Staff Software Engineer, Public API

Etsy, Inc.; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 178,000 - 267,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity package

Annual performance bonus

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Etsy, Inc. is seeking a Staff Backend Engineer to join the OpenAPI team. You will design and implement PHP-based backend services, improve developer experience, and guide platform direction for OpenAPI used by sellers and developers.

You will collaborate with product and engineering partners, mentor teammates, and help manage breaking changes while staying aligned with Etsy's mission to keep commerce human.

Qualifications

• Experience with object-oriented software languages; PHP preferred.
• Experience building and maintaining REST APIs and managing breaking changes.
• Experience using observability tools to monitor API usage and metrics.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain software written in PHP.
• Evolve the OpenAPI platform by increasing developer experience and reducing friction.
• Partner with product engineering teams to roll out new features.
• Debug complex issues spanning multiple systems and determine root causes.
• Mentor teammates through code reviews, pairing, and guidance.
• Steer technical direction and prioritize team projects.

Skills

PHP

REST APIs

Observability

Ownership

Communication

Autonomy

AI Agents

Tools

Grafana

Honeycomb

Google Cloud Logging

Job description

Company Description

Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers around the world. As an Etsy employee, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large-scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and Keeping Commerce Human.

We believe exceptional companies are built by exceptional teams, and we're intentional about it. That means hiring great people, setting them up for success from day one, and giving them real reasons to grow their careers here. We invest in development that goes beyond promotions, and we foster the trust and relationships that help people do their best work together.

What’s the Role?

The OpenAPI team works on Etsy’s public API provided for sellers and 3rd party developers. We build and maintain technical capabilities to enable our users to integrate with our API and build apps to extend Etsy tooling. We also work closely with various product teams at Etsy when they build new features on our team’s platform.

We are looking for a backend engineer to join our team where you will collaborate closely with a dedicated team of backend engineers, a product manager, and an engineering manager. You will work on a variety of back-end projects to improve the developer experience and stability of OpenAPI, such as system performance optimization, agentic tooling, security enhancements, testing functionality, and webhooks. You will also provide guidance to internal teams at Etsy to assist them in rolling out new features on OpenAPI and managing breaking changes.

As a staff engineer, you will partner with team leads to set the technical direction of the team. This will involve keeping tabs on recurring pain points on our platform, potential opportunities that arise across the company, and industry trends. Based on this expertise, you will help decide which tracks of work our team pursues. You will be responsible for the design of larger projects and will mentor junior teammates on designing smaller projects.

This is a full time role reporting to the Senior Engineering Manager.

What’s this team like at Etsy?

We own the OpenAPI platform, which is one of several platforms at Etsy that seller-facing products are built on and the only platform that serves external developers. Other teams at Etsy own specific products across platforms, which means that they execute on building new features in OpenAPI, while we advise them on how to design and release features in OpenAPI in a way that minimizes disruptions and facilitates adoption.

We work directly on improvements to the platform itself. We consult with subject matter experts across engineering teams as needed, but we are ultimately accountable for all cross cutting concerns of our wide ranging domain, such as developer and agentic tooling, system stability, and security. Our needs are always evolving to match the changing landscape of Etsy, and we value collaboration immensely.

What does the day-to-day look like?

• Build and maintain software written in PHP
• Evolve the OpenAPI platform by identifying areas of friction and implementing features that can measurably improve Developer Experience.
• Partner with product engineering teams to build and roll out new features
• Debug hairy issues spanning multiple systems to determine the root cause and either route it to the appropriate owner or fix yourself
• Collaborate with cross functional partners - product, analytics, research, etc - to determine the highest impact projects that align with our team’s strategy
• Work with teammates and other subject matter experts as necessary to scope out new platform projects and break them down into multiple stages for delivery, identifying and resolving architectural trade-offs
• Write high quality code and mentor your teammates to do the same through PR reviews, pairing, and general mentoring
• Steer the technical direction of the team, from which projects we work on to which team processes we follow
• Of course, this is just a sample of the kinds of work this role will require! You should assume that your role will encompass other tasks, too, and that your job duties and responsibilities may change from time to time at Etsy's discretion, or otherwise applicable with local law.

Qualities that will help you thrive in this role are:

• Experience with object-oriented software languages. The majority of work developed will be in PHP.
• Experience building and maintaining REST APIs (especially managing breaking changes) and related technical capabilities.
• Experience using observability tools to monitor API usage and related metrics, such as Grafana, HoneyComb, or Google Cloud Logging.
• A strong sense of ownership for our platform
• The ability to think critically and independently to ensure we are building the right things in the right way
• Close attention to detail, with the ability to translate business requirements to production-ready code
• Strong communication that adapts to technical and non-technical audiences
• Curiosity and ability to learn autonomously
• Experience working with AI Agents and related tools, like MCP servers and skills

Compensation & Benefits

In addition to salary, you'll be eligible for an equity package, an annual performance bonus, and our competitive benefits that support you and your family. Base salary is determined by your location, skills, and experience.

Etsy uses two geographic pay zones to reflect the labor markets where we compete for talent: one called Geo-1, covering the New York City metropolitan area, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle metropolitan area, and one called Geo-2, covering all other U.S. locations. Salary ranges for this role vary by zone and are listed below.

Location

We prioritize candidates based within commutable distance of Etsy’s Brooklyn Office. Depending on proximity, we ask team members to come in once or twice per week. Remote candidates outside commutable distance may be considered on a case‑basis, with the expectation of occasional travel to the office. Learn more details about our work modes and workplace safety policies here.

Salary Range:

• Geo-1: 197,000.00 - 267,000.00 USD Annual
• Geo-2: 178,000.00 - 240,000.00 USD Annual

Our Promise

At Etsy, we believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace furthers relevance, resilience, and longevity. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. Etsy is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship or immigration status, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status**, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law**. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation during any part of the interview or hiring process, please let your recruiter know and we will work with you to meet your needs. While Etsy supports visa sponsorship, sponsorship opportunities may be limited to certain roles and skills.