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Lead Backend Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Lead Backend Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$75 - $80/hr

Lead Backend Engineer Location: Remote Pay Range: $75/hr. To $80/hr. On w2 Profile: Lead engineer with both leadership and hands-on development skills. Team: BigFuture This team is working on Student ...

About the Role The onshore Senior Back-End Engineer leads backend microservices architecture and ... Lead .backend microservices architecture, defining service boundaries, API contract standards, and ...

About the Role The onshore Senior Back-End Engineer leads backend microservices architecture and ... Lead .backend microservices architecture, defining service boundaries, API contract standards, and ...

Work closely with the Product Design Lead and frontend engineers to ensure requirements are clear ... Help establish backend engineering standards as we grow the team * Make pragmatic technical ...

Work closely with the Product Design Lead and frontend engineers to ensure requirements are clear ... Help establish backend engineering standards as we grow the team * Make pragmatic technical ...

... Lead and frontend engineers to ensure requirements are clear, feasible, and technically sound • Collaborate with the engineering leadership -- reviewing architecture, aligning on best practices ...

Lead technical design reviews and choose pragmatic approaches for new features and system ... Improve engineering excellence through code reviews, standards, testing strategy, and incident ...

The engineer will lead technical analysis for complex projects, develop event-driven backend services for EDI transactions, and provide ongoing support and problem resolution. This position requires ...

Lead Software Engineer - Backend Do you love building and pioneering in the technology space? Do you enjoy solving complex business problems in a fast-paced, collaborative, inclusive, and iterative ...

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Showing results 1-20

Lead Backend Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$68.5K

$167.2K

$225.4K

How much do lead backend engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for lead backend engineer in Washington is $167,241.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $140,400.00 and $194,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Are lead backend engineers still in demand?

Lead backend engineers remain in high demand due to the ongoing need for scalable server-side solutions, cloud integration, and system architecture expertise. Companies seek professionals with strong programming skills in languages like Java, Python, or Node.js, along with experience in database management and DevOps practices. The role often requires leadership abilities and familiarity with modern frameworks and tools to support digital transformation initiatives.

What is a lead backend engineer?

Lead Backend Engineers are senior-level software engineers who oversee the development, maintenance, and optimization of server-side applications and systems. They guide teams of backend developers, design system architecture, and ensure code quality and scalability. In addition to technical responsibilities, Lead Backend Engineers often collaborate with other departments, mentor junior engineers, and help set best practices for backend development within an organization.

What is the difference between Lead Backend Engineer vs Backend Developer?

AspectLead Backend EngineerBackend Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in CS or related field; experience in system architectureBachelor's degree in CS or related field; coding proficiency
Work EnvironmentTeam leadership, project planning, architecture designCode development, feature implementation
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, startups, enterprise softwareWeb development firms, tech startups, software agencies
Common Search & ComparisonLeadership, architecture, project managementCoding, feature development, debugging

The main difference between a Lead Backend Engineer and a Backend Developer lies in their responsibilities. The Lead Backend Engineer oversees system architecture, leads technical teams, and manages project planning, while the Backend Developer focuses primarily on coding, implementing features, and debugging. Both roles require similar technical credentials, but the Lead role involves more leadership and strategic planning within tech teams.

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

To thrive as a Lead Backend Engineer, you need deep expertise in backend programming languages (such as Java, Python, or Node.js), software architecture, and experience with large-scale system design, usually supported by a degree in computer science or equivalent experience. Familiarity with cloud platforms (like AWS or Azure), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and database management systems, as well as knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and relevant certifications, are typically important. Leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills help you guide teams, communicate effectively, and resolve technical challenges. These skills and qualities are essential for building robust, scalable systems and ensuring team efficiency in dynamic development environments.

How does a lead backend engineer typically collaborate with front-end teams and other stakeholders?

As a Lead Backend Engineer, collaboration with front-end developers and cross-functional stakeholders is essential to deliver seamless user experiences. You’ll regularly participate in design discussions, API planning sessions, and code reviews to ensure backend services align with front-end requirements and business goals. Effective communication, clear documentation, and a proactive approach to resolving integration issues are key to successful collaboration. Additionally, you may coordinate with product managers, QA engineers, and DevOps teams to streamline deployment and maintain system reliability.
What are popular job titles related to Lead Backend Engineer jobs in Washington? For Lead Backend Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Lead Backend Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Lead Backend Engineer jobs in Washington are:
Infographic showing various Lead Backend Engineer job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 74% In-person, and 26% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $167,241 per year, or $80.4 per hour.

Lead Backend Engineer

Lancesoft

Reston, VA • On-site

$75 - $80/hr

Temporary

Posted 29 days ago


Job description


Title: Lead Backend Engineer
Location: Remote
Pay Range: $75/hr. To $80/hr. On w2
JOB DESCRIPTION
Profile: Lead engineer with both leadership and hands-on development skills.
Team: BigFuture This team is working on Student facing products/programs Both New and redesign of legacy Java applications into modern AWS based React/ Node applications. Most dev teams work in a poly skilled manner working on automation and improving frameworks for testing in addition to core development.

In this role, you will:
Design and Development (60%)
  • Design and deliver high-quality software that is scalable, secure, and reusable leveraging modern technologies, proven design patterns, and cloud-native practices to power BigFuture s core tools.
  • Collaborate with product owners, architects, and stakeholders to uphold the highest engineering standards and translate big ideas into impactful, student-facing solutions.
  • Break down new product capabilities into actionable, verifiable technical changes that move quickly from concept to reality.
  • Design and implement solutions to allow rapid testing of innovative concepts using the latest technologies, typically React web apps
  • Create sharable documentation, both technical and non-technical
  • Exercise discretion in prototyping: investing time to make sure the most important things work well, and working with the team to mock or minimize less important features
  • Maintain clean code and strong engineering standards such that when prototypes are greenlit for further development, the project is easy to build upon
  • Continuously develop the skills required to work with this rapidly developing technology

Team Operations & Success (30%)
  • Participate in, or lead Agile SCRUM ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Grooming, Daily SCRUM, Demo) by contributing to team deliverables and driving alignment, focus, and momentum across sprints.
  • Elevate team performance by giving and receiving thoughtful code reviews, mentoring peers, and helping solve complex technical challenges.
  • Assist in resolving production issues with urgency and precision, ensuring a smooth and reliable user experience.
  • Model discipline in adhering to development standards, security practices, and CI/CD principles while helping the team move fast without compromising quality.
  • Continuously grow your skills and embrace a poly-skilled environment where everyone contributes beyond their specialty.
  • Serve as an organizational Subject Matter Expert on implementing Generative AI applications
  • Work with our Enterprise Architecture team to review and/or establish implementation patterns involving Generative AI tools
  • Advise on, and where feasible, create tools and infrastructure that will enable teams to safely deploy Generative AI tools

Learning & Sharing (10%)
  • Keep abreast of developments in GenAI capabilities and implementations
  • Share knowledge of new developments with the team via chats, meetings, and presentations when appropriate
  • Serve as an advisor to internal teams developing staff education around Generative AI

About you, you have:
  • 7+ years of professional experience designing, building, testing, and managing scalable web applications in AWS-hosted environments
  • 3+ years experience building back-end applications using Node(with TypeScript)
  • Experience with relational and NoSQL databases (e.G., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redshift, DynamoDB)
  • Experience building observability for your products: Set up CloudWatch, X-Ray, for logging, metrics, and alerts.
  • Hands-on experience implementing Generative AI applications (e.G., RAG chatbots, model fine-tuning, or other LLM-powered tools)
  • Enthusiasm for learning new technologies, especially in the fast-moving GenAI space
  • Strong knowledge and hands-on experience with back-end technologies such as Node.Js
  • Experience with asynchronous programming and event-driven messaging patterns
  • Strong knowledge of AWS services (e.G., Lambda, SNS, SQS, S3, Step Functions, IAM, KMS, API Gateway, CloudWatch, DynamoDB)
  • Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments
  • Proven ability to mentor and coach less experienced teammates in new technologies
  • Strong analytical thinking, structured problem-solving, and practical decision-making skills
  • Effective communication and documentation skills
  • Proficiency in reviewing and improving code structure and architecture for testability, maintainability, and scalability, with hands-on experience in JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Node.Js, Next.Js, APIs, and AWS Serverless technologies (Lambdas, DynamoDB, S3, CloudWatch, etc.).
  • Leadership in the end-to-end design and implementation of user interfaces, from architectural planning and component strategy through to polished execution, including accessibility, performance optimization, and mentoring peers on building intuitive, scalable, and user-centric front-end solutions.
  • Strong problem-solving skills, working collaboratively with team members to identify and resolve issues, and partnering with Product Owners to prioritize backlog.
  • Proven ability to pitch new ideas and implement improved systems and processes, delivering excellent results.
  • Effective communicator and team lead, able to provide actionable feedback, mentor team members, and participate in interviews to evaluate engineering talent.
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, or related engineering fields preferred

Meet Your Recruiter
Aman Tiwari

LanceSoft logo

About LanceSoft

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Established in 2000, LanceSoft is a Certified MBE and Woman-Owned organization. Lancesoft Inc. is one of the highest rated companies in the industry. We have been recognized as one of the Largest Staffing firms and ranked in the top 50 fastest Growing Healthcare Staffing firms in 2022. Lancesoft offers short- and long-term contracts, permanent placements, and travel opportunities to credentialed and experienced professionals throughout the United States. We pride ourselves on having industry leading benefits. We understand the importance of partnering with an expert who values your needs, which is why we're 100% committed to finding you an assignment that best matches your career and lifestyle goals. Our team of experienced career specialists takes the time to understand your needs and match you with the right job Lancesoft has been chosen by Staffing Industry Analysts as one of the Best Staffing Firms to Work for.LanceSoft specializes in providing Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, LPNs/LVNs, Social Workers, Medical Assistants, and Certified Nursing Assistants to work in Acute Care Centers, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Long-Term Care centers, Rehab Facilities, Behavioral Health Centers, Drug & Alcohol Facilities, Home Health & Community Health, Urgent Care Clinics, and many other provider-based facilities.

Industry

Recruiting and staffing services

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Herndon, VA, US

Year founded

2000

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