Senior Backend Engineer — Real-Time AI & Scalable Architecture

Metropolis; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Stock options

401(k) plan

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Bonus plans

Job summary

Metropolis is building a scalable backend platform to support its Recognition Economy, integrating hardware with ML systems across retail and hospitality. We’re seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to design, develop, and maintain robust services using AWS, Java, Scala, gRPC, Redis, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, and Kafka.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, optimize for performance and reliability, and contribute to real-time data processing and distributed systems at scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of backend development experience, preferably in platform or core services.
• Proven expertise in Java and Scala.
• Experience building gRPC APIs for efficient inter-service communication.
• Strong understanding of Redis and MySQL database design and optimization.
• Familiarity with container orchestration and scaling using Kubernetes.
• Hands-on experience with Kafka for event-driven architectures.
• Excellent analytical skills and cross-team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Build robust, scalable backend services in Java and Scala for mission-critical operations.
• Design and implement gRPC APIs for high-performance data transfer between services.
• Leverage Redis and MySQL for reliable, low-latency storage and retrieval.
• Deploy and manage microservices on Kubernetes for scalability and resilience.
• Work with Kafka to build scalable, real-time data streaming architectures.
• Collaborate with Hardware, ML, and Operations teams to integrate across the ecosystem.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and improve system reliability and data integrity.

Skills

Java

Scala

gRPC

Protobuf

Redis

MySQL

PostgreSQL

Kubernetes

Kafka

AWS

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or related

Job description

The real world is the next frontier, and at Metropolis, we are creating the artificial intelligence to make it responsive. We are pioneering the Recognition Economy — a future where mundane repetition disappears and being known unlocks access, comfort and belonging everywhere you go. From transforming parking into a seamless drive-in, drive-out experience for millions of Members to expanding our intelligence layer across retail and hospitality, we are building a world that feels instinctive and magical. The future isn’t coming; it’s here, and we need builders, innovators and problem solvers to help us create it.

Who you are

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer, Platform to join our Advanced Technologies team. In this role, you will design, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems that integrate cutting-edge hardware with advanced machine learning to understand the behavior of objects in the real world. You'll work with a modern tech stack, including AWS, Java, Scala, gRPC and Protobuf, Redis, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, and Kafka, to deliver high-performance, reliable services. If you are excited about solving complex technical challenges and working at the intersection of distributed systems, real-time data processing, and scalable infrastructure, we would love to hear from you.

What you'll do

• Build robust, scalable, and maintainable backend services in Java and Scala to support mission-critical operations
• Design and implement gRPC APIs to enable high-performance, real-time data transfer between services
• Leverage Redis and MySQL for efficient data storage and retrieval, ensuring reliability and low-latency access
• Deploy and manage microservices on Kubernetes, optimizing for scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency
• Work with Kafka to build scalable, event-driven architectures for real-time data streaming and processing
• Partner with Hardware, Machine Learning, and Operations teams to ensure seamless integration across the ecosystem and provide appropriate tooling
• Analyze and address bottlenecks in performance and scalability while maintaining a focus on system reliability and data integrity

What we're looking for

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in backend development, preferably within platform or core services
• Proven expertise in industry-standard programming languages, preferably Java and Scala
• Experience building gRPC APIs for efficient and reliable communication between services
• Strong understanding of database design and optimization using Redis and MySQL
• Familiarity with container orchestration and scaling using Kubernetes
• Hands-on experience with Kafka for event-driven architectures
• Exceptional analytical skills with a proven ability to tackle complex technical problems and design innovative solutions
• A team player with excellent communication skills, a learning mindset, and a proactive approach to working across teams

While not required, these are a plus:

• Exposure to frontend integration with frameworks like Next.js

4 Days in Office: Metropolis values in-person collaboration to drive innovation, strengthen culture, and enhance the Member experience. Our corporate team members hold to our office-first model, which requires employees to be on-site at least four days a week, fostering organic interactions that spark creativity and connection.

When you join Metropolis, you’ll join a team of world-class product leaders and engineers, building an ecosystem of technologies at the intersection of parking, mobility, and real estate. Our goal is to build an inclusive culture where everyone has a voice and the best idea wins. You will play a key role in building and maintaining this culture as our organization grows. The anticipated base salary for this position is $170,000.00 USD to 200,000.00 USD annually. The actual base pay offered is determined by a number of variables, including, as appropriate, the applicant's qualifications for the position, years of relevant experience, distinctive skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location of residence and/or place of employment. Base pay is one component of Metropolis’s total compensation package, which usually includes: healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a lucrative stock option plan, bonus plans, and more. #LI-RR1 #LI-Onsite

Metropolis may utilize an automated employment decision tool (AEDT) to assess or evaluate your candidacy for employment or promotion. AEDTs are used to assist in assessing a candidate’s application relative to the required job qualifications and responsibilities listed in the job posting.

As part of this process, Metropolis retains data relevant to your candidacy, including personal information, for a period that is reasonably necessary for the use of the tool. If you are hired for the position, your data may become part of your employee records.

Metropolis Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. We make all hiring decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs — without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to providing a welcoming, accessible hiring experience. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please reach out to us at [e-mail] .

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