Backend Services Developer

Montreal, QC

Backend services make the world go ‘round. Transit is no different: beneath the glossy sheen of our user interface, cloud-based services are churning away, keeping track of endless data points and ferrying useful bits and bytes to the user. It’s the expertly-laid waterworks that leaves our users thinking “wow! it just works!” — you’ll be the master of illusions, helping maintain the canals and aqueducts of data that keep Transit nimble.

As a backend services developer, you’ll help the Data Infrastructure team expand and improve the services that our users rely on. Handling location updates that improve the accuracy of real-time bus and train positions? Collating/sending notifications about real-time trip updates, service alerts, app updates, and more? Fun stuff, like emoji management for Transit profiles (and being the token-touting gamemaster for GO crowdsourcing points)? Scaling up these services so they can handle our ever-increasing family of users? Yes, yes, yes, say yes to me, yes!

Most of our services are implemented in Typescript running on Google Cloud’s Kubernetes Engine or Cloud Run, aka you’ll be working with a modern deployment environment — one we’re constantly refining and improving.

Worried you’re too “junior” for this position? Don’t sweat it. Whether you’re a pro or just starting out, our Data Infrastructure team is a well-oiled machine that welcomes talented software developers of all experience levels aboard the boiler room of the SS Transit!

📝 Responsibilities

• Expand and rebuild the backend services we need to help Transit grow
• Help us scale existing services to meet the demands of a growing userbase
• Work with infrastructure developers to make sure that our software works optimally within the configuration of Transit’s existing (and always-improving) infrastructure

✅ Requirements

• Fluent in one or more mainstream programming languages, and you’re ready to take on plenty of head-scratchin’ software development challenges
• You’ve got a principled approach to software development (balanced with an appreciation for practical solutions)
• Conversational skills in English (and ideally, français)

💯 Would be nice if…

• You’re passionate about urbanism and transit!
• You’re on a first-name basis with all the usual suspects in the backend ecosystem (API servers, databases, CDNs, etc.)
• You have experience with Google Cloud Platform’s buffet of managed services
• You’re well-versed in the Node.js ecosystem
• You’ve had some experience with front-end frameworks, too

Don’t feel like all the requirements apply to you but you still think you’d be a great fit for Transit? Don’t hesitate to apply!

💰 Compensation and benefits

$70,000 – $95,000 per year, based on experience

• Stock options
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 5 weeks vacation
• Apple laptop and equipment
• $1,500 annual mobility allowance. STM? BIXI? Uber? E-bike? Scooter? Going car-free is free at Transit.
• A training and development budget
• Generous maternal/paternal/parental leave policy. Gotta fill out our tandem bicycles somehow!
• Flexible work hours
• Spend your days surrounded by first-rate teammates and the best view of Montreal and/or [insert exotic Zoom background]
• When you’re in the office: you’ll be in urbanist heaven, surrounded by Mile End’s urban gardens, bike paths, BIXI docks, bus stops, a metro station, and limitless restaurants… cafés… bars… concert halls… bagel boutiques…
• Communal lunch-and-learn with free food in the office each week

👨‍💻 A note on diversity

Public transit is used by overwhelmingly more women and people of colour than other modes of transportation. We try to make sure the diversity of our users is reflected in the team that serves them. Because when we include people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, ages, and identities — we end up building a better app for everyone who uses Transit.

We encourage candidates of all ages, genders, origins and orientations to apply. If you’d like to specify which pronouns you’d like to be referred to, feel free to include that in your application email.

And if your lived experience has given you a unique perspective on all things transportation, mobility, accessibility, urbanism? Let us know, and we’ll make sure your application gets the attention it merits.

📬 How to apply

Transit is a “let me teach you how to do that” kind of work environment. And we’re excited to have you join it. Ready to apply? Shoot us an email at jobs+backend@transitapp.com with a CV, quick summary of who you are and why you’re interested in working at Transit, a link to your GitHub, and some projects you’re proud to have worked on. We look forward to meeting you!

PS: When you apply, let us know how you heard about the position! Whispers, grapevines, middle-of-the-night Google searches? We’re dying to know.