Staff Software Engineering, Backend (All Teams)

DoorDash, Inc.; San Francisco, Sunnyvale, New York, Seattle (CA, CA, NY, WA); Hybrid; USD 194,000 - 285,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Parental leave (16 weeks)

Wellness benefits

Commuter benefits

PTO & sick leave

Healthcare benefits

Holiday pay

Disability insurance

Mental health program

Job summary

DoorDash, Inc. is seeking a Staff Backend Engineer to join its Product and Product Platform teams. You will set technical direction, lead cross-functional initiatives, and shape architecture for scalable systems in a hybrid role with some in-office time.

You’ll mentor engineers, improve engineering practices, and tackle bleeding-edge problems across a global platform that serves millions of users and multiple stakeholders including consumers, merchants, and Dashers.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science or equivalent.
• 8+ years of industry experience.
• Proficiency with AI coding tools in the full software development lifecycle.
• Ability to analyze and improve efficiency, scalability and stability of system resources.
• Experience with service oriented architecture, REST APIs, unit testing, and architectural design.
• Understanding of modern web stacks and architecture (HTTP, REST).
• Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases (Postgres, Redis, Elasticsearch, RabbitMQ).

Responsibilities

• Develop, release and run large-scale web applications.
• Define the backend architecture and tech stack for a product area.
• Improve performance, reliability, scalability and security for backend systems.
• Transition monolithic codebase to a microservice-based architecture.
• Mentor engineers and raise the technical bar across the organization.

Skills

AI coding tools

REST APIs

SQL databases

NoSQL databases

Distributed systems

Microservices

System design

Education

B.S./M.S./PhD in Computer Science

Tools

Postgres

Redis

Elasticsearch

RabbitMQ

Job description

About the Team

DoorDash is building the world’s most reliable on-demand logistics platform. As we continue to expand our Engineering organization globally, we’re looking for Staff Backend Engineers to build and evolve the large-scale, highly available systems that power DoorDash’s three-sided marketplace of consumers, merchants, and Dashers. Our engineers solve complex technical and business problems across a global platform that operates 24/7 and supports millions of users.

About the Role

We’re looking for Staff Backend Engineers to join Product and Product Platform teams across DoorDash. Engineers on Product teams work at the intersection of product and infrastructure, translating complex business problems into scalable technical solutions. Engineers on Product Platform teams build the foundational systems, services, and capabilities that enable product teams to move quickly and reliably. As a Staff Engineer, you will set technical direction, lead complex initiatives across teams, and shape the architecture and long-term roadmap of critical systems. You’ll partner closely with Engineering, Product, Design, and other cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate trade‑offs and deliver solutions that maximize customer and business impact. You will also raise the technical bar across the organization by mentoring engineers, improving engineering practices, and helping teams navigate ambiguous, high‑impact technical challenges. This is a hybrid role with some in‑office time expected. You will report to an Engineering Manager.

You're excited about this opportunity because you will:

• Develop, release and run large‑scale web applications
• Develop and define the backend architecture and tech stack for a product area
• Improve performance, reliability, scalability and security for our backend systems
• Be involved in transitioning our monolithic codebase to a microservice‑based architecture
• Completely disrupt logistics by tackling bleeding‑edge, technical problems

We're excited about you because you have:

• B.S., M.S., or PhD. in Computer Science or equivalent
• 8+ 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
• Ability to analyze and improve efficiency, scalability, and stability of various system resources
• Experience with service oriented architecture, writing REST API’s, unit testing, and architectural design
• Understanding of modern web stacks and architecture (HTTP, REST)
• Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases and other technologies (e.g. Postgres, Redis, Elasticsearch, RabbitMQ)

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.

The national base pay range for this position within the United States, including Illinois and Colorado. $193,800 - $285,000 USD

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.

• 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)
• medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 11 paid holidays
• disability and basic life insurance
• family‑forming assistance
• mental health program
• among others

See below for 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).

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 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 partne