Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Score)

United States Digital Space LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 182,800 - 247,300; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a backend team lead to own technical direction for score calculation and proficiency modeling across the learning app, in collaboration with iOS/Android engineers.

You will guide a small team, shape backend services, and partner with Growth, Learning, and Score pillars to drive impact while delivering reliable systems with equity backing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field
• Strong competencies in data structures, algorithms, and software design
• Experience programming in Java, Python, or Kotlin
• Solid understanding of one or more database technologies
• Interest in growing into (or continuing to develop as) a technical team lead

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team (3 engineers including yourself), owning both technical direction and day‑to‑day execution
• Touch critical backend services like user-tree-backend and session-generator, which define score calculation and proficiency modeling
• Collaborate on software projects with product and design
• Develop, release, and maintain backend services and/or infrastructure
• Work closely with Growth, Learning, and Score pillars to build impact and visibility
• Lead individual and team project priorities and milestones, ensuring shipping

Skills

Java

Python

Kotlin

Data structures

Algorithms

Software design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

Databases

Job description

Our mission at the company is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!

At the company, you’ll join a team that cares about finding innovative solutions to complex technical problems, running countless experiments (300+ at a time!) with our massive user base to make data-driven decisions, and educating our users and employees alike. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities, mentorship and collaboration with world‑class minds, and a variety of projects with large scopes — while doing work that’s both fun and meaningful.

Join our life‑changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.

About the role...

the company Score is how we reflect a learner's real language proficiency back to them. As the team lead / backend engineer on this small, high‑impact team, you'll help make learners care about their score as much as they care about their streak. You'll partner closely with the Score Pillar's product and design team and our iOS and Android engineers, working on the systems that power score calculation, proficiency modeling, and how score surfaces across the app — including integrations with external platforms like LinkedIn, so learners can showcase their proficiency beyond the company.

You will…

• Lead a small team (3 engineers including yourself), owning both technical direction and day‑to‑day execution
• Touch critical backend services like user-tree-backend and session-generator, which define score calculation, proficiency modeling, and multiple score entry points across the learning app
• Collaborate on software projects with product and design
• Develop, release, and maintain backend services and/or infrastructure
• Work closely with multiple pillars — including Growth, Learning, and Score — to build your impact and visibility
• Lead individual and team project priorities and milestones, ensuring we're always shipping

You have…

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field
• Strong competencies in data structures, algorithms, and software design
• Experience programming in Java, Python, or Kotlin
• Solid understanding of one or more database technologies
• Interest in growing into (or continuing to develop as) a technical team lead

Exceptional candidates will have…

• Experience working with product and design teams to improve engagement
• Prior experience leading or mentoring engineers on a small team

The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons. The posted range is subject to change in the future. For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation.

Salary Range: $182,800 — $247,300 USD

Benefits

Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here.

Accommodations

We will do everything we can within reason to make sure that your interview takes place in an environment that fairly and accurately assesses your skills. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity

the company is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.