Backend Engineer (Full-Time, Remote)
Join EssentiallySports – Where Fandom Lives
At EssentiallySports, we go beyond headlines to deliver stories fans truly care about. As a top-10 U.S. sports media platform with 30M+ monthly users and over 1B annual pageviews , we combine audience insights with cultural trends to engage underserved fans worldwide.
We’re a lean, high-energy team fueled by data, experimentation, and a strong culture of ownership.
Our Values
- Focus on the fan — everything else follows
- Hire for intent, not just experience
- Bootstrapped = freedom to serve fans, not investors
- The internet unlocks niches
- Bias to action, integrity, strong communication, and responsibility
- High agency wins
What You’ll Do
Own and optimize AWS infrastructure (EC2, S3, RDS, CloudFront, Lambda, Kinesis) for resilience, scalability, and cost efficiency.Engineer the backend (Node.js, Python) that powers our Next.js / Vercel platform—prioritizing speed and reliability.Drive web performance optimization—debug bottlenecks, fine-tune APIs, manage caching / CDN, and deliver consistently fast experiences worldwide.Evolve our WordPress CMS pipelines to ensure content delivery is robust and scalable.Take ownership of uptime, infra budgets, SLAs, and monitoring alerts, working closely with DevOps and product leads.What You Bring
Advanced AWS skills with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform / CDK) and proven cost optimization at scale.Experience running high-traffic platforms with real-world debugging and performance tuning.Strong backend expertise : Node.js, Python, modern database systems.A product mindset—balancing speed vs. polish while keeping fan experience top of mind.4+ years in software development (consumer products preferred).Curiosity and adaptability with Next.js and Vercel (or intent to learn).Collaborative spirit, problem-solving mindset, and ability to thrive in fast-paced, startup-like environments.Why Join Us?
Fully remote with flexible working hoursFreedom to own problem statements and ship impactful solutionsDirect impact from Day 1—release features to millions instantlyCutting-edge stack with automated CI / CD and no bureaucratic blockersWork with leaders from Amazon, Zomato, Booking, Expedia, and moreBi-annual offsites described by the team as “epic”Mentorship, coaching, and the freedom to experiment“Very flexible and open, can ask anything anytime. Real mentorship and coaching. Superb energy in the whole ES team.” — Team member
Our Tech Stack
Frontend : Next.js (React-based), hosted on VercelBackend : AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, Kinesis, CloudFront)CMS : WordPress powering global content pipelines👉 If you want to build high-scale products, solve exciting infra challenges, and leave a mark on how millions of fans experience sports—this is your shot.
