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Backend Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

Our Backend Software Engineer can expect to work with the latest backend technologies and programming languages. We're big fans of server-side Kotlin, and we produce clean, testable code fast and ...

Demonstrated ability to independently deliver production-quality software while collaborating effectively across engineering, product, and design. * Strong proficiency with backend development ...

Staff Backend Software Engineer About Sense Check out and join our energetic team at Sense! We're a VC-backed, post-Series C climate tech company entering our next stage of growth. We're located in ...

Role Overview As a Staff Backend Engineer at Sense, you'll use your expertise to expand the capabilities of our cloud platform and enable the next generation of new product features. You will be a ...

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Backend Engineer information

See Boston, MA salary details

$65.7K

$160.4K

$216.2K

How much do backend engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for backend engineer in Boston, MA is $160,420.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $134,700.00 and $186,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges backend engineers face when integrating new technologies into existing systems?

Backend Engineers often encounter challenges when integrating new technologies, such as ensuring compatibility with legacy systems, maintaining data consistency, and minimizing service disruptions during deployment. They must carefully plan migrations, coordinate with frontend and DevOps teams, and implement thorough testing to avoid introducing bugs or security vulnerabilities. Effective communication and documentation are key to overcoming these challenges and ensuring a smooth transition.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a backend engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Backend Engineer, you need strong programming skills in languages like Java, Python, or Node.js, a solid understanding of algorithms, and experience with databases, typically supported by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with tools such as RESTful APIs, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure), version control systems (like Git), and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) is common. Problem-solving ability, attention to detail, and effective communication are vital soft skills for this role. These skills and qualities are essential for building robust, scalable systems and collaborating efficiently within development teams.

What is the difference between Backend Engineer vs Software Developer?

AspectBackend EngineerSoftware Developer
Primary FocusDesigning, building, and maintaining server-side applications and databasesDeveloping software across various layers, including frontend and backend
Skills & CertificationsProficiency in server-side languages (e.g., Java, Python), databases, APIsProficiency in multiple programming languages, software design, and sometimes frontend skills
Work EnvironmentTypically in backend teams, working on server infrastructure and APIsCan work on full-stack or specific areas; broader scope
Industry UsageCommon in tech companies, startups, and enterprises focusing on backend systemsWidespread across all software development sectors

While both roles involve coding and software development, Backend Engineers specialize in server-side logic, databases, and APIs, whereas Software Developers may work on both frontend and backend components. The roles often overlap, but Backend Engineers focus more on the infrastructure that powers applications.

What's a typical backend engineer salary?

A backend engineer's salary varies based on experience, location, and company size, but typically ranges from $70,000 to $130,000 annually in many regions. Senior roles or those with expertise in cloud services, databases, and programming languages like Java or Python tend to earn higher salaries. Entry-level positions usually start around $60,000 to $80,000.

What is a backend engineer?

Backend Engineers are software developers who focus on building and maintaining the server-side logic, databases, and APIs that power web and mobile applications. They ensure that the data requested by the frontend systems is delivered efficiently and securely. Their work involves writing code in languages like Python, Java, or Node.js, integrating with databases, and optimizing the overall performance of applications. Backend Engineers also play a crucial role in ensuring data integrity and implementing security best practices.
More about Backend Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA? The most popular types of Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:
What are popular job titles related to Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA? For Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA look for? The top searched job categories for Backend Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:
What cities near Boston, MA are hiring for Backend Engineer jobs? Cities near Boston, MA with the most Backend Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Backend Engineer job openings in Boston, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $160,420 per year, or $77.1 per hour.

Staff Software Engineer, Backend & APIs

WEX

Boston, MA

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 14 days ago


WEX Inc. rating

7.3

Company rating: 7.3 out of 10

Based on 21 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

13th of 21 rated payment service providers


Job description

About the Team/Role

We're looking for a Staff Software Engineer with deep expertise in backend development to join our 10-4 by WEX team. You will play a key role in designing, developing, and operating highly scalable, secure, and resilient backend services that power our mobile and web applications. You will work closely with mobile, web, product, and platform engineering teams to deliver APIs and distributed systems that provide seamless customer experiences.

Our platform helps owner-operators and small fleets save money on fuel through one of the industry's largest fuel discount networks. The mobile application enables truck drivers to discover participating fuel locations, activate discounts, manage payment methods, view transaction history, and access real-time fuel pricing and savings. As a Staff Software Engineer, you'll build the backend services and APIs that power these experiences, ensuring they are secure, scalable, highly available, and capable of supporting a growing user base while delivering a reliable and seamless experience for drivers on the road.

How you'll make an impact:

  • Design, develop, and maintain scalable, secure, and high-performance backend services using Java, Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, and REST APIs.

  • Architect and build distributed microservices that are resilient, observable, and easy to maintain.

  • Design REST APIs that enable seamless integration with mobile applications, web applications, and external partner systems.

  • Lead architecture and system design discussions, producing high-quality design documents and driving alignment across engineering teams.

  • Optimize database design, queries, indexing strategies, and transaction management to improve performance and scalability.

  • Develop comprehensive automated testing strategies, including unit, integration, contract, performance, and load testing.

  • Improve application reliability by implementing observability, logging, distributed tracing, health monitoring, and alerting.

  • Identify technical debt, scalability bottlenecks, and reliability risks, and drive continuous platform improvements.

  • Build and enhance CI/CD pipelines, deployment automation, infrastructure automation, and engineering productivity tools.

  • Partner closely with Product, Mobile, Web, Security, Infrastructure, and DevOps teams to deliver high-quality customer experiences.

  • Lead code reviews, mentor engineers, establish engineering best practices, and raise the overall quality bar across the organization.

  • Troubleshoot complex production issues, perform root cause analysis, implement corrective actions, and improve operational excellence.

  • Evaluate emerging technologies and architectural approaches, providing technical recommendations based on business and engineering needs.

  • Create and maintain technical documentation including architecture documents, API specifications, runbooks, operational guides, and readiness plans.

  • Design highly available services with appropriate resilience patterns including retries, circuit breakers, caching, rate limiting, and graceful degradation.

  • Drive cross-functional initiatives as a technical lead or Single-Threaded Owner (STO), helping unblock teams and ensuring successful delivery.

  • Gain hands-on experience with automation and AI-assisted software engineering solutions.

Experience you'll bring
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.

  • 8-10 years of professional software engineering experience.

  • Strong expertise in Java and Spring Boot for building enterprise-grade backend applications.

  • Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs and distributed microservices.

  • Strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.

  • Experience with PostgreSQL or other relational databases, including schema design, query optimization, indexing, and transaction management.

  • Experience building scalable, secure, highly available, and fault-tolerant distributed systems.

  • Strong understanding of authentication, authorization, API security, OAuth2, JWT, and secure software development practices.

  • Experience with asynchronous messaging technologies such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar event-driven platforms.

  • Familiarity with caching technologies such as Redis and distributed caching strategies.

  • Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, code quality tools, and modern software delivery practices.

  • Understanding of observability technologies including logging, metrics, tracing, monitoring, and alerting.

  • Experience collaborating with mobile engineering teams and designing APIs optimized for iOS and Android applications.

  • Excellent communication, collaboration, mentoring, and technical leadership skills.

  • Hands-on experience leveraging AI coding assistants and development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude) to accelerate software development, refactoring, and code generation.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering.

  • 10+ years of software engineering experience.

  • Experience with cloud-native application development using AWS, Kubernetes, Docker, and Terraform.

  • Experience with API Gateways, service mesh technologies, and cloud networking concepts.

  • Experience with event-driven architectures and distributed systems patterns.

  • Familiarity with OpenTelemetry, Grafana, Prometheus, or similar observability platforms.

  • Exposure to mobile application development (Android and/or iOS) with an understanding of mobile architecture, API consumption patterns, offline synchronization, and application performance considerations.

  • Experience leading technical initiatives across multiple engineering teams and mentoring senior engineers.

The base pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual pay rates will vary and will be based on various factors, such as your qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. Base pay is one component of WEX's total compensation package. Most sales positions are eligible for commission under the terms of an applicable plan. Non-sales roles are typically eligible for a quarterly or annual bonus based on their role and applicable plan. WEX's comprehensive and market competitive benefits are designed to support your personal and professional well-being. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurances, retirement savings plan, paid time off, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, and more. For more information, check out the "About Us" section.Pay Range: $140,600.00 - $173,100.00

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