Software Engineer - Backend Platform

Meet the Team:

As the Backend Platform and Support team, we focus on building and managing the internal platforms and core technology that drive the Rover application. Our responsibilities include maintaining Rover’s datastores, specifically AWS RDS (MySQL and PostgreSQL), while also supporting shared Django code and observability tools like Sentry, Datadog, and Splunk. Through these efforts, we empower our engineering teams to deliver a robust, stable, and reliable experience for both owners and sitters. The Backend Platform team operates as part of the broader Platform Engineering division.

What We Are Looking for:

Rover.com is looking for a skilled Software Engineer to join our team in Barcelona, with a core focus on datastores. In this role, you will collaborate closely with our lead Database Engineer to manage Rover's databases, oversee database operations, and execute critical upgrades. Your responsibilities will include ensuring the performance and stability of our PostgreSQL and MySQL environments while building self-service automation tools. Additionally, you will spearhead cross-team initiatives with product teams to enhance datastore scalability and reliability, and partner with developers across the organization to review migrations and optimize database performance. We are looking for a developer who is passionate about datastores and invested in improving the reliability and scalability of our databases!

This is a hybrid position that has the minimum expectation to work out of our Barcelona Office in the Poblenou neighborhood two days per week on Mondays and Thursdays. For this reason, candidates must be based in Barcelona or willing to relocate.

Some of Our Key Investments:

• Manage core database operations, including user access, instance scaling, and performance tuning
• Design and test backup strategies to ensure we can restore data quickly with almost no downtime
• Lead major and minor database upgrades
• Manage compliance requirements
• Identify and lead initiatives to improve stability, scalability and performance of Rover’s web app
• Collaborate with developers on schema migrations and query tuning
• Use Datadog/Cloudwatch to monitor system health and set up alerting
• Participate in on-call rotations to provide 24/7 support for critical systems
• Troubleshoot complex production issues and perform root cause analysis and resolution
• Build and maintain self-service tools, such as our Automated Data Model Change approval tooling.
• Design Terraform for management of RDS infrastructure and deployment
• Develop automation scripts using Python to assist in Django migration issues and model tuning

Your Qualifications and Skillset:

• Computer Science or equivalent background
• 3+ years as a Fullstack or Backend Engineer (preferably in Django/Python)
• Solid knowledge and understanding of databases, schema design and database fundamentals (MySQL/PostgreSQL/AWS RDS)
• Experience using and managing AWS products, with a focus on operating, maintaining, and diagnosing issues within production environments
• Proficiency with infrastructure as code (eg: Terraform or CDK)
• Familiarity with monitoring tools like Datadog/Cloudwatch or ELK stack

Our Style:

• We are proud to be professional software developers building high quality, scalable and supportable solutions.
• We are curious and passionate about learning, providing the right environment and resources for professional growth.
• We are committed to building, fostering and maintaining a culture of inclusivity and diversity both on our teams and in our products.
• We embrace progressive engineering practices including automated testing and a continuous deployment pipeline.
• We are serious about the quality of our production operation, and have thorough system, application and user interaction monitoring and anomaly detection.
• We are passionate about data-driven decision-making.
• We are friendly, supportive and respectful, and we pay attention to the impact and quality of our work as well as keeping work/life balance.
• And, dogs in the office. Bring yours, too!

Benefits of Working at Rover.com:

• Long-term incentive plan with a company performance-based cash payout
• Pension plan
• Private medical insurance
• 25 days PTO
• Meal allowance and flexible compensation plan (transport and nursery)
• Gym membership
• €450 to cover the costs associated with the adoption of a pet
• Annual €150 wellness reimbursement
• Flexible work hours, sometimes you'll need to be in at certain times, but on the whole, we're pretty flexible when it comes to managing workload and time
• Grab snacks, fresh fruit, in our kitchen to keep yourself going
• Regular team activities, events, game nights, and more
• Dog-friendly office

Compensation:

• In the greater Barcelona area the first-year salary range is €62,722 - €76,027. Additionally, Rover offers a long-term incentive plan with a company performance-based cash payout and benefits to full-time employees.
• The cash compensation offered for this role will be dependent on the candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, and abilities as demonstrated in the interview and hiring process.