United States of America Remote (Country)

thatgamecompany is hiring a Senior/Staff Backend Engineer

About the Role

Join us in shaping the backbone of a global multiplayer experience. As a Senior/Staff Backend Engineer, you'll play a central role in evolving the infrastructure behind a live, real-time game used by millions. Our systems must remain stable, responsive, and adaptable as player demands shift rapidly.

What You’ll Do

  • Architect and deploy scalable microservices that support massive concurrent player loads, with a focus on resilience and uptime.
  • Monitor system performance and respond swiftly to incidents, ensuring a seamless experience across regions.
  • Strengthen code quality through rigorous testing, peer reviews, and clear technical documentation.
  • Collaborate across distributed Gameplay, Engine, and Operations teams to align backend capabilities with live content needs.
  • Design systems that are both flexible and maintainable, capable of adapting to frequent changes in gameplay and performance requirements.
  • Balance delivery speed with long-term system health, making thoughtful tradeoffs in a fast-moving environment.

What We’re Looking For

  • 8+ years of backend development experience, ideally with large-scale distributed systems or online games.
  • Proficiency in functional languages like Elixir or Erlang, and multi-paradigm languages such as Go.
  • Deep understanding of distributed computing tradeoffs, including caching, availability, and data consistency.
  • Hands-on experience with Linux, containerized environments, CI/CD pipelines, and GitOps workflows.
  • Strong commitment to automated testing—unit, integration, and stress testing—to improve system reliability.
  • Insight into networking strategies, deployment automation, security, and data monitoring at scale.

Nice-to-Have

  • Personal projects in game development, networking tools, or engine-level programming.
  • Experience with Kubernetes, Helm, and Docker for orchestration and deployment.
  • Familiarity with low-level network optimization techniques like delta compression and bit-packing.
  • Knowledge of C++ for performance-critical systems, especially in game contexts.
  • Background with both relational (PostgreSQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis) databases.

Our Environment

We value shared knowledge and collective ownership—no one person should be irreplaceable. You’ll work in a culture that prioritizes collaboration, inclusivity, and continuous learning. Initiatives like Grow Together support diversity, while professional development is actively encouraged.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents—effective Day One
  • Paid time off, holidays, and a two-week winter break
  • Compassionate leave and pet insurance
  • Pre-tax stipends for wellness and remote work setups
  • 401K savings plan with company match
  • Mental health support via Headspace and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Discounts portal and inclusive workplace programs

Compensation

Annual salary range: $125,000 to $220,000 USD. Additional discretionary bonus and 401K match available.

Work Mode

Full remote flexibility within the U.S. and Canada. We support a distributed team model with a focus on sustainable, inclusive work practices.

Required Skills
ErlangElixirGoLinuxCI/CDGitOpsKubernetesHelmDockerUDPdistributed systemslow-latency servicesnetwork communicationautomated testingcontainer-native development ErlangElixirGoC++KubernetesHelmDockerPostgreSQLMongoDBRedisLinuxCI/CDGitOpsdistributed systemslow-latency systems
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About company
thatgamecompany
Develops real-time, multiplayer game server systems for 'Sky: Children of the Light', focusing on delivering impactful multiplayer experiences to a global audience with reliable, low-latency gameplay.
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Job Details
Category backend
Posted 4 months ago