Principal Backend Developer

About Differential

Differential is growing! Yep, it turns out clients like us :) Our team of designers, developers, jokesters, and all around good folk needs more firepower. We’re proudly headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, but our team spans across the country.

In addition to only choosing the best group of people to work around, we are also very picky about the types of clients we’ll work with. In line with our mission to rapidly unlock value for good people with meaningful ideas, we partner with forward-thinking corporate pioneers and innovators to revolutionize their organizations from the inside out and bring great digital products to life. This translates to a diverse range of products like transforming retail with Adidas, helping Lexmark innovate cross-industry, streamlining the sales process with Big Ass Fans, to multi-platform mobile apps for large audiences with Crossroads Church.

We hire great, trustworthy people so that we can optimize for a free & flexible culture: flexible hours, unlimited vacation, remote work, and working on stuff you’re excited about.

As a Principal Node.js/GraphQL Developer, you’ll serve as a technical leader across multiple product teams—guiding architectural decisions, mentoring teammates, and influencing both product direction and development practices. You’ll lead by example, writing elegant, scalable backend code, while also partnering cross-functionally with clients, designers, and other engineers to ensure we’re building the right solutions in the right way.

You have a track record of delivering reliable backend services and APIs, a deep understanding of modern backend architecture, and the ability to translate complex problems into maintainable systems. You’re comfortable with ambiguity and skilled at creating clarity for others. While your focus is backend, you're eager to work across boundaries when needed, and you understand that the best solutions often come from team collaboration.

Above all, we are focused on finding someone that we love to work with. Culture to us isn’t a ping pong table in the breakroom or some words we put up on the wall. It’s embedded in our DNA and starts with our hiring process. We want to consider passionate people for this position.

Our mission statement, core values, benefits, and more can be found at handbook.differential.com.

What we’re after:

• Full product thinker: You’re not just here to write code—you care about the bigger picture and how backend decisions impact the user and product as a whole.
• Proven leadership in backend development: You’ve led system design decisions, mentored engineers, and made architectural choices that scale.
• Passion for building world-class software for churches. Apollos is a church engagement platform that includes mobile, web, and OTT products. This role would be focused on building a world class mobile app.
• Iterative builder: You know how to keep momentum while balancing risk. You make smart trade-offs, ship early, and improve continuously.
• Technical excellence: You’re fluent in modern backend technologies—Node.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, etc.—and familiar with cloud platforms and deployment best practices.
• Collaborative mindset: You thrive in cross-functional teams and can communicate complex backend topics clearly to non-engineers.
• Egoless and team-first: You seek the best ideas—not your ideas. You’re as comfortable mentoring as you are learning.

Responsibilities of this position include:

• Setting and guiding backend architecture across projects and teams
• Building robust, scalable APIs and backend services for web and mobile products
• Helping shape project roadmaps and de-risking technical decisions early
• Translating product requirements into thoughtful backend solutions
• Collaborating with designers, developers, and clients to deliver value iteratively
• Leading code reviews and championing best practices for backend quality and reliability
• Mentoring other engineers and contributing to the growth of the development team
• Maintaining high standards for testing, documentation, and system observability

What you can expect to do:

• Work on cross-functional product teams focused on innovative digital products
• Work iteratively and collaboratively in focused six-week Cycles
• Continuously grow through feedback, pairing, and shared learning
• Lead backend development across one or more innovative product teams
• Deliver high-impact features that make a difference for our clients and their users

Differential employees are those who:

• Communicate effectively with clients and teammates
• Are self-motivated
• Learn quickly and relentlessly
• Are curious about technology and the impact it can make on the world
• Enjoy taking ownership and responsibility for their work
• Enjoy collaborating with others on solving meaningful problems

Candidates must be based in the United States and be available during standard business hours for both client and team meetings. Specific times vary based on client-specific timezone preferences. There is flexibility in working hours, but there is an expectation to be able to regularly attend client and team meetings.

Differential is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a legal and compliant workforce, we participate in the E-Verify program. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website at www.e-verify.gov.