Explore Back-End Software Engineer Jobs

Find back-end software engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more on Ladders. These roles focus on the server-side systems that power websites, mobile apps, and digital services—from APIs and databases to cloud infrastructure and distributed applications. Browse opportunities with vetted employers seeking experienced engineers to build reliable, secure, and scalable software.

What Back-End Software Engineers Do

Back-end engineers design, develop, test, and maintain the services and infrastructure that applications depend on. Their work can include building APIs, modeling and managing data, improving system performance, integrating third-party services, and troubleshooting production issues. They often collaborate with front-end engineers, product managers, designers, security teams, and site reliability engineers to deliver complete products.

Common Skills and Technologies

Employers commonly seek experience with languages such as Java, Python, Go, C#, JavaScript, or Ruby, along with frameworks and tools suited to their technology stack. Many positions also call for knowledge of SQL or NoSQL databases, API design, cloud platforms, containers, CI/CD, automated testing, system design, and secure coding practices. The right mix varies by company, product, and level of responsibility.

Career Paths and Seniority

Back-end software engineers can grow into senior, staff, or principal engineering roles, or move toward technical leadership and architecture. Some specialize in areas such as distributed systems, data infrastructure, cloud engineering, developer platforms, or application security. Job titles and expectations differ between employers, so review each listing for scope, required experience, and opportunities for growth.

Find Back-End Engineer Roles on Ladders

Use Ladders to explore vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more. Compare role responsibilities, technologies, experience requirements, and compensation details to identify positions that match your skills and career goals. New listings and employer needs vary, so check back regularly for current opportunities.

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$130K - $200K *

Join a team that's developing innovative software solutions for ground networks. You'll design and operate distributed services, ensuring reliability and scalability while collaborating across enginee...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$120K - $145K *

Join a mission-driven team to shape the future of healthcare technology by leveraging your expertise in AWS, DevOps, and modern software development. Collaborate in a fully remote environment to drive...

Chicago, ILRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$120K - $145K *

Optimize high-throughput, low-latency C++ systems that deliver financial data solutions. Contribute to scalable architectures and efficient pipelines, influencing data processing for global clients an...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$160K - $240K *

Join us to lead the design and development of a cutting-edge Data Services platform. Leverage your expertise in data governance and software engineering to drive architecture, enhance data management...

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$210K - $250K *

Contribute to the development of software interfaces for automated manufacturing systems, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance production capabilities and drive innovation in a multi-f...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$130K - $280K *

Empower engineering teams by enhancing developer tools and workflows, ensuring reliable CI/CD processes and automated environments that streamline code development, testing, and deployment for optimal...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$120K - $145K *

Optimize your skills as a Software Developer, leveraging 11+ years of experience in cloud services, infrastructure automation, and agile methodologies to drive innovation and enhance team collaboratio...

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$108K - $130K *

Transform your career as a Senior Software Developer, leading the management and automation of critical applications. Leverage your extensive scripting and development skills to enhance operational ef...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Elevate your career by leading development in innovative software solutions. Collaborate with teams to design and implement applications across diverse cloud environments, driving efficiency and moder...

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by leading the modernization of legacy applications using cutting-edge technologies. Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance scalability, security, and user experience in a dynamic...

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$230K - $270K *

Empower innovation as you lead technical initiatives for multi-tenant platforms, guiding architecture and implementation while collaborating across teams to enhance partner capabilities and ensure ser...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$128K - $216K *

Join a team that's transforming financial services technology by leading the design and development of high-quality software applications. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$232K - $258K *

Transform your career by driving reliability and efficiency in software systems. Collaborate across teams to build innovative tools that enhance performance and scalability for millions of users globa...

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$405K - $485K *

Develop robust internal tools to enhance AI safety and oversight. Collaborate across teams to monitor model behaviors, prevent misuse, and ensure user well-being while upholding principles of transpar...

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$405K - $485K *

Empower innovation by developing robust tools for AI safety and oversight. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance user well-being and prevent misuse, ensuring transparency and adherence to...

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Develop engaging features and user flows for a high-volume trading platform. Collaborate with designers and stakeholders to enhance user experience and product functionality as the team scales. Your r...

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$120K - $145K *

Join a team that's pioneering scalable test frameworks in Golang, driving automation for high-voltage power electronics. Lead software development, mentor engineers, and innovate test systems to enhan...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$172K - $225K *

Lead the charge in developing innovative fullstack solutions, guiding technical direction, and enhancing team capabilities. Collaborate across functions to deliver robust, scalable products while ment...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$165K - $273K *

Optimize backend systems by designing and deploying scalable, high-performance infrastructure for model inference, ensuring reliability and efficiency in a high-demand environment...

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$165K - $273K *

Drive the design and operation of distributed systems for high-performance, low-latency backend services, ensuring scalability and reliability for billions of daily requests in a dynamic production en...

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $140K *

Elevate your career by shaping the technical direction of backend systems across multiple domains. Collaborate with diverse teams to drive architectural decisions, enhance product workflows, and mento...

Toronto, ONIn-Person

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$300K - $500K *

Lead the development of high-performance, interactive trading web apps. Drive innovation and optimize user experience while collaborating with founders and engineers to shape the future of trading tec...

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$300K - $500K *

Champion innovation by architecting and developing high-performance, real-time trading web apps. Leverage your expertise to enhance user experience and drive product evolution in a dynamic, collaborat...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $275K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of software engineering by designing and implementing innovative solutions. Collaborate with talented engineers to deliver high-quality software while leveraging...

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$116K - $173K *

Innovate within the Software Development Lifecycle, collaborating with peers to implement solutions, make technical decisions, and contribute to code reviews while adhering to established standards an...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a back-end software engineer do?question toggle

    A back-end software engineer builds and maintains the server-side services behind digital products, including APIs, databases, business logic, and integrations. They also help ensure systems are reliable, secure, and able to scale.

  • What skills are commonly required for back-end software engineer jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary, but often include proficiency in one or more programming languages, database experience, API development, testing, system design, and familiarity with cloud platforms or distributed systems. Check each job listing for its specific stack and qualifications.

  • What is the difference between a back-end and a front-end software engineer?question toggle

    Back-end engineers typically work on server-side logic, data, and services, while front-end engineers build the user-facing parts of websites and applications. The two roles collaborate to deliver a complete product.

  • Do back-end software engineer jobs on Ladders pay $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more. Compensation and eligibility details vary by listing, so review the individual job posting for current information.

  • What career paths are available for back-end software engineers?question toggle

    Experienced engineers may advance to senior, staff, or principal roles, pursue technical leadership or architecture, or specialize in fields such as cloud platforms, distributed systems, data infrastructure, or security.