Senior Backend Performance Engineer - Node.js (Europe)

About this role

We're hiring an engineer to build the backend infrastructure behind an exceptionally fast product — one that stays fast regardless of scale. The system is live and growing; your job is to drive latency down across every layer of the stack.
This is a high-ownership role: you'll own backend performance across the platform and build custom infrastructure wherever off-the-shelf solutions can't keep up.
What You'll Do

• Own backend performance across the platform — databases, APIs, queues, and background processing

• Design advanced caching and data synchronization systems

• Profile production systems and eliminate latency bottlenecks at every layer

• Build custom infrastructure where third-party solutions aren't fast enough

• Improve scalability while keeping response times low

• Work with feature teams to hit performance targets, and continuously benchmark against best-in-class SaaS products

What We're Looking For
Must have:

• 4+ years of backend engineering experience, including 4+ years building and scaling high-traffic production systems

• Proven track record of optimizing large-scale backend systems

• Deep expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis, networking, and distributed systems

• Extensive experience with database optimization, caching, asynchronous processing, and API performance

• Experience building custom infrastructure instead of relying solely on third-party solutions

• Strong computer science fundamentals, algorithms, and systems design knowledge; exceptional engineering standards and attention to detail

• Experience building products where latency and scalability were critical to the business

Nice to have:

• Experience with high-volume messaging or event-driven systems

• Experience at a startup or fast-moving product company

• Familiarity with performance observability tooling (profilers, tracing, APM)

Originally posted on Himalayas