Senior Lead Software Engineer, Backend
As a Senior Lead Software Engineer, the successful candidate will drive the architecture and development of high-scale systems that power real-time, always-on applications used by millions. This individual will lead with technical authority, owning the entire engineering lifecycle, guiding implementation, and mentoring a team of talented developers.
Working cross-functionally with Product, Design, and Engineering, the role involves aligning technical execution with business priorities while fostering a culture grounded in accountability, quality, and continuous learning. This is a hands-on leadership position where the engineer will influence the product roadmap, tackle complex scaling challenges, and shape the future of the engineering organisation.
- Architect, develop, and maintain scalable, secure systems and APIs that power real-time, always-on applications used by millions.
- Own the full development lifecycle from shaping the architecture of new features to breaking down workstreams and guiding implementation across the team.
- Lead by example, writing high-performance, well-tested code and setting the bar for reliability, scalability, and operational excellence.
- Establish and uphold best practices in system design, code quality, testing strategies, and performance monitoring.
- Act as a first responder for the systems your team owns by triaging, debugging, and resolving complex production issues with urgency and accountability.
- Drive cross-functional collaboration with Product, Design, and Engineering to align technical execution with business priorities.
- Mentor and develop engineers at all levels, providing the feedback, support, and guidance they need to grow and thrive.
- Shape the technical roadmap, influence strategic decisions, and foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous learning.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or any suitable combination of education, experience, and training (required)
- At least 7 years of experience in backend development using object-oriented programming languages such as C# or Java, with advanced proficiency in software architecture, OOP principles, and scalable system design (required)
- Expertise in designing and building distributed systems in cloud environments like AWS or Google Cloud Platform (GCP), with a strong understanding of modern cloud-native architectures (required)
- A track record of building resilient, high-performance systems backed by robust automated test coverage, including unit, integration, and performance tests (required)
- Demonstrated leadership in setting technical direction, conducting code and design reviews, and influencing architecture decisions across engineering teams (required)
- Experience mentoring engineers and creating an environment that fosters growth, learning, and high performance (required)
- A strong focus on engineering excellence, with a proactive approach to improving system reliability, scalability, and maintainability (required)
- Deep commitment to driving best practices in development processes, testing strategies, and system monitoring (required)
- Base salary range of 160,700.00 USD - 200,900.00 USD, plus bonus and equity
- Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision plans
- Wellbeing programme including free therapy sessions, employee assistance programmes, and access to the Calm App
- 14 weeks of 100% paid parental leave and workplace lactation support
- Partnership with Care.com for backup childcare
- Family planning support including adoption, surrogacy, and fertility treatments
- Flexible PTO
- Pet insurance
- Gym membership reimbursement
- Financial planning support including 401(k) matching
- Commuter benefits
- Tuition reimbursement programme
DraftKings Inc. is a leading American digital sports entertainment and gaming company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2012, it started in daily fantasy sports and has grown into one of the largest US online sportsbook and iGaming operators. The company offers mobile sports betting, online casino and daily fantasy contests across regulated North American markets. DraftKings is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange and employs several thousand people.