Backend engineer

A few examples of your responsibilities

• Take an active role in identifying the tooling and infrastructure needs of the company, and participate in defining and executing the plan to fulfill them.
• Help define the software architecture of new tools or that of new features for existing tools, and then develop them. The work spans broadly from the most infrastructure- or backend-oriented to the development of complex frontends.
• Constantly improve the quality of our tools and infrastructure by fixing bugs and refactoring the code base where necessary.
• Expand our set of libraries as needed to make yourself and other engineers more efficient and effective.
• Stay informed on new, relevant technologies and test the promising ones to make sure we don’t miss out on game-changing opportunities to boost our productivity and the enjoyment of our work.

What we look for

• Passion. You have a genuine love for the field. You investigate the subject extensively and are always up to date with the latest developments.
• Reasoning and depth of learning. You learn new concepts and skills rapidly, delving into new topics with a structured approach and a curious mindset. This is demonstrated by how quickly you mastered new tools when you first encountered them, and by how you used creative problem-solving to face cross-disciplinary problems.
• Drive. Your dedication matches the intensity of your ambition. You’re willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve your goals, and the highly demanding challenges in your track record are proof of your relentless spirit.
• Pragmatism. Far from being too academic or obsessive in your perfectionism, you understand that speed is often as important as quality when getting things done in a competitive world.
• Curiosity and initiative. Rather than waiting to be told what to do, you’re forever hunting down new opportunities and testing fresh ideas. You’ve consistently and actively participated in independent projects, and you’re an endless source of innovative ideas.
• Attention to detail. You take all the care in the world to develop quality user experiences for your colleagues, go the extra mile to learn what they need, and pore over the details that make the difference.
• Organization and structure. You’re meticulously organized and superbly structured, so you can handle multiple tasks and responsibilities with poise and precision.
• Humility. You’re down to earth, eager to listen to feedback and constructive criticism, and ready to support your team with whatever it needs to succeed.
• Proficiency in English. You read, write, and speak proficiently in English.
• Willingness to learn. We mainly use Python, GitHub, CircleCI, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, BigQuery, Google Cloud Storage, and Google Pub/Sub. But it's not a problem if you have little or no experience with them, as long as you’re enthusiastic about learning. We’d be happy to teach you!

What we offer

• Talented, knowledgeable colleagues. Learn from (and teach) some of the brightest and most skilled people you’ll ever meet. Your talent is going to blossom here.
• Real impact. We automate most menial tasks, freeing you up to focus your expertise where it can make the biggest impact.
• The finest tools. You get the best hardware on the market and all the software you could need. We can't wait to introduce you to our high-tech approach and our cutting-edge workflows.
• Continuous education. Spooners get unlimited backing for learning investments, including Italian or English lessons and things like courses, conferences, and books. There’s no permission or approval process—you’re fully trusted to use the company’s resources efficiently.
• Remote working. Spend as much or as little time in our Milan office as you choose. Many Spooners like to change up their environment and get out of the city whenever the mood strikes. You’ve always got the freedom to decide where today’s office is.
• Flexible schedule. Our regular hours are 9-6 GMT+1, with remote work allowed within GMT-2 to GMT+3 time zones.
• Relocation package. If you need to relocate for the position, we typically cover reasonable transportation and moving expenses, provide up to three months of temporary accommodation, and help you and your close family members with visa support if necessary.
• People who lift up one another. We hire for talent and leave the ego at the door. You'll find a group of truly talented Spooners who are eager to teach their secrets and to learn. Reciprocal support and respect is everything—you’re unlikely to ever encounter a more harmonious crew.
• Flexibility and trust. From day one, you’ll be one of the team and fully trusted. No micromanagement or clipping your wings—just the freedom and responsibility to do great work.
• Competitive pay and access to equity in the company. Typically, we offer an individual at the start of their career a salary of £54,545 in the UK and €52,246 elsewhere. If they possess a few years of relevant experience, the salary on offer tends to be between £66,779 and £149,636 in the UK, and €63,965 and €143,330 elsewhere. Pay grows rapidly as you accumulate experience and translate it into greater impact. You can also receive some of your pay in company equity at a discounted price, thus participating in the value creation we achieve together. If relocating to Italy, you may enjoy a 50% tax cut.

The selection process