Full Stack Developer (Backend)

At Code Mantra, we're building an AI-powered education platform serving students, parents, teachers, and administrators worldwide. Our mission is to help millions of students become the next generation of innovators, creators, and problem-solvers. We are building products from the ground up and looking for ambitious engineers who want to create meaningful impact through technology.

The Opportunity

• We are looking for a Senior Full Stack Developer with strong backend expertise who can independently design, build, deploy, and maintain production-grade systems.
• This is not a role for someone who simply completes assigned tasks.
• We are looking for someone who takes ownership, solves complex technical problems, makes sound engineering decisions, and helps shape the future architecture of our platform.
• You will work directly with founders, product, design, and engineering teams to build scalable systems supporting students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Founding Team Mindset

For the foreseeable future, you will be expected to operate with a high degree of independence.

We are specifically looking for someone who:

• Works independently with minimal supervision
• Takes complete ownership of technical deliverables
• Solves problems proactively
• Makes sound engineering decisions
• Learns quickly and adapts to change
• Communicates clearly and professionally
• Takes accountability for outcomes
• Thinks like an owner, not an employee

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building systems from scratch and taking responsibility for production outcomes.

Required Technical Skills

Backend (Primary Expertise)

• Java
• Spring Boot
• Spring Security
• Spring Data JPA
• Hibernate
• REST API Design & Development
• Authentication & Authorization
• API Security
• System Design Fundamentals
• Performance Optimization

Secondary Backend

• Node.js
• Express.js

Frontend (Working Knowledge Required)

• React.js
• Next.js
• TypeScript
• JavaScript

You do not need to be a frontend expert, but you should be capable of contributing to frontend features when required.

Database

• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• Database Design
• Query Optimization
• Indexing Strategies
• Redis Caching

Infrastructure

• Docker
• Docker Compose
• Git
• Linux
• Nginx
• CI/CD Fundamentals

• 5+ years of professional software development experience
• Strong experience building scalable backend systems
• Experience shipping production-ready applications
• Experience supporting real users in production environments
• Experience designing APIs and backend architecture
• Experience working on Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) products
• Experience building complete features from concept to deployment

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Product Experience

Candidates must have worked on at least one product used directly by customers.

Examples include:

• SaaS Platforms
• EdTech Platforms
• E-commerce Platforms
• Consumer Applications
• Subscription Products
• Marketplaces

Candidates should be prepared to discuss:

1. Product Overview
2. Their Contribution
3. Team Structure
4. Technical Challenges
5. Business Impact
6. User Impact

We are specifically looking for engineers who understand that great software solves customer problems, not just technical problems.

What You'll Do

Backend Development

• Design and develop scalable backend systems
• Build secure and reliable REST APIs
• Implement authentication and authorization systems
• Design database schemas and business logic
• Improve system performance and scalability
• Troubleshoot production issues

Full Stack Contribution

• Contribute to frontend features when required
• Collaborate closely with frontend engineers
• Participate in end-to-end feature delivery
• Ensure seamless integration across the stack

Architecture & Engineering

• Participate in architecture discussions
• Improve engineering standards and practices
• Review code and mentor team members when needed
• Identify technical debt and propose improvements
• Build systems that can scale with company growth

Collaboration

1. Work closely with founders, product, and design teams
2. Participate in technical planning
3. Provide engineering input during product discussions
4. Help shape the future technical direction of the platform

Ownership & Accountability

The ideal candidate:

• Takes ownership of outcomes, not just tasks
• Delivers on commitments
• Takes responsibility when things go wrong
• Identifies and solves problems proactively
• Maintains high engineering standards
• Communicates blockers early
• Continuously improves systems and processes
• Supports production systems responsibly

Growth Mindset

We value engineers who:

• Love learning new technologies
• Accept feedback positively
• Continuously improve their technical skills
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Take initiative without being asked
• Enjoy solving difficult technical challenges

Nice To Have

• Experience with AI-powered applications
• Experience with EdTech products
• Experience with WebSocket or real-time systems
• Experience with event-driven architecture
• Experience with RabbitMQ or Kafka
• Experience with cloud platforms
• Experience with monitoring and observability tools
• Experience with modular monolith or microservice architecture

Startup Reality Check

This role is not for everyone.

You may be a great fit if:

• You enjoy ownership
• You solve problems independently
• You thrive in fast-moving environments
• You enjoy building systems from scratch
• You care deeply about engineering quality
• You want your work to have visible impact

This role may not be a fit if:

• You need detailed instructions for every task
• You avoid accountability
• You prefer highly structured corporate environments
• You are looking for freelance or part-time work
• You dislike rapid change and continuous learning

Why Join Code Mantra?

• Build products used by students worldwide
• Work directly with founders
• Gain significant ownership and autonomy
• Influence product and technical decisions
• Build systems from the ground up
• Grow with an ambitious startup
• Solve meaningful problems in education