Senior Backend Engineer – Gaming Microservices (Go/Java)

2K; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

2K is seeking a backend engineer to design and develop robust microservices powering its AAA games. You will collaborate with product managers, designers, and game teams to translate complex requirements into scalable backend solutions.

Ideal candidates have 3–8+ years of experience with Go or Java, strong API design skills, and a solid foundation in distributed systems, security, and cloud-native tooling. The role offers a hybrid work setup in the United States.

Qualifications

• 3–8+ years of experience designing and building backend systems and microservices using Go (Golang) or Java.
• Strong understanding of HTTP and gRPC and API design best practices.
• Proficiency with relational and NoSQL databases, including schema design and query optimization.
• Practical experience with CI/CD pipelines and automation tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, ArgoCD).
• Solid grasp of distributed systems concepts and microservice design patterns.
• Familiarity with monitoring, logging, and observability frameworks.
• Knowledge of authentication and authorization standards (OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, JWT).
• Understanding of secure coding best practices and compliance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, SOC 2).
• Demonstrated ownership mindset and product-oriented approach to problem solving, including communication and collaboration.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop robust, scalable, and highly performant backend microservices and APIs.
• Own the maintenance and evolution of key service domains — ensuring reliability, performance, and alignment with long-term technical strategy.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and game teams to translate complex requirements into clear technical deliverables and milestones.
• Optimize infrastructure and runtime costs to deliver a seamless player experience while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Continuously reduce technical debt by driving refactoring efforts, automating workflows, and modernizing legacy systems.

Skills

Go / Java

HTTP / gRPC

RDBMS / NoSQL

CI/CD

Distributed systems

Observability

OpenID Connect / OAuth2 / JWT

Secure coding

Ownership mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Kubernetes

Amazon ECS

AWS

GCP

GitHub Actions

Jenkins

ArgoCD

Docker

Job description

2K is seeking a backend engineer to design and develop robust microservices powering its AAA games. You will collaborate with product managers, designers, and game teams to translate complex requirements into scalable backend solutions.

Ideal candidates have 3–8+ years of experience with Go or Java, strong API design skills, and a solid foundation in distributed systems, security, and cloud-native tooling. The role offers a hybrid work setup in the United States.