Senior Software Engineer, Backend

Takt; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance.

401(k) with employer match.

Unlimited PTO.

AI tools budget monthly.

MacBook Pro + dual 4K monitors

Job summary

Takt is hiring a senior backend engineer to design and build the distributed systems at the core of our warehouse intelligence platform. You’ll work across Go, Python, and Node.js, deploying on Google Kubernetes Engine to serve real-time views for warehouse operations.

You’ll own services end to end, mentor peers, and help shape scalable architectures with security by design. Local Reston, VA office, onsite four days a week; visa sponsorship not available.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional backend engineering experience.
• Hands-on production services in Go, Python, or Node.js.
• Experience designing and operating scalable distributed systems.
• Experience running services on Kubernetes in a cloud environment (GKE preferred).
• Strong SQL skills with large production datasets.
• Security-minded with least privilege data handling.
• Ownership and clear communication across teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate scalable backend services in Go, Python, and Node.js.
• Build integrations from warehouse management, labor, automation, and robotics systems.
• Deploy and run services on Google Kubernetes Engine across multi-region environments.
• Model, store, and query data with Spanner and BigQuery.
• Design APIs and data pipelines for real-time views on floor devices.
• Maintain security with least-privilege access and data handling.
• Own services end to end from design to monitoring and incident follow-through.
• Mentor engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and pairing.

Skills

Go

Python

Node.js/TypeScript

Kubernetes

SQL

Distributed systems design

Security mindset

Ownership & communication

Tools

Terraform

GitHub Actions

Dataflow

Job description

About Takt

Takt is a warehouse intelligence platform that unifies labor, automation, and robotics data so 3PLs, retailers, and e-commerce companies can run more efficient operations. Warehouses generate enormous amounts of data and most of it never reaches the people doing the work. We build the software that closes that gap, giving supervisors and frontline employees the information they need, when they need it, on the floor where decisions actually get made. Our software runs every shift, every day, in real facilities for leading brands including Macy’s, Target, Stitch Fix, Flexport, ODW Logistics, and CarParts.com.

About the Role

We’re hiring a senior backend engineer to design and build the distributed systems at the core of the Takt platform. Warehouses produce large, fast-moving datasets from labor systems, automation, and robotics, and our backend turns that stream into the real-time operational views our customers run their shifts on. Our services are written in Go, Python, and Node.js and run on Google Kubernetes Engine across multiple regions. You’ll work across all three, picking the one that fits the problem.

This is a senior role with real architectural ownership. Our engineering team is small and works together to solve problems; you’ll work directly with our CTO and Director of Engineering, shape how the platform scales, and mentor other engineers as the team grows. Security is top of mind in everything we build: our customers trust us with operational data from their facilities, and we design for that trust from the first line of code.

What You’ll Do

• Design, build, and operate scalable backend services in Go, Python, and Node.js that power the Takt platform.

• Build integrations that bring in data from warehouse management, labor, automation, and robotics systems, and keep them reliable when upstream systems change or fail.

• Deploy and run services on Google Kubernetes Engine across multi-region environments, designing for availability, failover, and data locality.

• Model, store, and query data at scale with Google Cloud Spanner and Google BigQuery, working with large operational datasets from real warehouse systems.

• Design APIs and data pipelines that serve real-time views to web, TV, kiosk, and mobile experiences on the floor.

• Build with security top of mind: least-privilege access, safe data handling, and designs that hold up in SOC 2 and GDPR audits.

• Own services end to end, from design and documentation through deployment, monitoring, and incident follow-through.

• Mentor other engineers through design reviews, code review, and pairing as the team grows.

How We Build

We’re an AI-forward engineering team. Every engineer gets a monthly AI tools budget for Claude, Cursor, and whatever else makes you better, and we expect you to use it. AI-assisted development isn’t a shortcut here; it’s how we work. As a senior engineer, you’ll help set the standard for using these tools well: reviewing generated code critically, understanding what ships under your name, and building guardrails so the whole team can move fast safely.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of professional backend engineering experience, or equivalent practical experience.

• Deep, hands-on experience building production services in at least one of Go, Python, or Node.js (TypeScript), and the willingness to work across all three.

• A track record of designing and operating scalable distributed systems, and reasoning clearly about consistency, latency, and failure modes.

• Experience running services on Kubernetes in a cloud environment, ideally GKE on Google Cloud.

• Strong SQL skills: writing, optimizing, and debugging queries against large production datasets is a must.

• Experience with large datasets and the databases that serve them; Spanner and BigQuery experience is a strong plus, as is depth in comparable systems.

• A security mindset applied by default: least privilege, safe handling of customer data, and pragmatic risk trade-offs.

• Ownership and drive: you take ambiguity and run with it, communicate clearly, and leave systems better documented than you found them.

Nice to Have

• Production experience in more than one of Go, Python, and Node.js.

• Experience with multi-region architectures and the trade-offs of replication, failover, and data residency.

• Experience with streaming or batch data pipelines, such as Dataflow.

• Familiarity with Terraform, GitHub Actions, and infrastructure as code.

• Prior startup experience, or comfort owning a domain rather than a slice of one.

• Curiosity about logistics, warehousing, or how physical operations actually run.

Compensation & Benefits

The base salary range for this role is $150,000 – $180,000, depending on experience. Benefits include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) with employer match.

• Unlimited PTO.

• A monthly AI tools budget for every engineer.

• A top-of-the-line MacBook Pro, dual 4K monitors, and your choice of keyboard and mouse at your desk in the office.

Interview Process

Two phone screens, followed by an onsite in our Reston office with four to five interviews. We’ll keep you informed at every step; no black holes.

Location

Takt is based in Reston, VA, with our office located next to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station on the Silver Line. We’re looking for local candidates who can be in the office at least four days a week; we build together.

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Our Commitment

Ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where we learn from each other is core to Takt’s values. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We are an equal opportunity employer and a supportive place to work. Takt will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits of employment.