Staff Backend Engineer

Coupang; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 164,000 - 282,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance package

401K match

PTO 18-21 days

Parental leave

Job summary

Coupang is seeking a Staff Engineer to lead the Kubernetes platform evolution and act as a strategic tech authority. You will mentor teams, champion Coupang’s culture, and drive scalable infrastructure to support rapid growth across global services.

The role emphasizes design, collaboration, and a hands-on approach to performance, security, and reliability in a vast distributed system.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, Math, or related field.
• 5+ years of professional software development experience.
• Proficiency in C++/Java or Golang.
• Proven expertise in backend development and distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable and reliable services and tools to enhance Coupang's Kubernetes ecosystem.
• Drive the technical roadmap for container orchestration across the platform.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify platform needs and deliver a smooth developer experience.
• Optimize Kubernetes infrastructure for efficiency and mass scale.
• Mentor junior and senior engineers, promoting engineering excellence.

Skills

Backend development

Distributed systems

C++/Java/Golang

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

We exist to wow our customers. We know we’re doing the right thing when we hear our customers say, \"How did I ever live without Coupang?\" Born out of an obsession to make shopping, eating, and living easier than ever, we’re collectively disrupting the multi-billion-dollar commerce industry from the ground up. We are an American technology company and one of the fastest-growing retail companies that has established an unparalleled reputation for being a leading and reliable force in global commerce.

We are proud to have the best of both worlds — a startup culture with the resources of a large global public company. This fuels us to continue our growth and launch new services at the speed we have been since our inception. We are all entrepreneurial, surrounded by opportunities to drive new initiatives and innovations. At our core, we are bold and ambitious people that like to get our hands dirty and make a hands-on impact. At Coupang, you will see yourself, your colleagues, your team, and the company grow every day.

Our mission to build the future of commerce is real. We push the boundaries of what’s possible to solve problems and break traditional tradeoffs. Join Coupang now to create an epic experience in this always-on, high-tech, and hyper-connected world.

Role Overview

Coupang’s platform engineers play a critical role in driving our phenomenal growth by building and scaling the core infrastructure that powers our services. As a Staff Engineer, you will lead the evolution of Coupang’s Kubernetes platform and act as a strategic technical authority for the organization. You will also function as an ambassador, championing Coupang’s leadership principles and corporate culture.

What You Will Do

• Design and implement scalable and reliable services and tools to enhance Coupang's Kubernetes ecosystem.
• Drive the technical roadmap for container orchestration to ensure global reliability, security, and efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to identify platform requirements and deliver a seamless developer experience.
• Optimize Kubernetes infrastructure for efficiency and to handle massive scale.
• Mentor junior and senior engineers while promoting engineering excellence and best practices across the team.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field
• 5+ years of professional software development experience
• Proficiency in C++/Java or Golang
• Proven expertise in backend development and distributed systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building large scale production systems with Golang
• Experience designing, operating, and extending large-scale, multi-cluster Kubernetes environments
• Ability to solve complex architectural problems through creative thinking and partnerships with other teams
• Ability to attain challenging targets through goal-setting and personal drive

Pay & Benefits

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. At Coupang, your base pay is one part of your total compensation. The base pay for this position ranges from $164,000/year in our lowest geographic market to $282,000/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on several factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

General Description of All Benefits

• Annual bonus is 0-20% of the base salary
• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life, AD&D insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program
• 401K Plan with Company Match
• 18-21 days of the Paid Time Off (PTO) a year based on the tenure
• 12 Public Holidays
• Paid Parental leave
• Pre-tax commuter benefits

General Description of Other Compensation

“Other Compensation” includes, but is not limited to, bonuses, equity, or other forms of compensation that would be offered to the hired applicant in addition to their established salary range or wage scale.

Recruitment Process

• Application Review - Phone Interview - Onsite (or Virtual Onsite) Interview – Offer
• The exact nature of the recruitment process may vary according to the specific job and may be changed due to scheduling or other circumstances.
• Interview schedules and the results will be informed to the applicant via the e‑mail address submitted at the application stage

Details to Consider

• This job posting may be closed prior to the stated end date for application if all openings are filled.
• Coupang has the right to rescind an offer of employment if a candidate is found to have submitted false information as part of the application process.
• Those eligible for employment protection (recipients of veteran’s benefits, the disabled, etc.) may receive preferential treatment for employment in accordance with applicable laws.

Privacy Notice

• Your personal information will be collected and managed by Coupang as stated in the Application Privacy Notice located below: https://www.coupang.jobs/privacy-policy/

Coupang is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hair styles), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ,ancestry, national origin (including language use restrictions), age (40 and over), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis C status, family status (including but not limited to marital or domestic partnership status), military or veteran status, use of a trained dog guide or service animal, political activities or affiliations, ancestry, citizenship, family and medical leave status, status as a victim of any violent crime, or any other characteristic or class protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Coupang is also committed to providing a safe work environment for its employees and its consumers. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation in the application of recruiting process due to a disability, please contact us at [e-mail]

Job Requisition ID: 8932