Backend Software Engineer

At Scalapay, we’re shaping a culture with high standards, independent and critical thought, innovation, ownership, and continuous learning. We operate in a fast-moving, tech-driven environment, and we’re looking for people who thrive in change, think boldly, and take initiative.

#MakeItHappen #PlayAsATeam #StayCurious #FocusOnCustomer.

The Mission

We're seeking a skilled Backend Software Engineer to join our Experiences team at Scalapay. You'll be responsible for building and maintaining high-performance, scalable REST APIs that power our user experience. This role focuses on delivering exceptional user experiences through robust backend architecture and optimized API performance.

Key Responsibilities:

API Development & Performance

• Design, build, and maintain high-quality REST APIs using NestJS framework
• Optimize API performance through caching strategies, query optimization, and payload compression
• Implement rate limiting, pagination, and filtering for scalable data handling
• Ensure APIs meet performance benchmarks with sub-200ms response times

Security & Compliance

• Implement robust authentication and authorization systems (JWT, OAuth2, multi-factor authentication)
• Apply security best practices including input validation, SQL injection prevention, and XSS protection
• Ensure PCI DSS compliance for payment processing and sensitive data handling
• Implement API security measures including HTTPS/TLS, API key management, and request signing
• Design secure data encryption at rest and in transit
• Develop scalable, maintainable backend services using NestJS with TypeScript Design and implement microservices architecture patterns
• Apply dependency injection, modular architecture, and clean code principles
• Build event-driven systems and real-time features using WebSockets
• Work with MySQL databases, optimizing queries and implementing proper indexing
• Design efficient database schemas and manage migrations
• Deploy and manage applications on AWS infrastructure
• Implement containerization with Docker and CI/CD pipelines
• Monitor system performance and implement logging/tracing solutions

Required Qualifications:

Technical Skills

• 5+ years of backend development experience
• Strong proficiency in MySQL database design, optimization, and query performance
• Extensive experience with AWS services (EC2, RDS, Lambda, API Gateway, CloudWatch)
• Proven expertise in GraphQL API development (both code-first and schema-first approaches)
• Deep understanding of REST API design principles and best practices

Performance & Security Focus

• Demonstrated experience in API performance optimization and bottleneck identification
• Knowledge of caching strategies (Redis, Memcached, HTTP caching)
• Experience with database query optimization and indexing strategies
• Strong background in API security including authentication, authorization, and data protection

Development Practices

• Experience with Git version control and collaborative development workflows
• Knowledge of testing frameworks (Jest, unit testing, integration testing)
• Advanced understanding of security best practices (JWT, OAuth2, data encryption, secure coding)
• Experience with security testing and vulnerability assessments
• Experience with agile development methodologies

What We're Looking For:

• Performance-minded developer who naturally thinks about optimization and scalability
• Security-conscious professional who prioritizes secure coding practices and compliance
• Strong problem-solver who can identify and resolve API bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities
• Collaborative team player comfortable with code reviews and knowledge sharing
• Detail-oriented professional who values code quality, maintainability, and security
• Continuous learner who stays current with backend development and security best practices

Why you should join Scalapay:

• International environment with significant challenges to be met every day
• Lots of opportunities to work with a team of industry tech leaders who are focused on delivering products that offer exceptional user experiences
• Personalised support to accelerate your professional growth and take ownership of the products you deliver: we want to help you grow!
• Latest technologies and being encouraged to bring your flair to the role.

Recruitment Process:

• A quick chat with one of our Talent Acquisition team members
• The first interview with the Hiring Manager to dive deep into your experiences and better understand your motivation

Super Pro tip: we know that application processes can be scary and frustrating but… we look for talent, not people that tick all our boxes.

We believe in the power of diversity: Scalapay is an Equal Opportunity Employer for any minority, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Scalapay? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Enter manually

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Why do you think you are a fit for this role? *

We're lucky to receive a lot of CVs so we pay a lot of attention to what you share here: this is your chance to stand out with evidence, proof points and numbers

What is your level of spoken and written Italian? * Select...

What is your level of spoken and written English? * Select...

Legal Work Status in Italy * Select...

Please note that only candidates with a legal working status in Italy will be considered as we do not provide any sponsorship. Are you currently legally able to work in Italy?

Would you be able to commute easily to our Milan office? * Select...

We have a hybrid work model where we ask colleagues to come to the office 3 days a week