with microservices, event-based architectures, and caching solutions like Redis.

• Participate in code reviews, contribute to improving processes, and write technical documentation.

• Take part in our startup culture, where wearing many hats and learning on the job is encouraged.

Requirements: 

• Up to 5 years of experience in backend development or a related field.

• Familiarity with one or more backend programming languages (Python or Go preferred).

• Basic understanding of building and working with APIs, databases (e.g., MongoDB), and event-based architectures.

• Interest in learning about cloud platforms like AWS and container orchestration (Kubernetes).

• Willingness to work in a fast-paced environment and take ownership of tasks.

• Eagerness to learn and grow by collaborating with senior engineers and participating in code reviews.

• Passionate about building great products and solving technical challenges.

Bonuses:

• Experience working on side projects or contributing to open-source projects.

• Familiarity with other backend languages (e.g., Go, C#) or game development tools like Unity.

• An interest in machine learning, AI-driven systems, or game server hosting.

Current Backend Tech Stack:

• Async typed Python (similar to TypeScript), Go

• Microservices, event-based architecture

• REST, FlatBuffers, WebSocket Secure (WSS)

• AWS (EC2, S3, Load Balancing)

• MongoDB, ElasticSearch, Redis (cache and queues)

• OpenSearch, Grafana, Kibana, Prometheus

• Kubernetes

• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, kOps, Helm)

We believe in empowering our team members to take control of their careers. You’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact in our virtual world, contribute to our product, and grow your skills alongside an experienced and supportive team.

This role is located onsite in Austin, Texas. We aren't able to do remote for this opportunity.

Why work with us:

• Impact: Your work will directly affect millions of users around the world.

• Growth: Your growth isn’t capped by a career ladder. Show us you can deliver the impact, and we’ll respond with recognition and reward.

• Elite team: You’ll be a member of a small and elite team with a lot of freedom to go after opportunities you identify.

• Culture: High trust, high intensity, low process and bureaucracy. We pride ourselves in being a Silicon Valley startup with a laser focus on the mission, and we’ll happily remove all roadblocks in your path to success.

• Reward: This role offers a highly competitive salary and very generous equity. Our incentives will be directly aligned toward success.

• Office and team: Directly work with the cofounders in our office in Downtown Austin.

Benefits (US Only):

• Meaningful equity - we’re here to do amazing work, and we share in our wins together.

• Equipment allowance - choose what you need to work at your best.

• Healthcare, 401k / pension (US only)

• Unlimited PTO.

• Education/Training stipend - we've set aside a budget for every employee to continue to learn and grow their skills.

Pocket Worlds is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.