Lead Backend Engineer

Remote from: Ukraine
Annual salary: Undisclosed
Salary information is not provided for this position. Check our Salary Directory to estimate the average compensation for similar roles.
Department: Software Engineering
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 26 May 2026
Apply before: 26 Jun 2026
Experience level: Senior
Views / Applies: 19 / 5

DraftKings aims to revolutionize how sports fans engage with their favorite teams by offering immersive entertainment experiences through daily fantasy sports and sports betting.

Mobile Games
2012

AI Summary

DraftKings is seeking a Lead Backend Engineer to architect and build scalable, real-time systems for millions of users. The role involves leading a team, writing high-performance code, and collaborating cross-functionally to align technical solutions with business goals. Candidates need 5+ years of backend experience, expertise in C# and cloud environments (AWS/GCP), and a strong track record of mentoring. The position offers an opportunity to shape product direction and drive innovation at a leading technology company. Remote work is available.

Role DNA

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

Pace & Pressure

Relaxed Fast-paced

Autonomy Level

Guided Full Ownership

Communication Load

Independent Highly Collaborative

AI Insight The role requires advanced technical skills (C#, distributed systems, cloud), leadership, and mentoring, making it challenging but not the hardest level.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The salary is not specified, but based on market data for a Lead Backend Engineer in the US, the median is around $175,000. This is competitive for a senior technical leadership role.

Key Skills

C# AWS GCP Distributed Systems Backend Architecture Mentoring Test Automation OOP Design Patterns Cloud Computing

Cover Letter Sample

I am excited to apply for the Lead Backend Engineer position at DraftKings. With over 5 years of experience building scalable distributed systems in C# and cloud environments, I have a proven track record of architecting high-performance solutions that serve millions of users. I am particularly drawn to DraftKings' commitment to innovation and AI-driven progress, and I am eager to contribute to your engineering team.

In my previous role, I led the development of real-time data processing pipelines and mentored a team of engineers, fostering a culture of code quality and continuous improvement. I am confident that my technical expertise and leadership skills align perfectly with the requirements of this role.

I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how I can help shape the future of DraftKings' platform. Thank you for your consideration.

Possible Interview Questions

Can you describe your experience architecting scalable distributed systems in the cloud?

I have designed and implemented microservices on AWS using services like ECS and Lambda, ensuring high availability and low latency. For example, I led a project that scaled to handle 10 million daily requests with 99.9% uptime.

How do you approach mentoring junior engineers?

I hold regular code reviews and pair programming sessions, focusing on best practices and design patterns. I also create learning paths tailored to each engineer's goals, helping them grow from junior to senior roles.

Describe a complex production issue you resolved. How did you triage and fix it?

We had a memory leak in a real-time service. I used profiling tools to identify the issue, implemented a fix, and added monitoring alerts. I also documented the root cause to prevent recurrence.

How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a fast-paced environment?

I enforce strict code review processes, automated testing (unit, integration, performance), and continuous integration. I also advocate for refactoring tech debt regularly to keep the codebase healthy.

Can you give an example of a time you aligned technical decisions with business strategy?

I proposed migrating from a monolithic architecture to microservices to improve scalability, which aligned with the company's growth plans. This reduced deployment time by 50% and allowed faster feature releases.

At DraftKings, AI is becoming an integral part of both our present and future, powering how work gets done today, guiding smarter decisions, and sparking bold ideas. It’s transforming how we enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and unlock new possibilities. Our teams are energized by innovation and readily embrace emerging technology. We’re not waiting for the future to arrive. We’re shaping it, one bold step at a time. To those who see AI as a driver of progress, come build the future together.

The Crown Is Yours

As a Lead Backend Engineer, you’ll lead the charge in building scalable systems that power real-time experiences for millions of customers. You’ll architect robust solutions, write high-performance code, and guide a team committed to technical excellence. Working across disciplines, you’ll align engineering execution with business strategy and elevate our enterprise platform. This is a rare opportunity to lead with impact, shape product direction, mentor talent, and drive innovation at scale.

What You’ll Do

Architect, develop, and maintain scalable and secure systems and APIs that power high-impact applications used by millions of users in a real-time, always-on environment.
Take ownership of the full development lifecycle from shaping the architecture of new features to breaking down workstreams and guiding implementation.
Lead by example, writing high-performance, well-tested code that meets our rigorous standards for reliability and scalability.
Set and enforce best practices around code quality, design patterns, testing, and system performance.
Triage, debug, and resolve complex issues in production environments, driving a culture of accountability and operational excellence.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to align technical solutions with strategic business goals.
Act as a technical mentor and coach, providing guidance and feedback that helps engineers grow and deliver their best work.
Play a critical role in shaping the team’s roadmap and technical direction while fostering a strong engineering culture grounded in ownership and continuous learning.

What You’ll Bring

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.
At least 5 years of experience in object-oriented backend development using languages such as C#, with advanced expertise in OOP principles, design patterns, and backend architecture.
Proven ability to architect, build, and scale distributed systems in Cloud environments such as AWS or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Deep experience developing and maintaining comprehensive automated test suites, including unit, integration, and performance tests, to ensure system resilience and scalability.
A strong track record of mentoring engineers, leading code and design reviews, and driving high-impact technical decisions across cross-functional teams.
A proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement, code quality, and driving engineering best practices across teams.

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Join Our Team

We’re a publicly traded (NASDAQ: DKNG) technology company headquartered in Boston. As a regulated gaming company, you may be required to obtain a gaming license issued by the appropriate state agency as a condition of employment. Don’t worry, we’ll guide you through the process if this is relevant to your role.

Apply now >