Senior Backend Software Engineer (USA Remote)

Remote from
USA
Salary, yearly, USD
112,125 - 186,875
Employment type
Full Time,
Job posted
Apply before
2 Aug 2026
Experience level
Senior
Views / Applies
152 / 8

About Turnitin, LLC

We support educators and empower students around the world to do their best original work.

Actively Hiring
Verified job posting
This job post has been manually reviewed for authenticity and compliance.

AI Summary

Turnitin, a global leader in education technology, is hiring a Senior Backend Software Engineer for its GRaF team. This remote role focuses on building and maintaining scalable backend services using AWS Lambda and serverless architecture. Responsibilities include designing RESTful APIs, optimizing performance, and mentoring junior engineers. Candidates need 5+ years of backend experience, strong AWS skills, and proficiency in Java, Python, or Node.js. The position offers a competitive salary, bonus eligibility, and a comprehensive benefits package.

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 5+ years of experience and expertise in AWS Lambda, microservices, and CI/CD, indicating a high level of technical skill. However, it's not the most senior level (e.g., principal or architect), so a difficulty of 4 out of 5 is appropriate.

Salary Analysis

Median Market Rate
USD149,500
US Market
USD100k – 200k
0 USD220k
AI Insight The offered salary range of $112,125 to $186,875 aligns well with the US market for senior backend engineers, which typically ranges from $100,000 to $200,000. The midpoint of $149,500 is competitive, especially considering the remote-first culture and bonus eligibility.

I am excited to apply for the Senior Backend Software Engineer position at Turnitin. With over 5 years of experience in backend development and a strong focus on AWS serverless technologies, I have successfully designed and optimized scalable microservices that handle high traffic. My proficiency in Java and Node.js, combined with expertise in Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB, aligns perfectly with your requirements.

In my current role, I architected event-driven systems that reduced operational costs by 30% while improving performance. I also mentor junior engineers and have a passion for fostering collaborative growth. I am drawn to Turnitin's mission of upholding academic integrity and would be thrilled to contribute to the GRaF team's impactful work.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how my skills can benefit Turnitin.

Describe your experience with AWS Lambda and how you have optimized serverless functions for performance and cost.
I have used AWS Lambda extensively for building event-driven microservices. In one project, I consolidated multiple functions into a single optimized function using layers and reduced cold starts by keeping dependencies minimal. I also implemented provisioned concurrency for critical endpoints and used CloudWatch metrics to monitor and adjust memory allocation, resulting in a 20% cost reduction.
Can you walk through a complex problem you solved in a production environment involving distributed systems?
We faced intermittent timeouts in a service that processed grading submissions. After tracing requests with X-Ray, I identified a bottleneck in DynamoDB due to hot partitions. I redesigned the data model using a composite key and implemented DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching, which eliminated timeouts and improved latency by 40%.
How do you approach mentoring junior engineers while maintaining your own deliverables?
I schedule regular one-on-one sessions and pair programming opportunities. I encourage juniors to take ownership of small features while I review code and provide guidance. I also document best practices and share knowledge through tech talks. This approach ensures they grow without sacrificing project deadlines.
Explain your experience with CI/CD pipelines and how you ensure code quality before deployment.
I have built CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions that run linting, unit tests, integration tests, and security scans. We enforce mandatory code reviews and require successful pipeline runs before merging. I also set up staging environments for end-to-end testing. This process has significantly reduced production incidents.
How do you stay current with evolving AWS services and serverless best practices?
I follow AWS blogs, attend re:Invent sessions, and participate in online communities. I also experiment with new services in personal projects. For example, I recently explored AWS Step Functions for orchestrating complex workflows and shared my findings with the team.

Company Description

When you join Turnitin, you’ll be welcomed into a company that is a recognized innovator in global education. For over 25 years, Turnitin has partnered with educators and institutions to develop learning integrity solutions that recognize the enduring value of critical thinking in a rapidly changing world. Over 16,000 academic institutions, publishers, and corporations use our services in more than 185 countries around the world: Turnitin Feedback Studio, Clarity, Originality, Gradescope, ExamSoft, Similarity, and iThenticate. Protecting the value of an authentic education is at the heart of who we are.

Experience a remote-first culture that empowers you to work with purpose and accountability in a way that best suits you, supported by a comprehensive package that prioritizes your overall well-being. Our diverse community of colleagues are all unified by a shared desire to make a difference in education.

Turnitin is a global organization with team members in over 35 countries including the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, India, and the Philippines.

Job Description

As a member of the GRaF (Grading and Feedback) team, the purpose of this role is to build and maintain services related to grading and feedback functionality. The Senior Software Engineer – Backend Services will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining scalable, high-performance backend systems using AWS Lambda and related technologies. This role is critical in developing and optimizing our serverless architecture. Cross functionally this role will interface mainly with QA, Product, UX and Support.

Responsibilities:

  • Architect and develop robust, scalable backend services using AWS Lambda.
  • Design / implement RESTful APIs and event-driven systems.
  • Optimize existing services for improved performance and cost-efficiency.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate backend services with frontend applications.
  • Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines with github actions
  • Conduct code reviews and mentor junior engineers.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in production environments.
  • Continue to grow and learn as a developer.

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in backend development.
  • Strong proficiency in at least one programming language suitable for AWS Lambda (e.g., Java, Python, Node.js) Java strongly preferred.
  • Experience with AWS services, particularly Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB.
  • Solid understanding of serverless architecture principles and best practices.
  • Experience with microservices design patterns and event-driven architectures.
  • Proficiency in modern version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD tools.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Additional Information

The expected annual base salary range for this position is: $112,125/year to $186,875/year. This position is bonus eligible.

Actual compensation will be provided in writing at the time of offer, if extended, and is determined by work location and a range of other relevant factors, including but not limited to: experience, skills, degrees, licensures, certifications, and other job-related factors. Internal equity, market and organizational factors are also considered.

Total Rewards @ Turnitin
At Turnitin, we believe Total Rewards go far beyond pay. While salary, bonus, or commission are important, they’re only part of the value you receive in exchange for your work.

Beyond compensation, you’ll experience the intrinsic rewards of unleashing your potential and making a positive impact on global education. You’ll also thrive in a culture free of politics, surrounded by humble, inclusive, and collaborative teammates.

In addition, our extrinsic rewards include generous time off and health and wellness programs that provide choice, flexibility, and a safety net for life’s challenges. You’ll also enjoy a remote-first culture that empowers you to work with purpose and accountability in the way that suits you best, all supported by a comprehensive package that prioritizes your overall well-being.

Our Mission is to ensure the integrity of global education and meaningfully improve learning outcomes.

Our Values underpin everything we do.

  • Customer Centric: Our mission is focused on improving learning outcomes; we do this by putting educators and learners at the center of everything we do.
  • Passion for Learning: We are committed to our own learning and growth internally. And we support education and learning around the globe.
  • Integrity: Integrity is the heartbeat of Turnitin—it is the core of our products, the way we treat each other, and how we work with our customers and vendors.
  • Action & Ownership: We have a bias for action. We act like owners. We are willing to change even when it’s hard.
  • One Team: We strive to break down silos, collaborate effectively, and celebrate each others’ successes.
  • Global Mindset: We consider different perspectives and celebrate diversity. We are one team. The work we do has an impact on the world.

Global Benefits

  • Remote First Culture
  • Health Care Coverage
  • Education Reimbursement*Competitive Paid Time Off 
  • Self-Care Days
  • National Holidays
  • 2 Founder Days + Juneteenth Observed
  • Paid Volunteer Time Off
  • Charitable Contribution Match
  • Monthly Wellness or Home Office Reimbursement
  • Access to Employee Assistance Program (mental health platform)
  • Parental Leave
  • Retirement Plan with match/contribution

Seeing Beyond the Job Ad
At Turnitin, we recognize it’s unrealistic for candidates to fulfill 100% of the criteria in a job ad. We encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of the requirements because we know that skills evolve over time. If you’re willing to learn and unleash your potential alongside us, join our team!

Turnitin, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer- vets/disabled. 

Apply now >

This job listing has been manually reviewed by the Jobicy Trust & Safety Team for compliance with our posting guidelines, including verification of the company's legitimacy, accuracy of job details, clarity of remote work policy, and absence of misleading or fraudulent content.

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