1

Senior Backend Game Developer Jobs in Seattle, WA

What you'll do As a Software Engineer on the Otter Marketing/Boost team, you'll build the AI ... Build backend services for campaign management, budgeting, and a multi-channel pipeline that ...

Senior Software Engineer (Backend)

Seattle, WA · On-site +1

$140K - $200K/yr

About this role As a Sr backend software engineer at Aerostrat, you'll play a critical role in expanding our infrastructure and APIs to ensure we can scale with our customers. As a member of our ...

Senior Software Engineer (Backend)

Seattle, WA · On-site +1

$140K - $200K/yr

About this role As a Sr backend software engineer at Aerostrat, you'll play a critical role in expanding our infrastructure and APIs to ensure we can scale with our customers. As a member of our ...

Backend Engineer - Seattle

Seattle, WA · On-site

$120 - $160/hr

Collaborate with senior engineers and participate in technical discussions and code reviews * Work ... Stay updated with backend technologies and continuously improve technical skills What We're Looking ...

Golang Developer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$136K - $176K/yr

Solid backend engineer * Writes working Go code live * Understands concurrency + distributed systems * Can explain scale with real numbers * Shows clear ownership + decision-making * Thinks through ...

We are hiring a Senior Attorney to support our first-party video game studios and serve as the ... In-house experience at a game developer, publisher, or platform preferred. * Working knowledge of ...

Senior Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$139K - $183K/yr

Experience with Node.js backend development and modern web service patterns (REST APIs, async processing, event-driven systems) * Familiarity with DevOps basics : containers (Docker), deployment ...

Showing results 41-60

Senior Backend Game Developer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$72.8K

$159.1K

$216.8K

How much do senior backend game developer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior backend game developer in Seattle, WA is $159,140.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $137,100.00 and $178,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior backend game developer do?

A Senior Backend Game Developer is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the server-side components of online and multiplayer games. They develop systems for player authentication, game logic, data storage, matchmaking, and real-time communication. Senior developers often lead backend architecture decisions, optimize performance, and ensure the security and scalability of game services. Additionally, they collaborate closely with other developers, designers, and QA engineers to deliver seamless gameplay experiences. Their role is critical for supporting large numbers of concurrent players and managing in-game events or transactions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior backend game developer?

To thrive as a Senior Backend Game Developer, you need deep expertise in server-side programming (such as Java, C#, or Node.js), experience with scalable systems, and a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with cloud platforms (like AWS or Google Cloud), databases (SQL/NoSQL), and version control systems (like Git) is typically required, along with experience in deploying and maintaining live game services. Strong problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for working in multidisciplinary teams and addressing complex technical challenges. These competencies ensure robust, high-performance game infrastructure that can support engaging, reliable player experiences.

How does a senior backend game developer typically collaborate with other teams during the game development cycle?

As a Senior Backend Game Developer, you will work closely with frontend developers, game designers, and QA teams to ensure smooth integration of backend services such as matchmaking, leaderboards, and player progression systems. Regular cross-team meetings and code reviews are common, and you’ll often provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior developers. Effective communication and a collaborative mindset are essential, as you’ll be aligning backend architecture with gameplay features and addressing any technical challenges that arise throughout the development process.

What is the difference between Senior Backend Game Developer vs Backend Game Developer?

AspectSenior Backend Game DeveloperBackend Game Developer
Required Experience5+ years, leadership skills1-3 years, technical skills
ResponsibilitiesDesigning system architecture, mentoringImplementing server-side features, coding
Work EnvironmentLarge gaming studios, collaborative teamsStartups, smaller teams, development-focused
Common CertificationsGame development, cloud computingProgramming languages, cloud basics

The main difference between a Senior Backend Game Developer and a Backend Game Developer lies in experience, responsibilities, and leadership. Senior developers typically have more years of experience, oversee system architecture, and mentor junior staff, while backend developers focus on coding and implementing features. Both roles are essential in game development teams, but senior roles involve more strategic planning and team coordination.

What are the most commonly searched types of Backend Game Developer jobs in Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Backend Game Developer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Senior Backend Game Developer job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 69% Full Time, and 31% Contract. Highlights an 81% In-person, and 19% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $159,140 per year, or $76.5 per hour.

Senior Backend Software Engineer

Otter

Seattle, WA • On-site

$167K - $230K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 2 days ago


Job description

Who we are 

In the past, to be a successful restaurateur, you simply had to have a passion for food and a passion for people - but to succeed as a digital restaurateur you also need to have a passion for technology. We believe in the joy of serving others, and that's why we created Otter - to help restaurateurs succeed in online food delivery. Restaurants around the world, both large and small, including Chick-fil-A, Ben & Jerry's, KFC, and Eataly trust our software to power their delivery business. We increase sales, reduce order issues, and decrease delivery headaches. 

What you'll do

As a Software Engineer on the Otter Marketing/Boost team, you'll build the AI-powered platform that puts restaurant growth on autopilot, automating marketing for each storefront across delivery platforms. Your code will turn a merchant's budget and goals into real orders.

  • Build backend services for campaign management, budgeting, and a multi-channel pipeline that deploys campaigns and keeps them in sync across delivery platforms.
  • Develop the AI-driven Boost engine that analyzes each store, picks the best marketing for its goal, executes within budget, and recalibrates automatically.
  • Build durable workflows for campaign orchestration, budget enforcement, and auto-pause guardrails that run correctly, every day, at scale.
  • Integrate with third-party delivery platforms and handle the realities of external APIs: partial failures, retries, and reconciliation.
  • Own your services end-to-end: develop, instrument, debug, and improve reliability and performance.

What we're looking for

We value diversity of experience and are looking for engineers excited to own complex, high-impact systems. We look for a strong sense of ownership, people ready to take their work from idea to production and take responsibility for outcomes.

Basic Qualifications

  • Proficiency in a general-purpose backend language (e.g., Java, Go, or Python).
  • Solid foundation in distributed systems, microservices, and API design (gRPC and/or REST).
  • Experience with databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, CockroachDB) and writing performant queries.
  • Strong debugging skills and an instinct for reliability in systems that integrate with unpredictable third parties.
  • Experience operating services in production, and a collaborative, product-minded approach.

 Nice to Have

  • Workflow orchestration (e.g., Temporal, Cadence) or event-driven architectures (Kafka).
  • Large-scale data and analytics tooling (Trino, Flink, Iceberg, or equivalent).
  • ML systems in production, predictions, ranking, or optimization, or a strong interest in them.
  • Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and containers (Docker, Kubernetes)

Why join us 

  • Demand for online food delivery is growing really fast! In the last 5 years, just in the US, the overall market has expanded 10X from $10B to $100B, and could expand to $500bn- $1T by 2030.
  • Changing the restaurant industry: You'll be part of a team that helps restaurants succeed in online food delivery. 
  • Collaborative environment: You will receive support and guidance from experienced colleagues and managers, helping you to learn, grow and achieve your goals, and you'll work closely with other teams to ensure our customer's success.

What else you need to know 

This role is based in our Seattle office location. As a company driven by innovation and continuous change, close collaboration is essential. We're constantly reimagining our industry, creating new products, and refining our processes, and we do our best work together. That's why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week. 

The base salary range for this role is $167,000 - $230,000 per year. 

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance-based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees):

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance (multiple plans, incl. HSA options).
  • Company-paid life and disability insurance (short- and long-term).
  • Voluntary insurance: accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity.
  • Optional supplemental life insurance for self, spouse, and children.
  • Pet insurance discount.
  • 401(k).
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter)
  • Time Off policies:
    • Discretionary vacation days
    • 8 paid holidays per year
    • Paid sick time
    • Paid Bereavement leave
    • Paid Parental Leave

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion.
Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others? 

#LI-Onsite