Lead Backend Engineer

About Harri
harri is the frontline employee experience platform built for companies who have service at the heart of their business. The solution is built on the notion that the customer experience will never exceed the employee experience. The Harri suite of talent attraction, workforce management and employee engagement technologies enable organizations to attract, manage, engage and retain the best talent for their business.

Hospitality is in our DNA, with most of our global team having front line and management restaurant experience - we are changing the landscape of our industry and frontline workers technology. We need the very best and brightest to join us on this mission to disrupt the market as it stands today.

Based in NYC, Harri has global offices in the UK, Palestine and India and has been awarded: Top 50 Startup by LinkedIn, Best Enterprise Solution for HR/Workforce by HR Tech Awards & NYC Best Tech Startup for the Tech in Motion Events Timmy Awards.

If you're a builder, or problem solver, and love the fast pace of a startup, it's time to meet the Harri family.

Who You Are
We are seeking an experienced Lead Backend Engineer.. In this role, you will lead and mentor a team of engineers technical leadership, and Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, frontend engineers, and QA, to define, develop, and deploy new features and enhancements.

Position description

The Lead Backend Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining scalable and efficient backend systems with a focus on performance, security, and reliability. The role requires expertise in Python, Django, databases (SQL & NoSQL), API development, and cloud services (AWS).

Role and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities for a Lead Backend Engineer position in our India team include, but are not limited to:

• Write clean, modular, reusable, testable, and well-documented code that adheres to our coding standards and promotes maintainability.
• Proficient in writing unit tests and performing integration testing to ensure code reliability, maintainability, and seamless interaction between components
• Troubleshoot and debug complex production issues, identifying root causes and implementing effective solutions in a timely manner.
• Design, implement, and maintain scalable, efficient, and secure backend systems, with a focus on performance and reliability for our global user base.
• Maintain alignment with HARRI's global team(s) coding and design standards, ensuring consistency and interoperability.
• Demonstrate the ability to deliver high-quality work within agreed timelines.
• Proactively identify and implement optimizations to enhance system performance, ensuring high availability and responsiveness under varying loads.
• Architect and implement robust security structures and design efficient and scalable data storage solutions.
• Lead and mentor a team of engineers by providing technical guidance and support, including managing day-to-day activities, task assignments and deliverables.
• Take ownership of team deliverables, ensuring high quality and timely execution.
• Participate actively in the team expansion efforts, including sourcing, screening, and interviewing potential engineer candidates.
• Contribute to the onboarding and orientation of new team members.

Provide regular progress updates to your line manager, highlighting achievements against established goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), challenges encountered, and potential roadblocks that may impact timelines or objectives.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, frontend engineers, and QA, to define, develop, and deploy new features and enhancements.
• Actively participate in knowledge sharing sessions, code reviews, and other team activities to foster a strong collaborative culture and contribute to the growth of team members.
• Stay current with relevant backend technologies, tools, and trends. Propose and drive the adoption of beneficial innovations, including AI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field.

• Strong knowledge of relational databases and SQL, including:

• Proficiency in database design principles and best practices.

• Demonstrated ability to write and optimize complex SQL queries and stored procedures.

• Experience with NoSQL databases like DynamoDB or MongoDB is highly desirable.

• Experience in Python development
• Experience with Python web frameworks, specifically Django.
• Experience with Python Object-Relational Mappers (ORMs) such as Django ORM and SQLAlchemy.
• Excellent grasp of data structures, algorithms, and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) principles.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing RESTful APIs, Graph, gRPC and Sockets.
• Proficient with Git for version control and collaborative development workflows especially GitHub.

Hands-on experience with AI tools, IDEs, prompts, and protocols such as Cursor, Copilot agent mode with VSCode, Pycharm Copilot, MCP servers, and Copilot on

• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical abilities, with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.
• Solid understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies.
• Experience working effectively in Agile development environments (e.g., Scrum, Kanban), including SAFe.
• Familiarity with JIRA tracking and project management tools, including defect lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of shell scripting (e.g., bash) is a plus.
• Experience with Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and microservices architectural patterns and best practices is a significant plus.
• Practical experience working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its core services.
• Experience with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tools and pipelines.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring software engineers.
• Experience in the hiring process, including sourcing and interviewing candidates.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly and concisely.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively within a team.