Senior Software Engineer, Backend at Coursera

About Coursera

Coursera's mission is to provide universal access to world-class learning. We partner with leading universities and companies to offer courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, and degrees online. Our platform empowers learners to master the skills they need to advance their careers and institutions to upskill their employees, students, and citizens.

Why Join Coursera?

At Coursera, you'll be part of a team of inventors, innovators, and lifelong learners shaping the future of education. You'll work on global programs and tools that power online learning for millions, turning bold ideas into real impact. We offer a flexible work environment and opportunities to grow your career horizons.

Role Overview

As a Senior Backend Engineer, you will be a key player in designing and implementing scalable backend solutions for Coursera. You'll collaborate closely with Product, Design, and other stakeholders to translate business problems into technical designs. You'll own the technical approach and the resulting product outcomes. This role offers significant technical ownership in areas such as service architecture, API development, data modeling, and more.

Day in the Life of a Senior Backend Engineer at Coursera

Your day might start with a team stand-up, discussing progress on current projects and any roadblocks encountered. You might then dive into designing a new API endpoint to support a new feature on the Coursera platform. This involves carefully considering the data model, performance implications, and security considerations. You'll then collaborate with frontend engineers to ensure a smooth integration.

Later in the day, you might participate in a code review, providing feedback to a junior engineer on their implementation. You'll also spend time analyzing data from A/B tests to understand the impact of recent changes and generate hypotheses for future improvements. Finally, you'll allocate time to investigate a production issue, debugging the code and working with operations to resolve the problem.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable systems and infrastructures.
• Collaborate with Product Managers and stakeholders to shape requirements and clarify tradeoffs.
• Translate business goals into technical designs.
• Break down complex problems into iterative backend solutions.
• Balance speed, quality, and long-term maintainability in your solutions.
• Participate in product discussions, proposing technical approaches.
• Influence roadmap decisions through data and system insights.
• Measure your work thoroughly and analyze results.
• Generate hypotheses to drive new product changes through A/B testing.
• Set up monitoring and testing of APIs and services.
• Understand real-time health of your products.
• Mentor junior engineers and share your knowledge and expertise.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience working in a relevant software engineering role.
• Strong proficiency in Java (16+).
• Experience with relational databases such as MySQL.
• Experience with NoSQL databases such as DynamoDB.
• Experience with gRPC for inter-service communication.
• Experience with GraphQL (DGS) for API development.
• Experience with Kafka for message streaming.
• Solid understanding of microservices architecture.
• Experience designing and implementing scalable systems and infrastructures.
• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

Why United States?

The United States is a hub for technological innovation and offers a wealth of opportunities for software engineers. With a thriving tech industry, competitive salaries, and a diverse culture, the US provides a dynamic environment for career growth and personal development. Coursera's presence in multiple cities across the US offers a variety of location options and work styles.

Career Path at Coursera

Coursera is committed to the growth and development of its employees. As a Senior Backend Engineer, you'll have opportunities to advance your career through technical leadership roles, management positions, or specialized expertise. We provide a supportive environment for continuous learning and encourage you to explore different paths within the company.

Salary & Benefits

The estimated salary range for this position is $140,000 to $220,000 per year. This range is based on factors such as experience, skills, and location. In addition to a competitive salary, Coursera offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Unlimited paid time off and flexible work arrangements.
• Generous parental leave policy.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Professional development budget to support your learning and growth.
• Access to Coursera's learning platform for free.

Education for Everyone

Coursera believes that everyone deserves access to high-quality education. We offer a wide range of courses, Specializations, and degrees to learners around the world. As an employee, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to this mission and help make education more accessible and affordable for all.

How to Apply

If you're passionate about education and have the skills and experience we're looking for, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your resume and cover letter through our online application portal. We look forward to hearing from you!

FAQ

1. What is Coursera? Coursera is an online learning platform that offers courses, Specializations, and degrees from top universities and companies.
2. What is the company culture like at Coursera? Coursera fosters a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive environment where employees are encouraged to learn and grow.
3. What are the benefits of working at Coursera? Coursera offers a comprehensive benefits package, including competitive salary, health insurance, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
4. What technologies do backend engineers use at Coursera? Our backend developers primarily use Java (16+), MySQL, DynamoDB, gRPC, GraphQL (DGS), and Kafka within a microservices architecture.
5. What is the interview process like? The interview process typically involves a phone screen, technical interview, and a final interview with the hiring manager.
6. Does Coursera offer remote work opportunities? Yes, Coursera offers flexible work arrangements, including remote work options for some positions.
7. How does Coursera support employee growth and development? Coursera provides professional development budgets, access to learning resources, and opportunities to attend conferences and workshops.
8. What is the work-life balance like at Coursera? Coursera promotes a healthy work-life balance and offers flexible work arrangements to support employees' personal needs.
9. How does Coursera contribute to the field of education? Coursera partners with leading universities and companies to provide accessible and affordable education to learners worldwide.
10. What are the career advancement opportunities at Coursera? Coursera offers opportunities for employees to advance their careers through technical leadership roles, management positions, or specialized expertise.