Software Engineer II

Backburner Labs Inc.; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Backburner Labs Inc. in Saint Paul, MN, is seeking a Software Engineer II to join a cross-disciplinary engineering team.

You will own moderately complex features, contribute to design decisions, and mentor junior engineers. You will write clean, well-tested code in C, C++, C#, and Python, participate in code reviews, collaborate with product and design teams, and help shape architecture while delivering reliable software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience
• 2-4 years of professional software engineering experience
• Strong proficiency in C, C++, C#, and Python
• Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software design patterns
• Experience with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and testing frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to debug complex issues and optimize code
• Understanding of software development lifecycle and Agile methodologies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Design and implement moderately complex features and systems with minimal guidance
• Write clean, efficient, and well-tested code following team standards and demonstrating strong engineering judgment
• Lead code reviews, providing constructive feedback to peers and junior engineers
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and cross-functional teams to clarify requirements and propose technical solutions
• Debug and resolve issues across development, staging, and production environments independently
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests along with technical documentation
• Participate in technical discussions, architecture reviews, and system design conversations
• Mentor Software Engineer I team members through pairing, code reviews, and knowledge sharing
• Contribute to team processes and tooling improvements
• Take ownership of components or subsystems, including ongoing maintenance and improvement

Skills

C

C++

C#

Python

Data structures

Algorithms

Software design patterns

Git

CI/CD

Testing frameworks

Agile methodologies

Debugging

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Equivalent practical experience

Tools

Git

CI/CD pipelines

Testing frameworks

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Some companies build software. Others build hardware. We build whatever the problem demands.

Backburner Labs is a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy where mechanical, electrical,systems,and software engineers work together to solve complex technical challenges. From embedded systems and industrial automation to robotics, medical devices, IoT, cloud platforms,and AI-enabledapplications, we help our clients build productsthat oftendon'texist yet.

Our clients come to us whenthe engineeringis difficult, the timeline is ambitious, and thereisn'ta roadmap waiting to be followed.They'relooking for engineers who can create one.

If that sounds exciting rather than intimidating,you'llprobably enjoyworking here.

You'llcollaborate with talented engineers across disciplines, influence technical decisions, learnnew technologies, and help turn ideas on a whiteboard into products used in the real world. We move quickly, trust our engineers, and expect everyone to contribute ideas,not just code, designs, or specifications.

Ifyou'rethe kind of engineer who asks, "What's the hardest problem we're solving?"beforeasking, "What's the tech stack?",you'llprobably feelright at home.

Come build whatdoesn'texist yet.

Quick Facts

• Founded: 2019
• Company: ~50 people (full-time and contract employees)
• Current location: St Paul - St Anthony Park area
• Future location: Minneapolis - Prospect Park area (we have leaseda 43,000 sq ft building)
• Revenue: doubled every year for 5 years (more details shared later)

Overview

The SoftwareEngineer II (SE II) is a mid-level engineering position for engineers who havedemonstratedproficiencyin core technical skills and are ready to take on greater ownership and complexity. Engineers at this level work independently on moderately complex features, contribute to technical design decisions, and begin to mentor junior team members. SE IIsareexpected to deliver reliable solutions with minimal guidance while developing the breadth and depth needed for senior-level work.

Details

• Reports to: Principal Software Engineer
• Team: ~7
• Salary range: $!00,000 - $125,000
• Head of Talent - video call
• Principal SoftwareEngineer- video call
  • Panel interview and tour - in person
    • Peers
    • Leadership
• Decision

Key Responsibilities

Design and implement moderately complex features and systems with minimal guidance

Write clean, efficient, and well-tested code that follows team standards anddemonstratesstrong engineering judgment

Lead code reviews, providing constructive feedback to peers and junior engineers

Collaborate proactively with product managers, designers, and cross-functional teams to clarify requirements and propose technical solutions

Debug and resolve issues across development, staging, and production environments independently

Write comprehensive unit, integration, and end-to-end tests along with technical documentation

Participate actively in technical discussions, architecture reviews, and system design conversations

Mentor Software Engineer I team members through pairing, code reviews, and knowledge sharing

Contribute to team processes and tooling improvements

Take ownership of components or subsystems, including ongoing maintenance and improvement

Scope & Impact

Works independently on features and components of moderate complexity

Makes technical decisions within established architectural patterns and reviews them with senior engineers when needed

Impact extends across multiple features or components; begins to consider system-wide implications

Identifiesand addresses technical debt proactively

Participates in on-call rotations and incident response

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Scienceor related field, or equivalent practical experience

2-4 years of professional software engineering experience

Strongproficiencyin one or more programming languages used by the team to include: C, C++, C#,andPython

Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software design patterns

Experience with version control systems (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and testing frameworks

Demonstrated ability to debug complex issues and optimize code for performance and maintainability

Understanding of software development lifecycle and Agile methodologies

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs or other service interfaces

Familiarity with database design and optimization (SQL and/or NoSQL)

Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)

Knowledge of security best practices and performance optimization techniques

Experience with monitoring, logging, and observability tools

Contributions toopen sourceprojects or technical writing

Core Competencies

Technical Excellence: Consistently delivers high-quality, maintainable code and thoughtful technical solutions

Ownership & Accountability: Takes responsibility for deliverables from design through deployment and maintenance

Communication: Articulates technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences

Collaboration & Mentorship: Elevates team performance through knowledge sharing and supportive feedback

Problem Solving: Approaches complex problems methodically,considerstradeoffs, and proposes pragmatic solutions

Continuous Improvement: Seeks opportunities to improve processes, tools, and personal skills

Success Indicators

Delivers features and projects on time with high quality and minimal supervision

Code reviews consistentlydemonstratestrong technical judgment and attention todetail

Successfullymentorsjunior engineers andcontributesto their growth

Proactivelyidentifiesand resolves technical issues before theyimpactusers

Earnstrust from cross-functional partners through reliable delivery and clear communication

Contributes meaningfully to technical discussions and team decision-making

Engineers at this level are expected to grow toward Senior Software Engineer by:

Taking ownership of larger, more ambiguous projects with system-wide impact

Demonstrating strong technical leadership and influencing architectural decisions

Mentoring multiple engineers and contributing to team culture and practices

Operating autonomously and making sound technical decisions with minimal oversight

• Contributing to long-term technical strategy and roadmap planning

ALL ARE WELCOME

We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of all backgrounds and believe different experiences, perspectives, and ideas make our team and our work better.