Sr. Software Engineer, Backend

San Francisco Bay Area

Full-Time

On-site

Email us at “jobs@stateaffairs.com”

About Us

At State Affairs, we’re on a mission to redefine how state government is covered—delivering trusted, nonpartisan news and insights that matter. We don’t just report what’s happening; we provide the critical context and technology that help decision-makers act. Think of us as the digital town hall for democracy. Our platform informs, empowers, and drives actions at the state level. And just like the democracy we cover, we value diverse perspectives, ensuring our work reflects the full spectrum of voices shaping state policy. This product-driven growth role requires a mix of marketing, data analysis, and product thinking.

Who We’re Looking For

What You’ll Own

You will scale distributed applications, make architectural trade-offs applying synchronous and asynchronous design patterns, write code, and deliver with speediness and quality.
You will develop multi-tier scalable, high-volume performing, and reliable user-centric applications that operate 24×7.
You will produce high quality software that is unit tested, code reviewed, and checked in regularly for continuous integration.
You will provide technical leadership, driving and performing best engineering practices to initiate, plan, and execute large-scale, cross functional, and company-wide critical programs. Identify, leverage, and successfully evangelize opportunities to improve engineering productivity.
Work on the design and development of complex web applications, ensuring adherence to best practices and architectural standards.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.
Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, evaluating their potential impact on our technical stack and business strategy.

You’ll Love This Role If…

You’ll Hate This Role If…

What You’ve Probably Done

Bachelor’s degree or Master’s in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
At least 5+ years of professional software development experience, with a focus on web applications.
4+ years of industry experience in software design, development, and algorithm related solutions.
4+ years programming experience in languages such as Python, Java, Javascript, C/C++, C#, Objective-C, Ruby, etc
Experience in designing and building infrastructure and web services at large scale.
Expert knowledge of computer science, with strong competencies in data structures, algorithms, and software design.
Experience building web applications and services with IDEs, ant, junit, etc.
Experience with relational databases (transactional and non-transactional), database architecture, and distributed transaction management.
Solid understanding of AWS services, including EC2, S3, Lambda, API Gateway, and CloudFormation.
Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and a strong interest in developing AI-driven features and models.
Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
Ability to drive technical initiatives and influence decision-making at all levels of the organization.
Experience with serverless architecture and AWS Lambda.
Knowledge of containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automation tools.
Understanding of security best practices and compliance standards.

Why You Should Consider Joining Us

Equal Opportunity Employer

At State Affairs, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives—regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. We believe that different voices drive better decisions and innovation, and we are dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute.

Email us at “jobs@stateaffairs.com”

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