Senior Backend Engineer (Python/AWS)

Certus Recruitment Group; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Certus Recruitment Group is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer (Python/AWS) in Sydney CBD. The role offers a hybrid pattern with 3 days in the office and 2 days work-from-home, with a salary of AU$160,000–AU$180,000 plus super.

You will own the backend systems powering a sophisticated data platform used by global customers, building scalable production systems and guiding architectural direction across the stack.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of backend engineering with Python
• Experience designing and operating asynchronous production systems
• Strong AWS experience across ECS/Fargate, Lambda, S3 and Redshift
• Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Design and build scalable backend APIs and services
• Develop asynchronous processing systems using queues and workers
• Own the production data store powering the product
• Design, build and manage AWS infrastructure using IaC
• Monitor and optimise production systems and respond to incidents
• Collaborate with architects and frontend engineers to deliver end-to-end solutions

Skills

Python

Async production systems

AWS

API design

SQL

Infrastructure as Code

Relational databases

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent

Tools

ECS/Fargate

Lambda

S3

Redshift

Terraform

Job description

Senior Backend Engineer (Python/AWS)

Sydney CBD, NSW (Hybrid – 3 days in the office, 2 days WFH)

$160,000–$180,000 + Super (No visa sponsorship)

Our client is a fast-growing technology business transforming a sophisticated data platform into an interactive product used by global customers. They’re looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to take ownership of the backend systems that power their next-generation platform.

This is an opportunity to join a small, high-performing engineering team where you’ll have genuine ownership, autonomy, and the ability to influence technical direction while building scalable production systems from the ground up.

The Opportunity

As the Senior Backend Engineer, you’ll design, build and operate the backend infrastructure that powers the company’s interactive platform. You’ll own everything from asynchronous processing frameworks and APIs through to the AWS infrastructure your services run on.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who enjoys building production-grade systems, taking ownership of what they ship, and working across the full software lifecycle—not just writing code, but operating and evolving services in production.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and build scalable backend APIs and serving layers with clean, versioned data contracts.
• Develop asynchronous, on-demand processing systems using queues and worker-based architectures.
• Own the operational serving data store that powers the product.
• Design, build and manage AWS infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Monitor, support and optimise the production systems you build, acting as the first point of escalation for your services.
• Drive performance, scalability and cost optimisation across backend infrastructure.
• Work with modern agentic coding tools, including Claude Code, while contributing to engineering standards and best practices.
• Collaborate closely with architects and frontend engineers to deliver robust end-to-end solutions.

About You

You’re a senior backend engineer who enjoys owning systems end-to-end. You have extensive production experience, thrive in autonomous environments, and enjoy solving complex engineering challenges.

Essential Skills & Experience

• 5+ years' backend engineering experience with strong Python expertise.
• Proven experience designing, building and operating asynchronous production systems.
• Design, Implement and Running of async and on-demand production systems, while doing so independently/autonomously. The running aspect of this is very important, they will be responsible for what they build once it is operating in production.
• Strong AWS experience across services such as ECS/Fargate, Lambda, S3 and Redshift.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Strong API design experience and deep understanding of backend architecture.
• Solid SQL skills and experience working with relational databases.
• Experience supporting and operating production systems you've built.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent commercial experience.

Nice to Have

• Experience using agentic coding tools such as Claude Code
• Exposure to LLMs or AI-powered applications.
• Experience with ESG, entity or registry data.
• Additional experience with SQL or modern data tooling.

What's on Offer?

• Salary of $160,000–$180,000 + Super
• Hybrid working (3 days in the Sydney CBD office, 2 days WFH)
• Join a growing engineering team with genuine ownership and autonomy.
• Work on large-scale, high-impact distributed systems.
• Influence technical direction and architecture.
• Immediate interview process with a growing business investing heavily in technology.

If you’re passionate about building scalable backend systems, enjoy taking ownership, and want to make an impact in a high-growth technology environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Applicants must have full Australian working rights.