Hopper

Staff Backend Software Engineer

Hopper3 days ago
Location

Vancouver - Remote

Workplace

Remote

Type

Full Time

Salary

CAD 150,000 – 400,000

Level

Staff

Role

Backend Engineer

Posted

Jun 30, 2026

Full TimeRemoteStaff

The role

Summary

Join Hopper's Commerce team as a Staff Backend Software Engineer, architecting scalable distributed systems that power commerce experiences for 410M cardholders across global banking partners. You'll leverage AI-assisted development with Scala and GCP to build foundational patterns for the HTS platform while working end-to-end from backend infrastructure to partner-facing features in a high-autonomy, low-process environment. This role requires distributed systems expertise, strong product thinking anchored in customer experience, and the ability to orchestrate AI agents effectively to deliver features and infrastructure improvements at unprecedented velocity.

What you'll do

Architect Scalable Backend Systems: Design and implement distributed systems patterns using Scala and GCP services that enable efficient scaling across the multi-tenant HTS platform. Establish foundational architecture that allows partners to launch new travel commerce experiences rapidly without custom engineering, ensuring systems can handle 410M cardholders and billions of dollars in transaction volume annually.
Lead AI-Assisted Development Practices: Orchestrate AI agents and automated workflows to accelerate feature development and codebase improvements. Establish guardrails, feedback loops, and quality standards that maintain reliability while leveraging LLM capabilities. Make strategic decisions about when to trust AI-generated solutions versus when to intervene with human expertise.
Drive End-to-End Feature Ownership: Own complete features from backend infrastructure through partner-facing surfaces, leveraging stack-agnostic thinking and AI tooling to move fluidly across the full stack. Deliver production-quality solutions that balance technical excellence with business impact, primarily focusing on backend systems while maintaining full-stack capability.
Execute Codebase Improvements: Identify and implement foundational improvements to the codebase that reduce friction for both human developers and AI agents. Optimize code structure, remove technical barriers, and establish patterns that compound team velocity as the platform scales and AI integration deepens.
Drive Asynchronous Technical Leadership: Lead technical decisions and build consensus through thoughtful documentation, architectural specifications, and design proposals in a low-process environment. Influence roadmap direction by collaborating directly with product managers and business partners, articulating technical tradeoffs and strategic rationale.
Foster Engineering Excellence and Collaboration: Work alongside senior engineers in a trust-based, autonomous environment while actively giving and receiving feedback for continuous growth. Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and knowledge sharing that elevate team capabilities and establish best practices for distributed systems development.

What we look for

Technical

Distributed Systems ArchitectureProven expertise designing scalable, fault-tolerant distributed systems that handle high transaction volumes and complex state management. Experience with eventual consistency patterns, service orchestration, and multi-tenant system design that can support hundreds of millions of users.
Scala and Functional ProgrammingStrong proficiency in Scala with deep understanding of functional programming paradigms. Experience with immutable data structures, type systems, and functional composition patterns that make distributed systems more reliable and testable.
Cloud Infrastructure (GCP)Hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform services including Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Datastore, Pub/Sub, and BigQuery. Ability to architect cost-effective, scalable infrastructure solutions and optimize resource allocation at scale.
AI-Assisted Development WorkflowsDemonstrated experience directing LLM-based agents and AI tools to accelerate development cycles. Understanding of LLM strengths, limitations, and hallucination patterns, with proven ability to design effective feedback mechanisms and quality gates.
API Design and Commerce SystemsExperience designing and implementing RESTful or GraphQL APIs that power consumer-facing commerce experiences. Understanding of payment flows, transaction processing, and the technical requirements for reliable financial and booking systems.
Data-Driven Systems ThinkingAbility to design systems that integrate data pipelines, analytics, and machine learning signals. Experience building systems that capture behavioral data, generate insights, and enable personalization at scale.

Education

Computer Science or Related Field (Preferred)Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience. Strong foundation in algorithms, data structures, and system design principles is essential regardless of academic background.

Experience

Senior Backend Engineering ExperienceMinimum 8+ years of professional software engineering experience with at least 4+ years in senior or staff-level roles building backend systems. Demonstrated progression through increasingly complex architectural challenges and mentorship of junior engineers.
Distributed Systems at ScaleProven track record designing and maintaining systems that handle millions of concurrent users or billions of transactions. Experience with microservices architectures, eventual consistency, and debugging complex distributed system failures in production.
Rapid Development and Product VelocityTrack record of delivering features end-to-end at accelerated pace without sacrificing quality. Experience working in high-autonomy, low-process environments where individuals drive their own priority and direction with minimal oversight.
Multi-Language Programming CapabilityProven ability to pick up new languages and frameworks quickly. Demonstrated work in multiple languages (Python, Go, Java, or others) showing language-agnostic thinking and the ability to learn and contribute rapidly in unfamiliar stacks.

Skills

Required skills

ScalaExpert-level proficiency in Scala including advanced type system usage, functional composition, and the Akka ecosystem for building actor-based distributed systems.
Distributed Systems DesignDeep expertise in designing scalable architectures including service communication patterns, data consistency models, and handling failure scenarios in production systems.
Backend API DevelopmentStrong experience designing and implementing high-performance APIs, microservices architecture, and backend systems that power commerce or fintech platforms.
Google Cloud PlatformHands-on experience deploying, scaling, and optimizing applications on GCP infrastructure with proficiency in compute, storage, and managed services.
LLM and AI Tool IntegrationPractical experience integrating and directing large language models and AI agents to accelerate development workflows, with judgment about when to trust vs. verify AI output.
System Architecture and Design PatternsAbility to make informed architectural tradeoffs, design foundational patterns that scale across multiple teams, and document technical decisions clearly for consensus building.
Product-Oriented EngineeringStrong ability to connect technical decisions to customer impact and business outcomes, balancing perfection with pragmatism and shipping speed.

Nice to have

Python or GoExperience with Python or Go for rapid prototyping, scripting, or building complementary backend services. Shows language versatility and ability to apply stack-agnostic thinking.
TypeScript and ReactFamiliarity with TypeScript and React frameworks enabling more effective end-to-end feature development across both frontend and backend stacks.
Travel Industry or Fintech Domain KnowledgePrior experience building systems for travel, booking, payments, or fintech companies. Understanding of pricing models, real-time inventory, and financial transaction workflows.
Machine Learning Systems IntegrationExperience integrating ML models and data pipelines into production systems, including feature engineering, model serving, and feedback loops for continuous improvement.
Mentorship and Technical LeadershipDemonstrated experience mentoring junior engineers, conducting code reviews at scale, and establishing technical standards that elevate entire team performance.
Open Source ContributionsActive contributions to open source distributed systems projects, backend frameworks, or developer tools demonstrating commitment to engineering community and modern practices.

Compensation & benefits

Salary

CAD 150,000 – 400,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Coverage

100% premium coverage for group insurance plans including medical, dental, and vision. Access to HSA accounts for tax-advantaged savings on eligible healthcare and dental expenses.

Life and Disability Insurance

Full life insurance coverage plus short-term and long-term disability protection, providing comprehensive financial security for you and your family.

Telemedicine Services

24/7 access to Dialogue's telemedicine platform for all employees and dependents, enabling virtual healthcare consultations anytime and anywhere.

Retirement Planning

RRSP plan with automatic pre-tax withdrawals to help build retirement savings efficiently. Access to financial planning resources to optimize long-term wealth building.

Above-Market Parental Leave

Exceptionally generous parental leave policy far exceeding industry standards, supporting work-life balance during critical family moments.

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Flexible unlimited PTO policy that trusts employees to manage their own time off, promoting sustainable work-life integration and autonomy.

Travel and Mobility Benefits

Carrot Cash travel stipend enabling exploration and experiences. Work-from-home stipend plus on-demand access to FlexDesk coworking spaces for flexible work arrangements.

Pre-IPO Equity Packages

Competitive equity compensation providing significant upside potential as a well-funded startup approaching IPO. Meaningful wealth-building opportunity for senior engineers.

Entrepreneurial and Collaborative Culture

Encouraged to push limits and take calculated risks. Open communication channels with management and company leadership. Small, dynamic teams that create outsized impact and influence on company direction.

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Hopper

Hopper

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Hopper is a travel booking app and online marketplace, leveraging data-driven technology to predict prices and help users book hotels, flights, and car rentals at the best rates.

Montreal, QC, CanadaFounded 2006hopper.com

Tech Stack

Languages
ScalaTypeScriptPython
Frameworks
AkkaReactPlay Framework
Databases
Google Cloud Datastore / FirestorePostgreSQL / Cloud SQLBigQuery
Tools
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)LLM and AI Orchestration ToolsGit and Version ControlKubernetes
Other
Microservices ArchitectureMessage Queues and Event StreamingDevOps and ObservabilityAI-Driven Development Practices
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