# Staff Backend Engineer, Hub (US East Coast)

**Company:** [Docker](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/docker)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $195k – $276k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** Go, Kubernetes, Distributed Systems, Postgres, DynamoDB, AWS, Kafka, Argo Cd, GitHub Actions, Oci Registries
**Posted:** 2025-12-02

> Staff Backend Engineer owns end-to-end high-scale distributed systems for Docker Hub, focusing on registry platform, storage, and APIs. Requires 8+ years experience with Golang, Kubernetes, and large-scale architectures in a remote-first environment.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities

### Distributed Systems & Backend Engineering
- Architect, build, and operate **high-scale distributed systems** powering Docker Hub’s registry platform—spanning artifact storage, metadata services, indexing workflows, and performance-critical APIs.
- Lead the design and implementation of backend services with a strong emphasis on **scalability, correctness, resilience, and performance**.
- Drive major initiatives around **multi-region replication, caching strategies, request-path optimization**, and core registry reliability.

### Data Infrastructure & Storage
- Design, optimize, operate the data and storage layers - for both Relational and NoSql as well as object storage and related technologies.
- Develop schemas and data models to support high-throughput, large-volume workloads.
- Own systems end-to-end—from storage-layer behavior to API design, deployment workflows, and production monitoring.

### Operations, Observability & Scale
- Improve the performance and reliability of one of the world’s largest repositories of container images.
- Develop and enhance observability through metrics, traces, alerting, and dashboards.
- Lead improvements to deployment and operational tooling (e.g., Argo CD, GitHub Actions).
- Participate in on-call rotations as part of supporting critical production services.

### Leadership & Collaboration
- Mentor engineers and lead design and architecture reviews.
- Partner with Product, Design, SRE, and Platform teams to deliver high-impact projects.
- Engage with open-source communities, cloud-native partners, and the broader ecosystem.

## Qualifications

### Required
- **8+ years** backend engineering experience with deep expertise in **distributed systems** and **large-scale backend architectures**.
- **Strong production experience with Golang**, including designing and operating large Go-based services in cloud environments.
- **Strong production experience with Kubernetes**, including operating services at scale.
- Experience designing and running high-scale storage systems (PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, or equivalent) in production.
- Experience building and operating cloud-based services (AWS preferred).
- Experience with **event-driven or streaming systems**, such as Kafka, SNS/SQS, or equivalent.
- Strong foundation in software engineering best practices: design documentation, testing strategies, CI/CD, code review, observability.
- Comfortable functioning autonomously in a fully distributed, remote-first team and working effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

### Nice to Have
- Experience with **OCI registries**, artifact stores, or large-scale content distribution systems.
- Familiarity with search/indexing systems or metadata-rich architectures.
- Contributions to cloud-native or open-source ecosystems.

## Perks
- Freedom & flexibility; fit your work around your life
- Designated quarterly Whaleness Days plus end of year Whaleness break
- Home office setup; we want you comfortable while you work
- 16 weeks of paid Parental leave
- Technology stipend equivalent to $100 net/month
- PTO plan that encourages you to take time to do the things you enjoy
- Training stipend for conferences, courses and classes
- Equity; we are a growing start-up and want all employees to have a share in the success of the company
- Docker Swag
- Medical benefits, retirement and holidays vary by country
- Remote-first culture, with offices in Seattle and Paris

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