Hike is hiring an Engineering Manager - Backend to lead a team of top-tier engineers in building scalable, high-performance backend systems for gaming experiences. In this role, you will drive technical excellence, collaborate cross-functionally, and design robust architectures and SDKs.

What You'll Do

Lead and mentor a high-performing team of backend engineers to build scalable systems that support gaming experiences.
Drive technical excellence through sound architectural reviews, high code quality standards, and hands-on problem-solving.
Represent the backend team in cross-functional forums, collaborating with product, design, live ops, and analytics teams to define and execute a clear roadmap.
Align backend development with broader organizational and product strategies, ensuring seamless integration.
Design and develop high-performance SDKs, APIs, and platform features for cross-platform gaming integration.
Evaluate and adopt modern backend frameworks and tools to boost development velocity and maintainability.
Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to advance SDK capabilities, standards, and documentation.
Leverage AI-driven tools to assist in code generation, refactoring, testing, and documentation.
Optimize backend systems for high availability, low latency, and secure performance at scale.
Drive accountability, operational rigor, and a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
Work closely with analytics and product teams to build data-rich backend systems for gameplay and user insights.
Design and implement APIs and data pipelines that power real-time and cohort-based analytics.
Build and evolve a robust backend platform and SDK architecture that supports modularity and reusability.
Ensure the SDK and platform services are well-documented, version-controlled, and easy to integrate.

What We're Looking For

8+ years of hands-on backend engineering experience, with a deep understanding of system design and scalable architecture.
Strong coding skills in Java and/or Python, with a solid foundation in data structures and algorithms.
Proven ability to architect and design large, complex systems and services.
Solid understanding of TCP/IP, UDP protocols, and underlying network principles.
Proficiency in designing REST APIs and working with both JSON and XML formats.
Experience designing robust schemas for relational databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL.
Excellent communication skills to clearly articulate timelines, provide constructive feedback, and align stakeholders.
Experience in designing and developing SDKs for seamless integration into various platforms and services.