Senior/Staff Backend Engineer

About the job

At Blackbird, we believe every guest should feel like a VIP the moment they walk into a restaurant. Whether it’s last-minute tables, welcome drinks, off-menu items, or exclusive perks, we’re building a platform that helps restaurants identify, connect with, and reward their guests in meaningful and personalized ways.

Our vision: the more you check in at your favorite spots, the more you unlock — from unique rewards to seamless direct messaging for reservations. With each visit, you’ll earn $FLY, our universal rewards currency, which you can use across our network of outstanding restaurants.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain core backend APIs
• Collaborate with product, design, and engineering peers to deliver features aligned with business goals
• Contribute to system architecture and implement scalable, robust solutions
• Uphold and promote backend best practices, with a focus on code quality, testing, and performance
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and foster a collaborative, growth-oriented team culture
• Participate in product and design discussions, offering backend perspectives on implementation and feasibility

• 5+ years of experience building and deploying backend APIs
• Strong proficiency in Kotlin or another statically typed JVM language
• Deep experience designing and maintaining RESTful APIs using domain-driven design principles
• Solid understanding of SQL databases, including schema design and performance tuning
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality user experiences
• Ability to work autonomously and make sound decisions in a fast-moving environment
• Experience mentoring engineers and contributing positively to team culture
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with product, design, and other stakeholders