Staff Software Engineer, Backend

Job description

FloSports is the leading digital platform for underserved sports, combining live and on-demand streaming, original programming, data, and technology to help sports grow their audiences and build sustainable businesses, from youth to professional levels. By bringing thousands of events and communities onto one platform, Flo creates scale where none previously existed, connecting passionate fans with the sports they love while giving athletes, organizers, and rights holders the tools to reach and engage a global audience. Flo streams more than 50,000 live events annually across sports, including motorsports, wrestling, hockey, track & field, cheer, jiu-jitsu, NCAA Division II and III athletics, and more. We’re looking for people who are passionate about sports, embody accountability, collaboration, curiosity, positivity, grit, and excellence, and are motivated to help grow and elevate the communities we serve. THE ROLE: As a Staff Backend Engineer at FloSports, you’ll be a key technical leader shaping how our backend systems evolve. You’ll take on complex, high-impact initiatives that strengthen our platforms — particularly around distributed systems, identity, and service reliability. This role goes beyond writing great code. You’ll help define the technical direction of major platform components, mentor senior engineers, and work closely with product and leadership to design solutions that scale across our ecosystem. You’ll bring deep experience in authentication and authorization frameworks (OAuth, OIDC, RBAC/ABAC) and in the architecture and modernization of distributed identity and access systems, paired with strong technical expertise in TypeScript, Node.js, and modern frameworks like NestJS and Fastify, as well as a solid foundation in cloud-based architecture on AWS. RESPONSIBILITIES: - Drive modernization efforts across our platform — improving how identity, access, and authorization are handled across systems. - Lead architecture and development of backend services that are scalable, reliable, and easy to maintain. - Design APIs and event-driven workflows that enable clear communication between services and products. - Provide technical mentorship, guidance, and code reviews that raise the bar for the entire engineering team. - Leverage AI-driven tools and automation to improve quality, consistency, and development velocity. - Build and maintain backend services using TypeScript, NestJS, and Node.js, ensuring strong testing practices with Jest, Vitest, and Supertest. - Apply a strong understanding of AWS services (Aurora, EventBridge, Lambda, DynamoDB, S3 etc..) to design reliable and performant distributed systems. - Partner with engineering and product teams to deliver technical solutions that support key business goals. - Champion best practices around security, testing, CI/CD, observability, and service ownership. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: - Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science or a related field - Extensive experience designing and scaling distributed systems and service-oriented architectures. - Deep understanding of authentication and authorization frameworks (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, RBAC/ABAC) and experience modernizing or re-platforming identity and entitlement systems. - Strong proficiency in TypeScript and Node.js, including advanced design patterns and maintainable code practices. - Experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases (DynamoDB, Aurora, Firestore). - Proven success building and maintaining RESTful APIs and event-driven systems. - Solid understanding of AWS services and cloud-native architecture. - Strong testing discipline and familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automation workflows. - Demonstrated technical leadership and ability to mentor engineers effectively. - Experience using AI-assisted development tools to improve engineering outcomes. BONUS POINTS: - Experience with SST or similar serverless deployment frameworks. - Familiarity with event-driven and asynchronous system patterns. - Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and orchestration. - Knowledge of data validation frameworks like Zod. - Experience working in an Agile environment and contributing to cross-team standards. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: FloSports exists to elevate the communities, athletes, and sports that have too often been overlooked. That mission starts with our own team. We believe that a diverse, inclusive workplace—one where different perspectives are sought out, heard, and valued—is essential to building a company that can truly serve the full spectrum of sports fans. We are committed to creating a fair and equitable environment where people from all backgrounds can thrive. To help mitigate bias and expand opportunity, FloSports uses a blind recruiting process that supports more objective, inclusive hiring decisions. We’re intentional in our practices because we believe the best ideas and innovations come from teams that reflect the diversity of the world around us. OUR BENEFITS: - Recognized three years in a row as a Top Workplace by the Austin-American Statesman - Annual awards for all top performers - Competitive and comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans - Peace of mind through company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability and life insurance - Generous 401(K) company match vested immediately - Progressive parental leave policies - Flexible paid time off - Hack-a-thons and a full calendar of team-building and social events - Company donation to youth teams and leagues that our employees coach - Stocked snack bar, catered lunch and breakfast tacos every week