TrashLab - Sr. Software Backend Engineer

Silver.dev; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

TrashLab is hiring a Sr. Software Backend Engineer to own and evolve the backend that powers real-time fleet tracking, route optimization, billing, and dispatch.

You will design scalable Node.js services, manage Postgres schemas, and collaborate with the founding team to shape long-term infrastructure while ensuring reliability, observability, and efficient deployments.

You will work with AWS/GCP, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, and CI/CD to deliver shipping-grade systems.

Qualifications

• Experience shipping production Node.js services.
• Strong API design and database performance skills.
• Ability to reason about distributed systems tradeoffs and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Own the infrastructure that keeps fleets running.
• Design, build, and maintain backend services for real-time tracking, route optimization, billing, and dispatch.
• Build for reliability and scale; ensure observability with monitoring and on-call practices.
• Model and evolve Postgres schemas; manage migrations; integrate with third-party systems.

Skills

Backend fundamentals

Node.js

API design

Database performance

Distributed systems

Ownership mindset

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD pipelines

Terraform

AWS

GCP

Job description

Sr. Software Backend Engineer | TrashLab

Join Trashlab — the operating system for waste haulers.

We unify dispatch, billing, calls and routes into one powerful platform that transforms how waste fleets operate.

By combining real‑time vehicle tracking, route optimization, integrated billing, and customer communications, Trashlab helps haulers cut costs, speed up collections, and deliver exceptional service.

If you’re passionate about building scalable software that drives operational efficiency and sustainability in the waste industry, come help us build the future of waste operations.

What you'll do

• Own the infrastructure that keeps fleets running
• Design, build, and maintain backend services for real-time vehicle tracking, route optimization, billing, and dispatch — systems haulers depend on from first route to last invoice.
• Build for reliability and scale
• Own the reliability and observability of our platform. Set up monitoring, alerting, and on-call practices that give the team confidence to ship fast without breaking things.
• Design data systems that handle complexity
• Model and evolve our Postgres schema, manage migrations, and build integrations with third‑party systems — billing providers, telematics APIs, and customer communications platforms.
• Shape backend architecture long-term
• Work closely with the founding team to define decisions that will compound over time. You'll have outsized influence on what we build and how.

What we're looking for

• Strong backend fundamentals
• You've built and shipped production Node.js services. You understand API design, database performance, and distributed systems tradeoffs.
• Infrastructure experience
• You've managed cloud infrastructure — ideally on AWS or GCP — and are comfortable with containers (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, and defining infrastructure as code (Terraform).
• Ownership mindset
• You can take an ambiguous problem, scope it, and ship a solution without needing everything defined upfront.
• Comfort with operational software
• AI multi-agent expert

Interview Process

• Silver Screening interview
• Take home challenge
• Client resume review + take home review
• Client technical interview
• Paid work trial.