Senior Node.js Engineer

Quick Facts

• Role: Senior Backend Engineer (Node.js)
• Focus: Backend development for a high-traffic gaming companion site
• Tech: TypeScript, Node.js, SQL, Redis, REST/GraphQL, analytics, queues, AI coding tools

Description

You will build and scale backend systems for a high-traffic gaming companion site, including REST and GraphQL APIs, database schemas/queries, caching, analytics pipelines, and background jobs. You’ll integrate multiple third-party services, optimize performance for user-facing pages, and support game launches that may require coverage outside regular hours. You will also work daily with agentic AI coding tools, directing and reviewing output and maintaining merge safety guardrails.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain REST and GraphQL APIs in TypeScript (Fastify, Hono) for user profiles, subscriptions, and game data, including authentication, rate limits, and typed contracts
• Design database schemas and write SQL queries for PostgreSQL/MySQL (Prisma, Drizzle), including versioned game data, player builds, and migrations on live tables
• Run ClickHouse analytics pipelines (request logs, materialized views, article/revenue metrics) powering dashboard queries
• Own Redis-compatible caching end to end: query caching, tag invalidation, HTTP headers, and CDN purges
• Build scheduled jobs and queue consumers (NATS) for sync, leaderboards, Meilisearch indexing, sitemaps, Stripe webhooks, payouts, and deletion requests
• Integrate third-party APIs (Stripe, Discord, Blizzard, IGDB, Steam, YouTube) with retries/backoff/rate-limit handling
• Process game images into map tiles, sprite sheets, and responsive image sizes
• Keep responses lean for Remix and Next.js pages to improve TTFB, PageSpeed, and SEO
• Work daily with AI coding agents: direct them, review changes, and enforce guardrails (tests, lint rules, build checks, agent instructions)
• Deploy via Docker, GitHub Actions, and Kubernetes
• Support high-traffic game launches, including outside regular hours when needed

Requirements

• 5+ years of backend development with TypeScript on Node.js
• Strong TypeScript type system knowledge (generics, inference, discriminated unions, narrowing)
• Schema validation using Zod or similar
• Strong SQL skills in PostgreSQL and/or MySQL (schema design, indexing, query plans, migrations on live data, transactions and locking)
• Production experience running an analytical database at scale (ClickHouse preferred)
• Caching design experience with Redis or compatible stores (invalidation strategies, HTTP cache headers, CDN behavior)
• Experience designing and consuming REST and GraphQL APIs (authentication, rate limiting)
• Experience with background jobs and message queues, including handling jobs that run twice or don’t run at all
• Experience with high-volume, user-facing production applications
• Experience taking a product from idea to production
• Daily hands-on proficiency with agentic AI coding tools and good judgment about when output needs review
• Comfort reading and changing React code when features reach the frontend
• Ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment with changing priorities
• Flexible working hours with occasional coverage for game launches outside 9-to-5
• Passion for gaming
• Upper-intermediate English level

Benefits

• Growth supported by mentorship, internal TechTalks, challenging projects, and an annual learning budget
• Competitive compensation with regular performance and compensation reviews
• 100% remote work with flexible hours
• Modern, meaningful projects using current technologies with global teams and major brands
• Collaborative culture with zero micromanagement
• Well-being programs and people-focused support tailored to your location