Senior Software Engineer, Web API Platform

Senior Software Engineer, Web API Platform

Join our team at Scribd Inc. as a Senior Software Engineer focused on building a company‑wide API platform that accelerates web modernization across our products.

In this role you will design, build, and own new product‑facing web APIs that span our full web product surface across Scribd and Everand. These APIs serve as the primary interface between modern web applications and existing backend systems, enabling teams to evolve toward more scalable, maintainable frontend architectures with confidence. Today our web product relies on fragmented data access patterns and lacks standardized APIs;

this role offers the opportunity to design APIs intentionally with a focus on clear contracts, predictable performance, and strong observability.

• Strong ownership mindset, owning API design and implementation from initial design through production, iteration, and long‑term maintenance.
• Pragmatic approach to system design, balancing ideal architecture with real‑world constraints.
• Ability to design performance‑aware APIs with intentional constraints that scale safely.
• Strong collaborator who works with frontend & backend teams toward better performance and integration outcomes.
• Long‑term perspective on maintainability, extensibility, and developer experience.

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong backend or platform focus.
• Proven experience designing APIs for high‑volume or data‑intensive product workflows.
• Experience implementing and integrating APIs with a Ruby on Rails application.
• Familiarity with modern API paradigms (e.g., REST, Graph
  
  QL, gRPC) and their performance and operational tradeoffs.
• Experience with query patterns, caching, pagination, and common performance pitfalls.
• Experience designing APIs with explicit contracts, versioning, and testing strategies.
• Experience working with modern web frontends (e.g., React, Next.js, or similar).
• Strong communication skills and experience championing API design across teams.
• Hands‑on experience incorporating AI‑assisted tools into development workflows (e.g., debugging, testing, documentation, or design exploration).

• You’ve designed APIs where performance characteristics were explicit and intentional, not accidental.
• You consider observability, failure modes, and system health as part of API design, not afterthoughts.
• You’re comfortable placing thoughtful constraints on API consumers to protect scalability and developer experience.
• You treat APIs and developer tooling as products, not just infrastructure.
• You care deeply about how backend and API decisions impact end users.
• You enjoy greenfield work while navigating integration with existing systems.
• You bring informed opinions and enjoy refining them through discussion and iteration.

At Scribd, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package and is determined within a range. Our pay ranges are based on the local cost of labor benchmarks for each specific role, level, and geographic location. For the San Francisco market in California, the reasonable expected salary range is between $146,000 to $227,500. Outside California, the range is $120,000 to $216,500.

In Canada, the range is CAD 152,500 to CAD 202,000. This position is also eligible for competitive equity ownership and a comprehensive benefits package.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance – 100% paid for employees.
• 12 weeks paid parental leave.
• Short‑term and long‑term disability plans.
• 401(k)/RSP matching.
• Onboarding stipend for home‑office peripherals and accessories.
• Learning & development allowance.
• Quarterly stipend for wellness, Wi‑Fi, etc.
• Mental health support & resources.
• Free subscription to the Scribd suite of products.
• Referral bonuses.
• Book benefit.
• Sabbaticals.
• Company‑wide events.
• Team engagement budgets.
• Vacation & personal days.
• Paid holidays (including winter break).
• Flexible sick time.
• Volunteer day.
• Employee resource groups and inclusive workplace programs.
• Free access to AI tools to boost productivity and innovation.

Scribd Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, and believe that a diversity of perspectives and experiences creates a foundation for the best ideas.

We want our interview process to be accessible to everyone. You can inform us of any reasonable adjustments we can make to better accommodate your needs by emailing