Lead Back-End Engineer

Robots & Pencils is seeking a Lead Backend Engineer to architect, design, and deliver scalable backend systems and APIs. This role centers on building robust services using C# .NET Core, applying modern design patterns, and guiding the team in adopting AI tools to accelerate development and maintain high-quality standards. 

As a lead engineer, you will own backend architecture, mentor team members, and ensure our services are performant, secure, and aligned with modern best practices. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead the design and development of backend services with C# .NET Core. 

• Define and enforce architecture principles, including dependency injection and clean design patterns. 

• Drive backend integration with Postgres databases, ensuring optimized queries and scalability. 

• Mentor engineers on backend best practices and effective use of AI-assisted coding tools. 

• Collaborate with product managers, front-end developers, QA, and DevOps to deliver end-to-end solutions. 

• Oversee deployment and operations in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), ensuring resilience and observability. 

• Conduct code reviews and set coding standards for the backend team. 

Required Skills & Qualifications 

• 5+ years of backend development experience. 

• Proven expertise in C# .NET Core. 

• Strong knowledge of dependency injection and modern backend architecture. 

• Experience with Postgres SQL database design and performance tuning. 

• Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps pipelines and Azure Kubernetes deployments. 

• Demonstrated ability to lead backend teams and mentor mid-level engineers. 

• Proficiency with AI-powered development tools for accelerating delivery and improving maintainability. 

Nice to Have 

• Experience with microservices and event-driven systems. 

• Familiarity with GraphQL or gRPC for service-to-service communication. 

• Knowledge of automated testing frameworks (xUnit, NUnit, integration testing). 

• Exposure to observability and monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK, or Azure Monitor). 

• Track record of technical leadership, architecture ownership, or contributions to open-source projects. 

Personal Competencies 

• Leadership – Guides and mentors engineers, fostering a high-performance culture. 

• Accountability – Owns backend delivery with an emphasis on scalability and reliability. 

• Collaboration – Partners with cross-functional teams to align technical and product goals. 

• Craftsmanship – Raises code quality and architecture standards across the team. 

• Innovation-Minded – Leverages AI and modern technologies to improve engineering velocity. 

Why Join Robots & Pencils? 

We don’t just ship features, we build digital-first products that matter. As a Lead Backend Engineer, you’ll influence architecture, mentor a growing team, and work with cutting-edge technologies in a collaborative environment. You’ll play a critical role in shaping both backend systems and engineering culture.