Sleeper

Sleeper

Software Engineer, Backend

San Francisco

Sponsorship not specified$140k-$185kDetected 74 days ago
PythonJavaGoElixirNode.jsDistributed SystemsBackend DevelopmentCode ReviewSQLNoSQLAWSGCPDockerKubernetesGraphQLRESTKafkaRabbitMQCommunicationCollaboration

About the role

  • We're looking for a Software Engineer - Backend to help us scale the core systems behind our fantasy sports and DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) offerings.

Responsibilities

  • Design and build core backend systems that power Sleeper's games and real-time user experiences-fantasy contests, Sleeper Picks, user profiles, leaderboards, and more.
  • Build scalable, distributed systems capable of handling millions of concurrent users with low latency and high availability.
  • Own backend initiatives from concept to deployment, ensuring clean interfaces, well-documented services, and resilient infrastructure.
  • Optimize system performance and proactively address bottlenecks through monitoring, profiling, and capacity planning.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, and frontend teams to deliver features that users love.
  • Proven ability to build and scale distributed systems that serve millions of users in real-time or gaming environments.
  • Strong product mindset-you care about the why, not just the how, and you build with users in mind.
  • High Ownership - We trust our engineers to make high-leverage decisions and drive meaningful outcomes.

Requirements

  • 3+ years of backend software engineering experience.
  • Strong proficiency in one or more backend languages (e.g., Go, Python, Node.js, Java), and an understanding of trade-offs between them.
  • Solid knowledge of databases (both SQL and NoSQL), caching strategies, and message queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ, Pub/Sub).
  • Proficiency in Elixir

Nice to have

  • Massive Impact - Your work will touch millions of users and help shape the next generation of sports entertainment.
  • Startup Agility - Move fast, ship often, and see your work in the hands of users quickly.
  • Culture-First Team - We're a team of builders, thinkers, and sports lovers who value humility, collaboration, and having fun along the way.
  • Opportunities for fast career growth in a high-impact role
  • A small, focused team where your contributions truly matter
  • Cloud experience (AWS, GCP, or similar), with familiarity with containers (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes a plus).

Compensation

  • Competitive salary ($140,000–$185,000) /year not inclusive of stock options and benefits)

Benefits

  • Competitive salary ($140,000-$185,000) /year not inclusive of stock options and benefits)
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Generous PTO and flexible remote work policy

This listing is sourced directly from Sleeper's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.