Quick Notes About This Role

1. Fully Remote: Yes, we’re a fully remote company.
2. Deep Backend Experience: We’re looking for expert-level proficiency in backend development. Think Java, C++, Spring Framework, SQL, queues/listeners, distributed systems, etc.
3. No Frontend Work: This role does not require any JavaScript, Angular, React, or other frontend frameworks.
4. Visa Sponsorship: We’re not able to sponsor visas at this time, but this role does not require you to be in the United States.
5. Work Hours: You must be able to work PST/PDT business hours.
6. Hiring Speed: We’re looking to fill this position as soon as possible!

About Us

At Off The Record (OTR), we’re on a mission to make the world more just and impartial for everyone. We believe that booking a legal service should be as easy as buying something on Amazon—whether you’re fighting a traffic ticket, adopting a child, or defending yourself against an eviction. Backed by mission-focused investors, we’re dedicated to leveling the playing field by making legal help both accessible and affordable.

As a venture-backed startup, we’re looking for passionate, talented individuals to join our small, close-knit team and help reshape the future of consumer legal services.

The Role

We’re seeking a driven, self-starting Software Development Engineer to own and enhance our backend systems. Among other technologies, you may work with some or many of the following:

• REST services
• Message queues and listeners
• Cron jobs
• Daemons that process asynchronous workloads
• AWS-based services

You’ll play a pivotal role in developing new features, our expansion into new markets and legal offerings, and in redefining how legal services are purchased and utilized. This will include, among other initiatives, automating processes and accelerating product releases.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend solutions (REST APIs, background jobs, and integrations).
• Implement best practices for automated testing, deployment, and monitoring.
• Optimize SQL queries and maintain data integrity across relational databases.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to define and execute new features that delight our customers.
• Deep dive into performance, maintainability, and extensibility challenges to drive continuous improvement.
• Act as an owner for your projects, from ideation through production release and beyond.

What We’re Looking For - Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years of experience building large-scale, high-performing backend services.
• Proficiency in a strongly typed language (Java, C++, etc.).
• Solid grasp of dependency injection and RESTful API design.
• Proven experience writing SQL and DDL (MySQL, Postgres, Oracle, Aurora, etc.) and working with high throughput production databases.
• Ability to write clean, maintainable code and to provide constructive feedback in code reviews.
• Skilled at experimenting with various approaches to loosely defined problems and iterating quickly toward the most effective solutions.

What We’re Looking For - Nice to Have

• Java 8+ expertise and familiarity with the Spring ecosystem (Spring Boot, Spring MVC, Hibernate, AOP).
• Experience with AWS services like CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CloudFront, S3, Elastic Beanstalk, Lambda, EC2, etc.
• NoSQL knowledge and relevant data modeling patterns.

Qualifications

• Fluency in English.
• Must be able to work PST/PDT hours.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Willing to accept extensive, demonstrable experience in lieu of a degree.

Who You Are (Our Ideal Candidate)

• Highly Competent & Results-Focused: Your expertise consistently delivers impactful solutions, raising the bar for the entire team.
• Ownership Mentality: You tackle issues proactively, whether or not they originated with you, and you take pride in seeing features through.
• Bold & Action-Oriented: You aren’t afraid to take calculated risks, quickly build proofs of concept, and iterate fast in a startup environment.
• Curious & Always Learning: You stay current on industry best practices and emerging technologies, then share your insights with the team.
• Passionate About Your Craft: You show up each day ready to solve problems and deliver outstanding experiences to our users.
• Thrives in Startup Culture: You embrace challenges, voice your opinions openly, and relish the chance to have a meaningful impact on our mission.

Why Join OTR?

• Fully Remote Team: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home while staying connected with our passionate and mission-driven team.
• Competitive Compensation & Benefits: We offer a salary range of $110k – $160k, comprehensive health and dental benefits, and opportunities for growth based on performance and experience.
• Make a Real Difference: Your work will help bring affordable legal services to people who need them most.
• Collaborative, Supportive Team: We foster a culture that values honesty, integrity, and open communication.
• Growth & Learning: As part of a small startup, you’ll have the opportunity to take on new challenges, wear multiple hats, and shape our product roadmap.
• Mission-Driven Environment: Feel proud of the work you do, knowing it directly contributes to creating a more just society.

Ready to shape the future of legal services?

There are as many Americans with college degrees as there are with criminal records. Let's change that. If you feel you have the necessary skills and competency and are up for the challenge, apply now!