Join Close as a Senior Python Backend Engineer (100% Remote – USA)
Close, a bootstrapped, profitable, and fully remote company, is seeking a Senior Python Backend Engineer to join its dynamic team. Specifically, this represents an exceptional opportunity for thoughtful individuals who thrive on taking ownership and making a meaningful impact in building a CRM customers truly love. Therefore, if you’re based in the USA (lower 48 timezones) and passionate about crafting robust, scalable backend systems, consider this pivotal role.
About Close: Innovating CRM Solutions
Since 2013, Close has been at the forefront of building a communication-focused CRM that effectively supercharges sales productivity. Indeed, its product eliminates the hassle of manual data entry and complex UIs, thereby allowing small scaling businesses to focus on what matters most: better communication. Moreover, Close operates as a 100% remote team of approximately 100 individuals who prioritize ownership and significant contributions. Ultimately, the organization actively fosters an environment where engineers can thrive, collaborating across diverse teams and technologies to build a product that continuously earns customer loyalty.
The Opportunity: Shaping the Future of Sales Tech
As a Senior Python Backend Engineer, you will seamlessly integrate into one of Close’s six cross-functional teams, including CRM, Admin & Onboarding, Conversations, Messaging & Scheduling, Automations & Integrations, or Data Insights. Furthermore, regular collaboration occurs with other backend and frontend engineers, product managers, and designers. Consequently, this role actively emphasizes designing, implementing, launching, and scaling major systems and user-facing features within a fast-paced yet supportive environment, thereby promoting continuous professional growth.
Tech Stack & Scale: Engineering for Billions
Close’s backend tech stack primarily consists of Python Flask web applications, with the proprietary TaskTiger scheduler managing asynchronous task processing. For instance, Close stores data across MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, and Redis. Moreover, the underlying infrastructure runs on AWS, leveraging managed services like EKS, MSK, RDS, and ElasticCache, alongside non-managed services on EC2 instances. Additionally, CI/CD pipelines automate Docker image builds, test execution, and deployments to Kubernetes clusters. Furthermore, a well-documented public API serves the front-end JavaScript application and numerous integrations. Indeed, Close heavily automates infrastructure using Terraform, Ansible, and other AWS tools. Consequently, the sheer scale of operations presents exciting challenges, including:
- Processing billions of Mongo documents and millions of PostgreSQL rows.
- Managing 55 Terabytes of logs per month and 500 billion OTEL spans over 30 days.
- Handling over 10 million events daily and tens of thousands of Docker containers.
- Processing 7 million minutes of call recordings per month and petabytes of network traffic.
Key Projects & Impact Areas for a Senior Python Backend Engineer
Specifically, successful candidates will actively contribute to diverse projects, including:
- Conceiving, designing, building, and launching new user-facing features.
- Implementing cutting-edge AI features to significantly boost customer productivity.
- Improving the performance and scalability of GraphQL and REST APIs.
- Enhancing the synchronization of millions of sales emails and calendar events monthly.
- Working with Twilio’s API, WebSockets, and WebRTC to advance calling features.
- Building user-facing analytics that deliver actionable insights from sales activity data.
- Refining powerful search features, backed by Elasticsearch.
- Improving internal messaging infrastructure using streaming technologies like Kafka and Redis.
- Building new and enhancing existing integrations with SaaS platforms like Google’s G Suite, Zapier, and web conferencing providers.
- Enhancing the web app with real-time updates powered by GraphQL Subscriptions.
- Leveraging the latest AI LLMs from providers like OpenAI, Groq, and AssemblyAI.
What Makes a Successful Senior Python Backend Engineer?
Close seeks high-achieving, full-time Software Engineers for its engineering team. Therefore, successful candidates for this role must meet the following requirements:
- Experience: Senior 1 & 2 level candidates should possess 5+ years of experience building modern backend systems. Staff level candidates require 8+ years, while Mid-level candidates should have approximately 3 years of similar experience and a strong desire to advance.
- Python Proficiency: Regarding Python expertise, professional Python experience is preferred; however, a working knowledge of Python combined with experience in other languages is acceptable, provided there is a clear desire to work with Python.
- API Development: Demonstrated experience building Internet-facing web APIs or those supporting high-volume loads.
- Data Stores: Hands-on production experience with MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, or similar data stores.
- System Design: Proven experience in designing, scaling, debugging, and optimizing systems for speed and reliability.
- Code Quality: Consistent participation in code reviews and a track record of providing suggestions to maintain codebase structure and quality.
- Craftsmanship: A strong commitment to the craftsmanship of produced code and systems.
- Location: Candidates must reside in the USA (lower 48 timezones).
Bonus Points for this Senior Python Backend Engineer role:
- Beyond the core requirements, additional experience that would be advantageous includes:
- Contributed open-source code relevant to the tech stack.
- Led small project teams in building and launching features.
- Built B2B SaaS products.
- Implemented features leveraging AI for novel product capabilities.
- Worked with complex architectures supporting multiple APIs (e.g., REST, GQL, WebSockets) alongside asynchronous task and event processing frameworks.
Investing in Engineers: Benefits & Culture at Close
Close is deeply committed to supporting its team members, thus offering a comprehensive benefits package and a unique remote-first culture.
Comprehensive Benefits Package
- Competitive Compensation: This includes a competitive base salary range for Senior I & II of $140,000 to $210,000 USD, plus an organization-wide goal-based bonus.
- Generous Paid Time Off: Employees receive 5 weeks PTO upon joining, complemented by Winter Holiday Break and Summer Holiday Break. Furthermore, each year with the company, an additional 2 PTO days are awarded.
- Sabbatical: After 5 years with the team, employees are eligible for a 1-month paid sabbatical.
- Family Support: Regarding family support, Close provides Paid Parental Leave for both primary and secondary caregivers.
- Healthcare (US residents): For US residents, comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage with an HSA option is available. Additionally, Close also offers a Dependent Care FSA.
- Retirement (US residents): Concerning retirement, a 401k plan with a 6% contribution match and immediate vesting is offered.
Guiding Principles: Close’s Core Values
- Beyond benefits, core values actively guide Close’s operations:
- Build a house you want to live in: Emphasizes long-term thinking and action.
- No BS: Encourages transparency and honesty, especially when challenging.
- Invest in each other: Fosters successful relationships with coworkers and customers.
- Discipline equals freedom: Upholds keeping commitments to oneself and others.
- Strive for greatness: Promotes constant self-challenge and challenging others.
How Close Works: Our Collaborative Approach
- Moreover, Close’s collaborative approach defines how the team works together:
- Specifically, regarding Productivity, Quality & Impact, Close focuses on output rather than hours. Indeed, it places trust in engineers to prioritize, meet goals, and contribute at a high level.
- Furthermore, for Asynchronous Communication & Collaboration, team members are located globally. Consequently, Close does not expect anyone to work untraditional hours; instead, async communication is the default. Typically, most teams have only 2-5 hours of internal meetings weekly.
- Crucially, there’s an Appreciation for Deep Work during your normal work day, not after a day of meetings.
- Finally, regarding Autonomy & Freedom, engineers create a work environment that sustains them. Hence, Close places a high amount of trust and responsibility with its team members from the start.
A Human-Centered Hiring Process
Furthermore, Close designs its hiring process to be clear and human. To illustrate, role-specific questions are part of the application, aiming to understand candidates beyond their resumes. Crucially, Close requests applicants to refrain from using AI tools when completing the application. This is because human reviewers closely read every submission, and obviously AI-generated content will be disregarded. Nonetheless, regardless of fit, all applicants will receive an update on their candidacy status. Should candidates progress to the interview stage, moreover, Close will provide a full outline of the role-specific interview process in the first touchpoint.