Backend Software Engineer (Contract)

About ArenaNet

At ArenaNet, we believe games are a form of art that can communicate ideas, tell stories, and reflect cultures. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’ve engaged over 21 million players worldwide. Our games are built by diverse teams to create inclusive experiences.

Job Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Backend Software Engineer to join our Server Engineering team on a contract basis. This role focuses on building and maintaining backend services and APIs that support critical business systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain backend microservices and RESTful APIs using Python and Flask.

• Develop new features within an established production codebase while ensuring backward compatibility and system stability.

• Design and optimize database schemas, SQL queries, and data access patterns using MSSQL and MySQL.

• Analyze existing architecture, dependencies, and business logic to assess potential impacts of changes.

• Troubleshoot and resolve backend performance, reliability, and data-related issues.

• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code, and participate in code reviews.

• Identify technical risks and dependencies before implementing changes.

• Collaborate with engineers and cross-functional teams to understand requirements and develop solutions.

• Contribute to the reliability, scalability, and maintainability of backend systems.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience.

• 2+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a focus on backend development.

• Strong proficiency in Python.

• Experience developing backend applications and services using Flask or a comparable Python web framework.

• Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs and microservices.

• Strong experience with relational databases and SQL, including schema design, query development, and optimization.

• Experience with MSSQL and/or MySQL.

• Experience working effectively within large or established codebases.

• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills, with the ability to understand unfamiliar systems.

• Ability to write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

• Ability to work independently and manage projects through completion.

Nice to Have

Experience with the following is a plus:

• Redis for caching

• RabbitMQ or other message-queue technologies

• Docker

• Kubernetes

• Git

• Jenkins or other CI/CD tools

• apiDoc or similar API documentation tools

• Supporting high-availability or production backend systems