Software Engineer II

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

Job summary

Backburner Labs, Inc. is seeking a Software Engineer II to design and implement moderately complex features, deliver reliable code with minimal guidance, and mentor junior engineers.

You will contribute to technical design decisions and participate in code reviews with peers. Based in Saint Paul, MN, we are a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy working on embedded systems, robotics, IoT, cloud platforms, and AI-enabled applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 2–4 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Proficiency in C, C++, C#, and Python.
• Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and design patterns.
• Experience with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and testing frameworks.
• Ability to debug complex issues and optimize performance.
• Familiarity with 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.
• Lead code reviews and provide feedback to peers.
• 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.
• Write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests and documentation.
• Participate in architecture discussions and system design conversations.
• Mentor Software Engineer I teammates through pairing, code reviews, and knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to team processes and tooling improvements.
• Take ownership of components or subsystems and ongoing maintenance.

Skills

C

C++

C#

Python

Data structures & algorithms

Git

CI/CD

Testing frameworks

REST APIs

Docker

Kubernetes

SQL/NoSQL

AWS/GCP/Azure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Git

CI/CD pipelines

Testing frameworks

RESTful APIs

Docker

Kubernetes

SQL/NoSQL

AWS/GCP/Azure

Job description

Welcome to Backburner Labs

Metal to Mobile

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)
• Client retention: 93%

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

• Interview process: (~2.5 weeks):
• Head of Talent - video call
• Principal SoftwareEngineer- video call
  • Panel interview and tour - in person
    • Peers
    • Leadership
• Decision
• Reports to: Principal Software Engineer
• Team: ~7
• Status: Full-time employee
• Salary range: $!00,000 - $125,000

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

Career Progression

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
• Developing deepexpertisein critical systems or technologies
• 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.