FUTURE OPENING - Senior Backend Engineer

SignWow is a Deaf-led accessibility technology company dedicated to bridging communication gaps between Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing communities.

Our mission is to bridge communication gaps and expand access, inclusion, and advocacy across the United States by delivering exceptional remote and on-demand sign language interpreting and Deaf-led communication access solutions powered by modern technology.

Our vision is a future where Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing individuals communicate effortlessly through inclusive sign language services, next-generation platforms, and a nationwide ecosystem that supports accessibility in workplaces, healthcare, education, government, and communities.

SignWow provides communication solutions including Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), scheduled interpreting services, accessibility technology, community training, and advocacy-driven support services.

Job Title: Senior Backend Engineer
Salary: $130 - £225k
Location: Remote, USA
Reports to: Chief Technology Officer

Closing Date: N/A

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Role Overview

The Senior Backend Engineer will lead a core backend domain and manage it end to end. This is an ownership role, not an extra-pair-of-hands position. As SignWow expands across regions, the backend scope will grow to include provisioning, call record handling, reporting, and the integrations that connect these systems. The Senior Backend Engineer will lead one of these domains, shape its architecture, and deliver it into production.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a core backend domain end to end, such as provisioning, call-record and reporting pipelines, or integrations
• Build services and APIs with clean, well-tested, well-documented code.
• Design data models for call records, reporting, and cross-region reconciliation.
• Develop integrations across identity, telephony, emergency services, and reporting feeds.
• Improve performance, scale, and reliability of the services assigned to you.
• Deliver region-aware backend features as SignWow expands into new markets.
• Contribute to code reviews, testing, design documentation, and the on-call rotation.
• Work in a small team with a short path from idea to production, where your work reaches real users quickly.

Skills & Experience Required - Essential

• Senior backend experience with a strong portfolio.
• Proficiency in TypeScript / Node, or a comparable backend language.
• Strong PostgreSQL and relational data modeling.
• Solid API design and a working understanding of distributed systems.
• Experience with queues and event-driven services.
• Strong AWS or comparable cloud experience, plus containers and CI/CD.
• Uses AI tools to work faster while retaining responsibility for design, architecture, and judgment calls.
• Self-directed and comfortable carrying a problem end to end in a fast-moving team.

Skills & Experience Required - Desirable

• Real-time, WebRTC, or telephony exposure.
• High-volume or low-latency systems.
• Multi-region or multi-tenant data.
• Exposure to native mobile, such as Swift or Kotlin, is a plus.
• American Sign Language (ASL) knowledge is a strong plus.

Our Stack

• PostgreSQL, Redis, websocket, and event-driven services.
• TypeScript/ Node.
• WebRTC-based real-time media.
• Cloud infrastructure, containers, infrastructure-as-code, and CI/CD.
• Async-first workflow with GitHub, Linear, Slack, and Notion.

What We Offer

• Lead a real domain, not a backlog queue.
• Real responsibility and direct work with the founders, without management layers.
• We use AI to move faster, not to think for us. You bring the design judgment and architectural decisions; AI helps you execute.
• Flexible, results-focused remote work.
• Join a Deaf-led company making everyday communication more accessible.

The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $130,000 to $225,000. The final base salary will be determined based on the selected candidate’s relevant experience, technical depth, specialized expertise, qualifications, and expected scope of responsibility, as well as internal compensation considerations.

This is a full-time, exempt position. The role may require flexibility to support urgent service requests and changing scheduling needs.

This position is primarily remote and open to candidates residing in U.S. states in which SignWow is authorized to employ personnel. Occasional travel or in-person meetings may be required. This role is also eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, paid holidays, a 401(k), and other company-sponsored benefits.

Employment in this position may be contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and any additional screening required for work involving regulated telecommunications services or public-sector clients, including work performed in connection with SignWow Global operations.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SignWow is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The company is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, medical history, skin colour, marital status, genetic information or parental status. We base all our employment decisions on merit, job requirements and business needs.