Lead Software Engineer - Backend

At Freshworks, we are passionate about building software that is not only functional but also fast, reliable, and exceptionally simple to use. As a Lead Backend Engineer in Chennai, India, you will be instrumental in developing the scalable backend systems that power our global products. Your role will involve driving clarity, ownership, and a keen eye for design in every aspect of your work. You will lead backend modules from inception to deployment, influence architectural decisions across multiple teams, and significantly contribute to raising the standards for performance, stability, and code quality.

We are looking for individuals who are obsessed with optimizing time and space complexity, excel at deconstructing complex challenges, and take genuine satisfaction in helping their colleagues grow. If this resonates with you, you will find a collaborative and stimulating environment at Freshworks.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop highly scalable backend services capable of reliably handling millions of transactions.
• Take full ownership of the development lifecycle, encompassing high-level design, implementation, deployment, and debugging.
• Write clean, modular, and well-tested code that prioritizes both readability and performance.
• Apply advanced Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts and design patterns to resolve complex real-world engineering challenges.
• Ensure the design and implementation of systems prioritize high availability, fault tolerance, and robust observability.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Frontend Engineering, and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), to deliver customer value rapidly.
• Lead code reviews, provide mentorship to 2-3 engineers, and champion engineering best practices throughout the team to enhance overall code quality.
• Troubleshoot performance bottlenecks in production environments and drive initiatives for long-term system stability improvements.
• Contribute to shaping the platform's future direction through participation in architectural reviews and roadmap planning sessions.

Requirements

• Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA): Demonstrated expertise in selecting optimal data structures and developing efficient, optimized code, including a strong understanding of time and space complexity trade-offs. Deep knowledge of REST APIs is essential.
• Problem Solving & Logical Analysis: Ability to articulate thought processes clearly, decompose intricate problems into manageable components, and engineer effective, well-reasoned solutions.
• Object-Oriented Design (OOD): Proficient in OOP principles, with a strong ability to design extensible code and apply SOLID principles effectively.
• System Design (High-Level Design - HLD & Low-Level Design - LLD): Proven experience in designing scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant end-to-end systems, including API design, schema definition, and data modeling.
• Familiarity with Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), caching strategies, distributed queues, and microservices architectures.
• Experience and familiarity with AI tools and technologies to enhance engineering efficiency.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Exhibits strong ownership, collaborates effectively with team members, and demonstrates potential for mentoring junior engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 6 to 8 years of hands-on experience in building and scaling backend systems within fast-paced product development environments.
• Proven ability to balance the need for rapid feature delivery with the requirements of long-term system scalability.
• A clear and concise ability to articulate technical concepts through both code and architectural diagrams.
• Experience in shipping features at scale and providing ongoing support for them in production environments.
• Enjoys working within collaborative, agile team structures and has a passion for mentoring others.

At Freshworks, we are committed to fostering a global workplace where everyone can reach their full potential, find purpose, and pursue their passions, regardless of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity. We believe that diversity enriches our work environment, driving innovation and achieving the goals of our employees, communities, and the business.