Backend Software Engineer II (Remote)

Join us to Improve Health Equity for 5 Million People!

CareMessage is the technology non-profit building the largest patient engagement platform for low-income populations in the United States. Powered by the Health Equity Engine™, the platform enables organizations to combine messaging, data, and interoperability to increase access to care, improve clinical outcomes, and address social drivers of health.

With 20 million patients reached since 2013, CareMessage is the only patient engagement solution proven to improve health equity at scale. The team, many with lived experiences in these communities, leverages a nonprofit model to reinvest revenue into impact. CareMessage is the partner of choice for organizations committed to advancing health equity.

About the Role

As a Backend Software Engineer II at CareMessage, you will work on designing, building, and maintaining scalable backend systems that directly impact health equity across the United States. You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams to create high-quality, reliable, and performant software. This role offers the opportunity to work within our preferred tech stack (Ruby on Rails, Postgres, GCP) while solving challenging technical problems that support underserved populations.

Job Responsibilities

• Feature Development & Ownership: Independently work on well-defined and scoped features or projects, taking them from concept to deployment. Collaborate closely with Product and Design teams to create solutions that meet user needs.
• Project Breakdown: Break down medium-complexity problems into manageable tasks and provide reliable estimates, delivering work on time.
• Quality & Testing: Contribute to CareMessage’s high standard of test coverage (99%) by implementing and maintaining tests for your code, following TDD principles where applicable.
• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Engagement: Work effectively with other engineers and cross-functional team members to develop solutions that integrate smoothly with our platform.
• Scalability & Performance Optimization: Identify bottlenecks in the system and implement solutions that ensure scalability, reliability, and performance of the platform.
• Database Management: Develop, optimize, and maintain database schemas and queries to support backend services.
• Automation & Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to reduce manual or repetitive tasks and implement automation solutions that increase team efficiency.
• Operational Support: Participate in on-call rotations to support platform reliability and address issues as they arise.
• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Help onboard new team members, embody CareMessage’s values, and contribute positively to the team culture.

Requirements

• Technical Proficiency:
• At least 2-3 years of experience as a backend engineer, with a focus on Ruby on Rails, Postgres, and GCP.
• Proven ability to design and maintain complex backend systems, including APIs and services.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, event-driven architecture, and database optimization.
• Experience with Test-Driven Development (TDD) and delivering high-quality, testable code.
• Project Management & Problem Solving:
• Skilled at breaking down complex problems, anticipating challenges, and consistently delivering work on schedule.
• Ability to estimate and prioritize tasks effectively within 150% of the estimate, meeting weekly ticket goals.
• Collaboration & Communication:
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working collaboratively in a fully distributed environment.
• Capable of identifying ways to enhance team productivity and supporting peers by sharing knowledge and resources.
• Operational Readiness:
• Previous experience with on-call responsibilities and ability to handle production issues as they arise.
• Familiarity with incident management processes and tools like PagerDuty is a plus.
• Mission-Driven Alignment:
• Commitment to CareMessage’s mission to improve health equity, with an interest in working in the health tech sector.

Within 1 month, you will

• Gain foundational knowledge of CareMessage’s platform, mission, and user base.
• Familiarize yourself with the tech stack, policies, and internal protocols.
• Build relationships with team members and participate in team rituals like Kickoffs, Retrospectives, and Code Reviews.

Within 3 Months, you will

• Gain a solid understanding of our technical environment and our approach to TDD.
• Contribute regularly to project work, demonstrating reliable delivery and minimal need for oversight.
• Begin implementing process improvements or automation solutions that streamline your team’s work.

Within 6 Months, you will

• Exhibit a strong understanding of CareMessage’s mission and technical goals, and how your work contributes to them.
• Deliver impactful improvements in code quality, team efficiency, or automation that benefit the broader engineering team.
• Be recognized as a dependable, self-directed team member who consistently delivers high-quality work.

If you are US-based, a note about visas: At this time, we are not able to sponsor work visas. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without sponsorship.

Core Values

At CareMessage, we seek individuals who align with our values of Collaboration, Action, Results, and Empathy.

Our ideal candidates embody these principles in their day-to-day work, whether through mentorship, onboarding support for new team members, or taking on initiatives that drive our mission forward.

Compensation Details

This role is currently set at a Mid (L2) software engineer, equivalent to someone who has held two or more software engineer roles with related experience for multiple years and is proficient in their craft.

Our salary allocation for this role is USD 139,000

We believe in equal work for equal pay. All team members performing the same role at the same level are paid the same regardless of where they are in the world.

Note: If you don’t fit this description perfectly (especially if you come from an under-represented group) but have held multiple Software Engineering roles in the past, please apply!

Working at CareMessage

We take care of our employees by offering competitive salaries and benefits packages. We ensure our team feels cared for so that we, in turn, can help support our safety net organizations and underserved populations.

We compensate fairly and equitably

Flexible work hours; fully remote team

We believe in equal work for equal pay: all team members performing the same role at the same level are paid similarly, regardless of where they are in the world

Paid parental leave for biological and adopted children

We give you time off to thrive

Half-day Fridays, every Friday

18 paid company holidays, including a one week mid-year and one week end-of-year break

9 wellness days to be used for self-care- or anything that comes up in life

15 days of PTO

1-month (20 working days) paid sabbatical after the 4-year anniversary, and every 4 years thereafter

We support your health, wellness, and growth

Generous medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families

Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts

401k retirement plan

Short & long-term disability insurance

$100 per employee yearly wellness budget, with flexibility to spend on physical, emotional, and mental wellness resources

PerkSpot: Instant access to discounts on products & services from hundreds of vendors

Annual budget for professional and personal development (webinars, online courses, books, and more)

Volunteerism incorporated in onboarding and encouraged on an ongoing basis