Staff Backend Engineer

About this role

<h3><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 1">About Arena Club</span></span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":400,"335559739":120}"> </span></h3> <p>If you’re fascinated by sports cards and memorabilia, your search ends here. Arena Club is pioneering the collectibles domain by introducing the first-ever digital card show. Spearheaded by 5x World Series Champion Derek Jeter and serial entrepreneur Brian Lee, Arena Club has developed a fully digital marketplace. This innovative platform is built on trust, transparency, and fun, featuring grading & authentication, vaulting, and digital pack openings for collectors to build and showcase their collections in a personalized online showroom from anywhere in the world.</p> <p> </p> <h3><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><span data-ccp-parastyle="heading 1">About the Role</span></span></strong></h3> <p>Join our fast-growing startup as a Staff Backend Engineer and help scale the backbone of our platform and expand into new product categories. We are a dynamic, high-growth company where your work will have a direct impact on product success and scalability. This position is in-office, fostering a fun and collaborative environment, with flexibility for a hybrid arrangement to accommodate personal needs as they arise.</p> <p> </p> <h3><strong>What You'll Do</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Design, build, and maintain scalable backend applications and APIs using Node.js, TypeScript, and Postgres</li> <li>Leverage AI-powered coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Tabnine) to improve development speed, code quality, and system reliability</li> <li>Architect and optimize systems for high scalability and performance as the business rapidly expands</li> <li>Implement third-party integrations and external APIs to enhance the platform’s capabilities</li> <li>Develop and maintain internal tools that support fulfillment operations, internal workflows, and machine learning initiatives</li> <li>Set backend engineering standards and guide architectural decisions to ensure long-term scalability, performance, and reliability</li> <li>Provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers, shaping the culture and velocity of a growing team</li> <li>Collaborate cross-functionally with product, data, and frontend teams to ship high-impact features quickly</li> <li>Ensure backend systems are secure, well-documented, and thoroughly tested</li> </ul> <p> </p> <h3><strong>Requirements</strong></h3> <ul> <li>8+ years of experience as a professional backend engineer</li> <li>Strong proficiency in Node.js, TypeScript, and Postgres</li> <li>Proven experience building and scaling eCommerce or online marketplace platforms</li> <li>Passion for using the latest AI coding tools and AI-driven best practices to enhance development workflows</li> <li>Deep understanding of cloud platforms (AWS) and containerization/infrastructure-as-code tools (Docker, Terraform)</li> <li>Experience setting engineering best practices, making architectural decisions, and influencing technical direction across teams</li> <li>Ability to move fast and iterate quickly in a startup environment while maintaining high code quality</li> <li>Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate technical trade- offs effectively</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><strong>Tech Stack</strong></p> <ul> <li>Languages & Frameworks: TypeScript, Node.js, Python</li> <li>Database: Postgres</li> <li>Cloud & Infrastructure: AWS (S3, SQS, etc.) and/or GCP, Docker, Terraform</li> <li>AI Development Tools: AI-powered coding assistants (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), LLM-based development enhancements</li> </ul> <p> </p> <h3><strong>The Arena Club Standard</strong></h3> <p>Life at Arena Club isn’t for the faint of heart, and that’s by design. We’re building products and experiences the collectibles world has never seen. This is a proving ground. It demands your best every single day, because anything less means you’re falling behind.</p> <p>From day one, you’re in the game. Trusted to deliver, expected to own outcomes, and driven to raise the bar higher than you thought possible. We don’t just execute — we innovate, compete, and win together. </p> <p>If you want routine or predictability, you won’t find it here. But if you’re ambitious, relentless, and hungry to prove yourself on a team built to dominate, step into the arena. You’ll discover growth and reward here, unlike anywhere else.</p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><p>The base salary range listed is a guideline. Actual compensation is determined based on skills, experience, and the impact you bring. Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and equity.</p></div><div class="title">Salary Range</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$200,000</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$230,000 USD</span></div></div></div>