Sr. Software Engineer, Backend

About the role

Senior Full-Stack and Backend Engineer, Monetization and Core

Pinterest exists to provide inspiration that helps people create lives they love. This purpose is fulfilled by the individuals who build and maintain our platform. We seek engineers who are motivated by shaping experiences for millions, and who view technology as a means to enable human creativity. This role focuses on constructing the foundational systems that power Pinterest's monetization capabilities.

The position is situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Collaboration is central to the work, requiring close partnership with product managers, designers, and other engineers. The compensation package includes a base salary ranging from $183,996.00 to $306,996.00 on an annual basis.

Responsibilities

You will own the complete lifecycle for monetization features, transforming abstract concepts into reliable, production-grade services. The role involves crafting backend systems designed to handle significant traffic with minimal delay. You will define intake processes that capture requirements before development begins.

A key function is to champion robust engineering practices across distributed teams. This includes conducting meticulous reviews to identify issues early and ensuring quality is built into the product from the start. You will oversee the orchestration of shipping procedures so that new features deploy safely and effectively to millions of users.

Partnerships with external platforms are part of the role, requiring alignment on API contracts and data strategies. You will architect backend frameworks intended to be scalable and performant. The position also involves guiding automated testing suites to maintain quality during rapid development cycles.

You will use artificial intelligence as a tool to accelerate execution. This includes using AI to draft initial code, explore multiple architectural options, and compare design approaches. AI will also be used to synthesize information, summarize complex topics, and automate repeatable tasks such as documentation and quality assurance checks.

Requirements

The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of industry experience in backend development. This experience should involve building consumer or business-facing products. You must demonstrate fluency in technologies used for RESTful services, data storage, caching, and processing pipelines.

Your code must be maintainable and understandable to other engineers, supporting long-term project health. You stay current with emerging technologies to evaluate their suitability for integration into solutions. Clear communication is essential for effective collaboration with globally distributed teams.

You are expected to lead projects or mentor peers, contributing to technical thought leadership within the organization. The ability to design and operate large-scale, distributed systems that remain dependable under load is mandatory. You will engage directly with customers to translate their needs into efficient and scalable backend designs.

Nice to have

Contributions to open source projects relevant to backend systems are considered a valuable asset.

Skills and Tools

The role requires proficiency in Java, Python, MySQL, Redis, Kafka, Spark, Hadoop, Airflow, Kubernetes, Docker, Git, Linux, REST, and GraphQL.

Practical Information

Details regarding the application process and specific requirements can be found on the official career page. We review applications continuously. Please apply through the official career page for current details and instructions.

The role requires participation in occasional after-hours on-call rotations to support production services across different time zones. Travel is not required for this position. This role is eligible for individuals who hold or are eligible to obtain permanent work authorization in Canada without sponsorship now or in the future.

This role is classified as Full-time. The expected schedule is 40 hours per week. Remote work is not available for this role; it is designated for an in-person, on-site location in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Candidates must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Toronto area to be considered for this position. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and welcome diverse candidates to join our team.

About the company

Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we're on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.