Staff Backend Engineer
Job Details
Lead eBay's GraphQL Federation architecture as a Staff Backend Engineer, designing and implementing highly critical production systems using Node.js or Spring Boot while mentoring product teams on GraphQL adoption and best practices. Requires 10+ years of backend development experience with fluency in Spring Boot, object-oriented design, and large-scale systems, with GraphQL and Apollo Federation expertise preferred.
About the Role
About eBay
At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader — we're changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We're committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts. Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work — every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet. Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers — and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.
About the Team and the Role
As a member of the GraphQL champions, you will interface directly with senior technology leaders and product owners to transform our current business and technology capabilities and streamline product integration process with Apollo GraphQL Federation. You are results-driven and help translate use cases straight into API contracts. You drive query performance cost analysis and security requirements for individual components, advocate for best practices, error handling and client integration options. You constantly learn and improve the design and process as you go, quickly prototype sample solutions in Node.js or Spring Boot. You will work within a community of architecture leaders, charged with establishing and evolving a unified architecture vision.
What You Will Accomplish
- Providing Leadership for Node.js/Spring Boot/DGS GraphQL Federation design and implementation
- Ownership of highly critical production system
- Enabling its high availability and throughput
- Collaboration with teams responsible for other foundational systems
- Supporting product teams in GraphQL learning and migration, championing GraphQL federation and schema design
- Advocating for GraphQL adoption and best practices
What You Will Bring
- BS EE or CS degree; 10+ years related experience (or Masters and 8+ years related experience or PhD and 6+ years experience)
- Experience in object-oriented design methodology and large scale application development in one or more of the following - Java, Kotlin, C#, C++, JavaScript
- Have experience in backend development and be fluent in Spring Boot, and relevant technologies a big plus
- Experience with Federated GraphQL and Apollo Federation is a plus
- Strong understanding of modern developer platform fundamentals including: Kubernetes for container orchestration and service deployment, Docker for containerization and environment management, CI/CD systems, service monitoring, and operational tooling, Service discovery, distributed tracing, and metrics instrumentation
- Experience working on developer experience (DevEx) or internal platform teams
- Experienced developing in an Agile development environment and flexible, adaptable, and able to deliver large development projects in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Self-motivated and fast learner
- Excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal and analytical skills
Our Team Culture
We believe in treating each other like family. Our strength comes from mutual respect, support, and trust — both personally and professionally. We celebrate wins together, show up for one another, and navigate challenges as a team. This camaraderie drives our resilience and our ability to deliver world-class solutions across eBay.
Additional Details
This job posting relates to an existing vacancy within eBay. eBay is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability, or other legally protected status. If you have a need that requires accommodation, please contact us at talent@ebay.com. We will make every effort to respond to your request for accommodation as soon as possible. View our accessibility statement to learn more about eBay's commitment to ensuring digital accessibility. We use cookies to enhance your experience and may use AI tools for administrative tasks in the hiring process. To learn how we handle your personal data and use AI responsibly, please visit our Talent Privacy Notice, Privacy Center, and AI Hiring Guidelines.