Backend Engineer Jobs in Washington
Backend Engineer jobs in Washington are among the most active in the country, concentrated in cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, and enterprise software, with demand running from junior engineers through principal-level architects. Seattle anchors most of the hiring, supported by strong activity in Bellevue and Redmond, where Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing all maintain large engineering operations. The most sought-after specialties in Washington are cloud-native API development, microservices architecture, and high-throughput data pipelines. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 68+ Backend Engineer jobs
Are you ready to make a significant impact on how one of the world's largest analytics organizations moves, serves, and governs its data? If you are passionate about building high-performance, reliable platform services at internet scale, we would love for you to apply! The Apple Services Data Science & Analytics organization drives decisions that improve the customer experience, accelerate growth, and uncover new business opportunities while respecting user privacy and adhering to regulatory policy. We work on some of the largest e-commerce and media streaming businesses in the world and have an incredible team collaborating on the best ways to improve these services for our customers! Our culture is built on rapid iteration, open debate, and independent thinking — we take calculated risks and work as analytical advisors across product, design, engineering, marketing, editorial, legal, and business teams.
Description
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Services Data Science & Analytics Platform Engineering team, you will design, build, and operate the backend services that form the foundation of DS&A's data platform. This is high-stakes infrastructure work: every downstream consumer in DS&A and Services broadly depends on what you build. A great fit for this role is someone who thinks deeply about distributed systems, obsesses over reliability and performance, and takes pride in building platform primitives that other engineers love to build on.
Minimum Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience building and operating high-performance, production-grade backend API services
- Expert proficiency in Python or Node.js/TypeScript — including async programming, type safety, and framework-level development (FastAPI, Express, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated experience designing and operating distributed systems with strict reliability and latency SLAs
- Strong proficiency with API design and service-to-service communication patterns (REST, gRPC, GraphQL, or equivalent)
- Hands-on experience with multi-layer caching architectures (in-process, Redis, or similar) and cache invalidation strategies
- Proficiency with Kubernetes, deployment, HPA, StatefulSets, namespace management
- BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience building systems that integrate with distributed and high-performance data stores — Snowflake, Trino, Spark, PostgreSQL, or equivalent
- Observability practice, Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry, or equivalent
- Experience building data catalog, metadata, or lineage systems
- Familiarity with Apache Iceberg or other open table formats
- Experience with CI/CD pipeline design and enforcement gates in large engineering organizations
- Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure or experience integrating LLM-powered capabilities into platform services
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $175,000 and $308,500, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace
Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
Are you ready to make a significant impact on how one of the world's largest analytics organizations moves, serves, and governs its data? If you are passionate about building high-performance, reliable platform services at internet scale, we would love for you to apply! The Apple Services Data Science & Analytics organization drives decisions that improve the customer experience, accelerate growth, and uncover new business opportunities while respecting user privacy and adhering to regulatory policy. We work on some of the largest e-commerce and media streaming businesses in the world and have an incredible team collaborating on the best ways to improve these services for our customers! Our culture is built on rapid iteration, open debate, and independent thinking — we take calculated risks and work as analytical advisors across product, design, engineering, marketing, editorial, legal, and business teams.
Description
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Services Data Science & Analytics Platform Engineering team, you will design, build, and operate the backend services that form the foundation of DS&A's data platform. This is high-stakes infrastructure work: every downstream consumer in DS&A and Services broadly depends on what you build. A great fit for this role is someone who thinks deeply about distributed systems, obsesses over reliability and performance, and takes pride in building platform primitives that other engineers love to build on.
Minimum Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience building and operating high-performance, production-grade backend API services
- Expert proficiency in Python or Node.js/TypeScript — including async programming, type safety, and framework-level development (FastAPI, Express, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated experience designing and operating distributed systems with strict reliability and latency SLAs
- Strong proficiency with API design and service-to-service communication patterns (REST, gRPC, GraphQL, or equivalent)
- Hands-on experience with multi-layer caching architectures (in-process, Redis, or similar) and cache invalidation strategies
- Proficiency with Kubernetes, deployment, HPA, StatefulSets, namespace management
- BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience building systems that integrate with distributed and high-performance data stores — Snowflake, Trino, Spark, PostgreSQL, or equivalent
- Observability practice, Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry, or equivalent
- Experience building data catalog, metadata, or lineage systems
- Familiarity with Apache Iceberg or other open table formats
- Experience with CI/CD pipeline design and enforcement gates in large engineering organizations
- Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure or experience integrating LLM-powered capabilities into platform services
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $175,000 and $308,500, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace
Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
See All 68 Backend Engineer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Backend Engineer JobsBackend Engineer Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Backend Engineer Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- TikTok13
- Rippling13
- Coupang4
- Socure3
- Databricks3
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software18
- Fintech2
- Social Media2
- Media & Entertainment2
- Banking & Financial Services2
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in backend engineer jobs across Washington.
- Proficiency in at least one backend language such as Java, Python, Go, or C++
- Experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs or GraphQL services
- Demonstrated knowledge of cloud platforms, especially AWS or Azure
- Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools including Docker and Kubernetes
- Understanding of relational and NoSQL databases, query optimization, and data modeling
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field
Backend Engineer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a backend engineer in Washington?
Backend engineering has no state-issued license in Washington, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skill. Most employers expect at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field, though Washington's large tech employers also evaluate candidates through portfolio work, open-source contributions, and coding assessments. Bootcamp graduates who can show production-quality projects have found entry points at mid-size Seattle and Bellevue software companies.
How much do backend engineers make in Washington?
Backend engineers in Washington earn a median of about $166,540 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $96,810 for the lowest 10% to over $255,350 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire backend engineers in Washington?
Employers hiring backend engineers in Washington right now include TikTok, Rippling, and Coupang, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's concentration of cloud, e-commerce, and aerospace technology companies makes it one of the most consistent states for backend engineering demand year-round.
Which Washington cities have the most backend engineer jobs?
Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond lead Washington for backend engineer openings. Seattle drives the volume through its dense cluster of cloud, software, and startup employers, while Bellevue and Redmond reflect the large campuses that Amazon and Microsoft operate in the eastside corridor, pulling significant backend hiring out of the city core.
Are there remote backend engineer jobs in Washington?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 60% of backend engineer openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how thoroughly this role can be performed without a fixed office. Infrastructure, API, and platform engineering work, in particular, tends to be the most location-flexible, especially at companies that already operate distributed engineering teams.
How can I get hired as a backend engineer in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an associate or new-graduate software engineer role at one of Washington's large technology employers. Amazon, Microsoft, and Expedia all run structured new-grad programs that accept candidates with internship experience or strong academic projects in place of full-time history. Moving laterally from a QA automation or DevOps support role is another door, since those positions share tooling and codebase familiarity with backend teams. A GitHub portfolio demonstrating a deployed API or service significantly strengthens any application.
Where can I find and apply to backend engineer jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to backend engineer jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings across the state's major hiring metros. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly.
See All 68 Backend Engineer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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