Senior Software Engineer - API Development

Ride with GPS (Headquarters: Remote)

Location: Remote   |   Full-Time
Rails API Performance Optimization Developer Tooling Database Design Query Optimization DevOps AI Tools Back End Engineer
We are looking for an experienced backend engineer to join our small and effective team with a focus on our APIs and supporting our platform at scale. This role requires a depth of experience supporting a large API surface area with efficient, well-organized code, and excitement about maintaining and improving performance over time.

Key Responsibilities:
* Designing and building efficient, well-organized code for large API surface areas
* Optimizing system performance and addressing scaling challenges
* Using developer tooling, database design, query optimization, and DevOps workflows
* Designing and implementing efficient database schemas and clean APIs
* Optimizing system performance and addressing scaling challenges
* Working with AI tools to enhance development processes
* Designing and implementing "secure by default" network systems in collaboration with security teams
* Act as a key stakeholder by engaging with customers and internal teams

Required Skills:
* Proven experience supporting large API surface areas with efficient, well-organized code
* A track record in performance optimization (code, database) and addressing scaling challenges
* Regular user of AI tools with a nuanced understanding of when they can help
* Strong understanding of deployment technologies (Linux, containers, databases, CI, etc.)
* Experience with database design, query optimization, and DevOps workflows
* Familiarity with backend frameworks like Rails
* Proven ability to design efficient database schemas and clean APIs
* Experience optimizing system performance and addressing scaling challenges
* Deep expertise in API design and system architecture

About Ride with GPS:
At Ride with GPS, we are a profitable and growing mission-driven business dedicated to helping cyclists go on better rides, more often. We combine engineering skills, cycling passion, and modern development tools to deliver high-quality work fast. Our remote-first workplace allows team members across North America to collaborate effectively, with opportunities for in-person meetings twice a year.

The Role:
As a Senior Software Engineer, you will play a key role in driving the technical strategy and execution for our platform. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and implement features that enhance our users' experience. This role offers the opportunity to work on a variety of technologies, including core APIs built with Rails, RESTful versioned APIs, MariaDB, ElasticSearch, Redis, ClickHouse, and Kubernetes on our own hardware. You will also have the chance to work on data processing pipelines for map-related data using technologies like Graphhopper, Planetiler, and Pelias.

We need a proven problem solver who can design efficient database schemas, create clean APIs, and collaborate both internally and externally. We succeed because we can build faster and better than larger companies. This works because we take ownership, we don't wait for someone to tell us what to do, and we align with each other on values and mission, allowing for independent thinking.

Benefits:
We offer a competitive salary, health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k with a 10% match, and additional perks like a one-time new bicycle stipend and an annual bike supply budget. We strongly believe in testing our own software and are happy to help defray cycling costs.

Apply Now:
If you're excited by the opportunity to build scalable and reliable systems that serve millions of users worldwide, we want to hear from you. Please apply through our careers page and include a paragraph about your relationship to cycling or the outdoors.
Post Date: July 2, 2025