Who you are

• Zynga is seeking a Backend Engineer in the Austin, San Mateo, or Toronto areas, with a specific focus on candidates who have a level of experience equivalent to that of a Senior Software Engineer
• We are seeking a self-driven and motivated engineer who is a strong communicator, works well as a team player, and performs effectively under pressure from tight deadlines
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in Backend development, with expertise in at least one of the server-side languages such as Ruby on Rails, C#.NET, Node.js, Python, or Java
• Solid foundation in data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented software design
• Experience with database systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL)
• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Expertise in caching frameworks (e.g., Redis, Memcached)
• Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software design principles
• Proficient with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)
• Expertise with CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with performance monitoring tools
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Experience with Agile development methodologies
• Understanding of mobile concepts such as UI, networking, threading, and storage
• Flexibility to adapt to evolving requirements and new technology changes
• Works well in dynamic and agile teams
• Interest in latest mobile trends and passionate about games :)
• Experience and strong skills with database technologies like MySQL, and experience working with applications/services running in AWS
• Contributions to open-source projects
• Experience leading small technical projects

What the job involves

• We have a well-rounded and tight-knit team, distributed across various locations, with a healthy mix of engineering skill levels, and we are looking to strengthen our team
• The candidate will have the opportunity to work on user-facing features (including UI/UX), core gameplay functionality, various systems, and generally solve challenging problems for high-profile mobile games
• On the backend, our servers and APIs support the mobile games that tens of millions of users enjoy every day
• We support some of the world's largest mobile games on some of the world's largest infrastructures
• Our servers and APIs help the mobile games that tens of millions of users enjoy every day, including Words With Friends
• As a Backend Engineer, you'll develop and architect critical game components and systems that directly relate to the success of our games
• Our mission is to “Connect the World through Games” by building a truly social experience that makes the world a better place. To be successful in this role, you will have a passion for games, a high level of integrity, great technical depth and skills, and a strong desire to build successful software
• Define, architect, develop & maintain features and gameplay functionality in RoR, C# on the backend
• Support live-ops and deployments on a rotational basis
• Develop robust and scalable APIs and server-side logic using languages such as C# or Ruby on Rails
• Design and implement database schemas and manage data storage solutions (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL)
• Deploy and maintain applications on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Write unit and integration tests to ensure code quality and perform thorough debugging
• Participate in code reviews to ensure code quality and share knowledge with other team members
• Proactively optimize code & memory for high-performance simulations with tight constraints
• Develop & integrate new technologies and tools (working with content teams)
• Work closely with product managers, designers, and other engineers to understand requirements and deliver solutions
• Create and maintain clear and concise technical documentation
• Identify and address performance bottlenecks in both front-end and back-end systems
• Mentor junior engineers and guide best practices and technical solutions
• Participate in technical design discussions and contribute to architectural decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve the team's development processes and workflows

Benefits

• COMPENSATION - Performance bonuses, opportunities for equity participation & retirement/pension savings support
• HEALTH - Medical, dental & vision covered for employees, with participation for employees eligible dependents, plus disability and life insurance program
• FAMILY - Generous parental leave for birth parents, partners and adoptive families, plus Infertility support, emergency child care and flexible time-off policies
• WELLNESS - Gym benefits, wellness programs, employee assistance programs and generous time-off policies
• FOOD - Food and snacks made in-house or delivered, healthy snack kitchens with drinks and treats, coffee bars, regular social gatherings and happy hours
• WORK & LIFE - Flexible time-off policies (DTO), office rest areas, gaming spaces, employee discounts and more
• TRANSIT BENEFITS - Shuttle service in select locations, commuter/parking benefits, secure bicycle storage, business travel assistance
• RESOURCE GROUPS - Women at Zynga (WAZ), zCares charitable giving, zParents, zEndurance adventure club, BZU, zPride LGBTQ+ inclusion and belonging