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Backstage Developer Jobs in Philadelphia, PA (NOW HIRING)

Backstage Developer information

See Philadelphia, PA salary details

$17

$53

$82

How much do backstage developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for backstage developer in Philadelphia, PA is $53.32, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40.77 and $65.24 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a backstage developer?

Backstage Developers are software engineers who specialize in building, customizing, and maintaining developer portals using Backstage, an open-source platform created by Spotify. They help organizations organize their software infrastructure, integrate tools, and improve developer productivity by creating unified interfaces for internal services, documentation, and workflows. Their work often includes plugin development, API integration, and ensuring the platform meets the needs of engineering teams.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a backstage developer?

To thrive as a Backstage Developer, you need strong skills in JavaScript/TypeScript, experience with React, and familiarity with software development tools, along with a background in computer science or equivalent experience. Knowledge of Backstage’s framework, plugin development, CI/CD systems, and cloud platforms is typically required, and certifications in cloud services or DevOps can be advantageous. Excellent problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills help you work effectively within cross-functional teams and deliver scalable developer portals. These abilities are crucial for building, customizing, and maintaining platforms that streamline internal developer workflows and improve productivity.

What are some of the main challenges backstage developers face when integrating new plugins into existing platforms?

Backstage Developers often encounter challenges related to plugin compatibility, documentation gaps, and ensuring seamless integration with diverse internal tools. Each organization may have a unique tech stack, so adapting plugins to work smoothly requires strong problem-solving skills and cross-team collaboration. Additionally, maintaining consistent user experience and managing version upgrades can be complex, especially as the platform evolves. Working closely with platform engineers and end users is key to overcoming these hurdles and delivering robust solutions.

What is the difference between Backstage Developer vs Frontend Developer?

AspectBackstage DeveloperFrontend Developer
Required SkillsJavaScript, React, APIs, DevOps toolsHTML, CSS, JavaScript, frameworks like React or Angular
Work EnvironmentDeveloping internal developer portals, tools, and integrationsBuilding user interfaces for websites and applications
Industry UsageTech companies, software development teamsWeb development agencies, tech firms, startups

Backstage Developers focus on creating developer portals and tools to improve internal workflows, often working with APIs and DevOps integrations. Frontend Developers primarily build the visual and interactive parts of websites and applications. While both roles require JavaScript and related skills, Backstage Developers specialize in developer experience platforms, whereas Frontend Developers focus on user-facing interfaces.

Can you actually get jobs on Backstage Developer?

Backstage Developer is a role focused on building and maintaining developer portals and internal tools using platforms like Backstage. Job opportunities for Backstage Developers are available in tech companies and organizations seeking to improve developer experience, often requiring skills in software development, DevOps, and familiarity with the Backstage platform. These roles typically involve collaboration with engineering teams and may require knowledge of programming languages and cloud environments.

What job does a backstage developer perform?

A backstage developer designs, builds, and maintains backstage platforms or developer portals that streamline internal workflows, documentation, and tools for software development teams. They typically work with web technologies, APIs, and integrations to improve developer experience and productivity.

What are popular job titles related to Backstage Developer jobs in Philadelphia, PA?

For Backstage Developer jobs in Philadelphia, PA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Backstage Developer jobs in Philadelphia, PA look for?

The top searched job categories for Backstage Developer jobs in Philadelphia, PA are:

What cities near Philadelphia, PA are hiring for Backstage Developer jobs?

Cities near Philadelphia, PA with the most Backstage Developer job openings:

Infographic showing various Backstage Developer job openings in Philadelphia, PA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $110,904 per year, or $53.3 per hour.

Technical Lead - Engineering Talent Acceleration | Onsite - Delaware

Wilmington, DE • On-site

Photon
IT Services • 1 - 10 employees

Full-time, Contractor

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 20 days ago


Job description

Key Responsibilities 

  • Own the roadmap and delivery of the developer portal (self-service tooling, documentation, service catalog). 
  • Deliver DORA metrics and OKR dashboards to measure delivery health across engineering teams. 
  • Identify and prioritize friction points in the developer experience; ship platform/process fixes. 
  • Define and evangelize modern architecture patterns and testing practices as organization-wide guidance. 
  • Set standards for production operations (on-call, runbooks, operational readiness) across teams. 
  • Design and deliver the technical curriculum for upskilling engineers, including on AI-assisted development (Copilot, Claude Code, and emerging tools like BMAD/Kiro/GSD etc). 
  • Drive community building initiatives (guilds, brown bags, internal tech talks) and organize hackathons
  • Evaluate and pilot new AI development tools/skills, and decide what gets adopted org-wide. 
  • Run day-to-day delivery of the offshore development team supporting the portal and dashboards: sprint commitments, code review, real-time unblocking, and hands-on work on critical-path items. 
  • Report delivery status, risks, and blockers to engineering leadership. 

Must-Have Qualifications 

  • 8+ years in software engineering, with 3+ years as a tech lead owning end-to-end delivery of developer-experience or platform initiatives (not a pure design/review architect role). 
  • Proven track record of shipping developer-platform initiatives on committed timelines, including hands-on troubleshooting under delivery pressure. 
  • Proven experience building and operating a developer portal (e.g., Backstage or equivalent). 
  • Strong experience designing DORA metrics/OKR dashboards and using them to drive engineering improvement. 
  • Demonstrated ability to diagnose organizational friction points and translate them into platform or process solutions. 
  • Deep, broad knowledge of modern architecture patterns and testing practices across multiple tech stacks. 
  • Experience with production operations standards (incident response, runbooks, SRE practices). 
  • Proven experience designing technical curricula and running enablement/training programs at scale. 
  • Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, or similar) and evaluating emerging tools. 
  • Experience running hackathons and community-building programs. 
  • Financial-services or regulated-industry engineering-culture experience preferred. 
  • Excellent communication and facilitation skills; able to influence across the engineering org and directly manage day-to-day delivery of an offshore team (standups, unblocking, sprint accountability). 

Nice-to-Have Qualifications 

  • Direct experience with Backstage plugin development. 
  • Familiarity with emerging AI dev tools (Specprime, BMAD, Kiro, or similar) beyond mainstream Copilot/Claude Code. 
  • Experience speaking at or organizing external developer conferences/meetups. 
  • Background in technical training/curriculum design as a primary discipline (e.g., prior DevRel or L&D role).

Compensation, Benefits and Duration

Minimum Compensation: USD 56,000
Maximum Compensation: USD 196,000
Compensation is based on actual experience and qualifications of the candidate. The above is a reasonable and a good faith estimate for the role.
Medical, vision, and dental benefits, 401k retirement plan, variable pay/incentives, paid time off, and paid holidays are available for full-time employees.
This position is not available for independent contractors
No applications will be considered if received more than 120 days after the date of this post