Senior Staff Software Engineer - Launchpad

Doordashusa; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 231,200 - 340,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with employer matching

16 weeks of paid parental leave

Comprehensive health benefits

Job summary

Doordashusa is looking for an entrepreneurial backend engineer to lead a confidential project. This role involves designing backend systems and APIs that operate 24/7, shipping new features swiftly, and collaborating effectively across teams.

The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience and proficiency in AI coding tools, alongside strong leadership in complex projects. Extensive experience designing scalable backend services is crucial for success in this fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of industry experience.
• Extensive experience as an engineer in a fast‑paced, product‑focused development environment.
• Experience shipping consumer‑facing products at scale.

Responsibilities

• Design technical backend solutions that support in‑field hardware devices 24/7.
• Collaborate with Product Managers and key stakeholders to manage team roadmap.
• Encourage innovation and implementation of cutting‑edge technologies.

Skills

AI coding tools proficiency

Leadership in complex projects

Backend service design

Collaboration with cross-functional teams

Education

BS, M.S., or PhD. in Computer Science or related field

Job description

About the Team

The Launchpad team is a collection of entrepreneurial engineers that partners directly with both our VP Product & Design and our Cofounder to identify strategic new business opportunities and build innovative solutions for them.

About the Role

DoorDash is looking for an experienced, entrepreneurial backend engineer to lead a confidential project. Over the past twelve months, the Launchpad team has found strong momentum with a suite of emerging hardware‑integrated products. This is a hands‑on technical role that involves designing backend systems and APIs that must operate 24/7 regardless of network conditions, shipping new features at a breakneck pace, and collaborating cross‑functionally across Product, Design, and Hardware teams.

You will report into the Head of Launchpad Engineering.

You're excited about this opportunity because you will…

• Design technical backend solutions that must support in‑field hardware devices 24/7
• Collaborate with Product Managers, Business leaders, and key stakeholders to determine the team's roadmap and vision, and manage execution against that roadmap
• Navigate ambiguity in a fast‑changing business environment
• Encourage innovation, teamwork, implementation of cutting‑edge technologies, and outside‑of‑the‑box thinking.

We're excited about you because you have…

• BS, M.S., or PhD. in Computer Science or related field
• 10+ years of industry experience
• Proficiency in using AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) in the full software development lifecycle, including designing, generating code, testing, monitoring and releasing software
• Experience leading technically complex distributed systems projects and mentoring other engineers
• Extensive experience as an engineer in a fast‑paced, product‑focused development environment
• Extensive experience designing and scaling backend services for performance and reliability
• Experience shipping consumer‑facing products at scale

Compensation

The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the pay range listed below and is determined based on job‑related factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. Base salary is localized according to an employee’s work location. Ranges are market‑dependent and may be modified in the future.

In addition to base salary, the compensation for this role includes opportunities for equity grants. Talk to your recruiter for more information.

DoorDash cares about you and your overall well‑being. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to all regular employees, which includes a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). DoorDash also offers medical, dental, and vision benefits, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insurance, family‑forming assistance, and a mental health program, among others.

To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers page.

Paid Time Off Details

• For salaried roles: flexible paid time off/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year.
• For hourly roles: vacation accrued at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked (e.g. about 6.7 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 3.4 hours/month if working 20 hours/week), and paid sick time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (e.g. about 5.8 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 2.9 hours/month if working 20 hours/week).

$231,200 – $340,000 USD

About DoorDash

At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from Dashers to merchant partners to consumers. We are a technology and logistics company that started by enabling door‑to‑door delivery, and we are looking for team members who can help us go from a company that is known as the place you order food to a company that people turn to for any and all goods.

DoorDash is growing rapidly and changing constantly, which gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, solve new challenges, and own their careers. We're committed to supporting employees’ happiness, healthiness, and overall well‑being by providing comprehensive benefits and perks including premium healthcare, wellness expense reimbursement, paid parental leave and more.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We’re committed to growing and empowering a more inclusive community within our company, industry, and cities. That’s why we hire and cultivate diverse teams of people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has room at the table and the tools, resources, and opportunity to excel.

Statement of Non‑Discrimination

In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on “protected categories,” we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non‑binary or gender non‑conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently‑abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Thank you to the Level Playing Field Institute for this statement of non‑discrimination.