Backend Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA
Backend Engineer jobs in Seattle, Washington are concentrated in South Lake Union, Capitol Hill, and the Eastside corridor, across cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and e-commerce platforms. Employers hiring right now include TikTok, Rippling, and OpenAI. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 63+ Backend Engineer jobs
DESCRIPTION
We are building a new opinionated backend platform within AWS that unifies database, authentication and other functions into a single, cohesive developer experience. Our mission is to remove the undifferentiated heavy lifting of standing up a production backend. This is a greenfield opportunity to define how the next wave of AI-native applications are built on AWS.
Key job responsibilities
- Control Plane Architecture: Design and build the scalable, multi-tenant control plane that orchestrates provisioning, lifecycle management, and configuration of backend resources across regions.
- Database & Storage Services: Architect and implement managed relational database capabilities, including schema management, migrations, row-level security, and real-time change data capture on top ofexisting databases engines.
- Authentication & Authorization: Build production-grade identity and access management services including OAuth/OIDC flows, social login, JWT management, row-level security policies, and multi-tenant isolation.
- AI-Native Developer Experience: Define how AI coding assistants, autonomous agents, and MCP-based toolchains interact with the platform: building SDKs, CLI tools, and introspection endpoints optimized for agentic workflows.
- Technical Leadership: Lead multi-engineer projects, drive design reviews, mentor engineers, and influence the team's technical roadmap.
A day in the life
No two days look identical on our team, but here is a representative one. We are early on the design and build phase so you might one day be leading a design-review document walk-through for a proposed change where half the attendees are other senior SDEs and a principal engineer. After lunch you sit down to write the code with your agent of choice and review changes and ship it by end of day, either in TypeScript or Rust.
About the team
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply.
Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating, that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
We use AI agents to build Harbor. AI coding agents are first-class members of our engineering workflow: they write first drafts of code, generate test suites, produce design-doc outlines, triage operational issues, and draft runbooks and are exploring how to leverage them more.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
- Experience building complex software systems that have been successfully delivered to customers
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 7+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
We are building a new opinionated backend platform within AWS that unifies database, authentication and other functions into a single, cohesive developer experience. Our mission is to remove the undifferentiated heavy lifting of standing up a production backend. This is a greenfield opportunity to define how the next wave of AI-native applications are built on AWS.
Key job responsibilities
- Control Plane Architecture: Design and build the scalable, multi-tenant control plane that orchestrates provisioning, lifecycle management, and configuration of backend resources across regions.
- Database & Storage Services: Architect and implement managed relational database capabilities, including schema management, migrations, row-level security, and real-time change data capture on top ofexisting databases engines.
- Authentication & Authorization: Build production-grade identity and access management services including OAuth/OIDC flows, social login, JWT management, row-level security policies, and multi-tenant isolation.
- AI-Native Developer Experience: Define how AI coding assistants, autonomous agents, and MCP-based toolchains interact with the platform: building SDKs, CLI tools, and introspection endpoints optimized for agentic workflows.
- Technical Leadership: Lead multi-engineer projects, drive design reviews, mentor engineers, and influence the team's technical roadmap.
A day in the life
No two days look identical on our team, but here is a representative one. We are early on the design and build phase so you might one day be leading a design-review document walk-through for a proposed change where half the attendees are other senior SDEs and a principal engineer. After lunch you sit down to write the code with your agent of choice and review changes and ship it by end of day, either in TypeScript or Rust.
About the team
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply.
Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating, that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
We use AI agents to build Harbor. AI coding agents are first-class members of our engineering workflow: they write first drafts of code, generate test suites, produce design-doc outlines, triage operational issues, and draft runbooks and are exploring how to leverage them more.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
- Experience building complex software systems that have been successfully delivered to customers
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 7+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
See All 63 Backend Engineer Jobs in Seattle
Find roles in Seattle that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Backend Engineer JobsBackend Engineer Job Market in Seattle
Who's Hiring
- TikTok13
- Rippling13
- OpenAI2
- Socure2
- Read AI2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software21
- Science & Research3
- Social Media2
- Media & Entertainment2
- Banking & Financial Services2
Backend Engineer Jobs in Seattle: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a backend engineer job in Seattle?
Focus your search on South Lake Union and the Eastside corridor, where cloud, enterprise software, and consumer tech employers cluster most heavily. Seattle's market rewards depth in distributed systems, API design, and cloud-native development on AWS or Azure. Tailoring your portfolio to production-scale systems and contributing to open-source projects signals the kind of hands-on experience Seattle hiring teams prioritize.
Which companies hire backend engineers in Seattle?
Seattle backend engineer roles are posted by TikTok, Rippling, and OpenAI and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Seattle's employer mix includes global tech companies, high-growth cloud startups, and fintech firms, many headquartered or with major engineering hubs in the city.
Are there remote backend engineer jobs in Seattle?
Yes, backend engineering is well-suited to remote and hybrid arrangements given its desk-based, systems-focused nature. About 59% of backend engineer openings tied to Seattle are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how broadly distributed engineering teams have become across the city's tech sector. Cloud infrastructure and API-focused roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility.
How can I get a backend engineer job in Seattle with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Seattle is targeting junior or associate engineering roles at mid-size software companies and tech-forward startups in neighborhoods like South Lake Union and Fremont, which hire early-career engineers more consistently than large enterprises. Building projects on AWS or Azure, contributing to open-source repositories, and completing a Seattle-based coding bootcamp can all strengthen an entry-level application in a competitive local market.
Which industries hire the most backend engineers in Seattle?
Most backend engineer openings in Seattle sit in Technology & Software, Science & Research, and Social Media, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Seattle's identity as a cloud computing and e-commerce hub means these sectors drive sustained, year-round demand for backend talent at all levels.
Related Jobs in Washington
See All 63 Backend Engineer Jobs in Seattle
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