Senior Backend Software Engineer Los Angeles, CA

Otter; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 167,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k)

Job summary

Otter Grow is seeking a backend generalist in Los Angeles to design and scale services powering direct ordering and merchant tools. You will build scalable backend systems, APIs, and collaborate with frontend teams to deliver reliable experiences.

Requirements include a BS in CS or equivalent, 3+ years of software engineering, and strong knowledge of backend design, databases, and cloud platforms. Java/Go and microservices experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience is required.
• 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong backend system design, APIs, data stores, microservices, concurrency, and distributed systems.
• Java and Go are used; fundamentals matter more than languages.
• Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis).
• Experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud or Azure.

Responsibilities

• Architecture, build, and maintain scalable backend services powering direct ordering and merchant tools.
• Design and optimize robust APIs for reliability and performance.
• Collaborate with frontend, product, and design teams to translate needs into backend logic.

Skills

Backend architecture

Java/Go fundamentals

APIs

Distributed systems

Microservices

SQL/NoSQL

Cloud platforms

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

Redis

AWS

Google Cloud

Azure

Job description

In the past, to be a successful restaurateur, you simply had to have a passion for food and a passion for people - but to succeed as a digital restaurateur you also need to have a passion for technology. We believe in the joy of serving others, and that's why we created Otter – to help restaurateurs succeed in online food delivery. Restaurants around the world, both large and small, including Chick‑fil‑A, Ben & Jerry’s, KFC, and Eataly trust our software to power their delivery business. We increase sales, reduce order issues, and decrease delivery headaches.

What you’ll do

At Otter Grow, we are a fast‑paced, product‑focused engineering team building the future of Direct‑to‑Consumer (D2C) dining. Otter Grow provides the end‑to‑end platform for direct ordering, merchant storefront configurations, and hyper‑targeted customer engagement.

As a backend generalist on this team, you will design and scale the services that power our customizable front‑end web experiences, facilitate direct ordering, and advanced merchant tools, ensuring a seamless experience for customers.

Core Responsibilities

• Architecture, build, and maintain highly scalable backend services in Java to power our direct ordering ecosystem and storefront configuration tools.
• Design and optimize robust, flexible APIs.
• Work closely with front‑end engineers, product managers, and designers to translate merchant and consumer needs into reliable backend logic.

What we are looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience is required.
• 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Deep understanding of backend system design, APIs, data stores, microservices, concurrency, and distributed systems.
• Our stack heavily utilizes Java and Go, but we care more about your engineering fundamentals than the specific languages you've used.
• Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis).
• Experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working on D2C, e‑commerce, or transactional product engineering teams.
• Experience building microservices that handle complex merchant configurations, ordering states, or payment flows.
• A full‑stack background or comfort working closely with front‑end technologies. While this is a backend‑heavy generalist role, an understanding of how backend systems impact front‑end web customization and performance is highly valued.
• Passion for product impact and building systems that directly support customers and operators.
• Demand for online food delivery is growing really fast!
• Changing the restaurant industry: You’ll be part of a team that helps restaurants succeed in online food delivery.
• Collaborative environment: You will receive support and guidance from experienced colleagues and managers, helping you to learn, grow and achieve your goals, and you’ll work closely with other teams to ensure our customer’s success.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our Los Angeles office. All office‑based teams work onsite, five days a week. You will need to be present in the office daily.

Compensation

The base salary range for this role is $167,000 - $230,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance‑based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full‑Time Exempt Employees)

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (multiple plans, incl. HSA options).
• Company‑paid life and disability insurance (short‑ and long‑term).
• Voluntary insurance: accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity.
• Optional supplemental life insurance for self, spouse, and children.
• 401(k).
• Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter).
• Discretionary vacation days.
• 8 paid holidays per year.

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion.

As set forth in Otter’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.