Lead Back End Engineer

Farmer’s Fridge makes fruits and vegetables accessible and approachable for everyone. We offer a variety of fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks through our fresh food vending machines, wholesale partners, and our office pantry solution — providing chef-curated meals to customers within seconds. Today, we operate a network of Fridges and partner with clients nationwide in high-foot-traffic areas, such as airports, hospitals, universities, and large office buildings — where there is limited accessibility to fresh, healthy, grab-n-go options.

We care deeply about what we’re creating and aspire to make sure our customers feel that through every touchpoint. This shows up in many ways across the business. We are committed to prioritizing food safety, we are passionate about product quality, we value our employees, we champion the best idea no matter where it comes from, and we’re committed to making an overall positive impact as we scale.

About the Role: As a Lead Back End Engineer , you will be expected to increase the team’s ability to deliver high-quality software solutions by contributing to development efforts, driving improvements in practices, and mentoring other team members. A successful individual will also bring their expertise to team discussions to improve software quality and act as a thought partner for others on the team. Our software engineers take pride in crafting great software but take even more pride in product ownership, taking ideas from concept to release and beyond. This role will provide you the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and solve fascinating problems.

This role is based in our Chicago, IL, office and requires in-person collaboration with our team.

In a typical week, the Lead Back End Engineer will...

• Have lively technical discussions and arrive at strong solutions
• Deliver quality software using agile and iterative development
• Perform timely code reviews on team members’ features
• Level up the team’s aggregate skill through mentorship
• Work on challenging new features that drive business growth and innovation
• Improve our engineering practices to accelerate the pace of delivery
• Help out the menu development team by tasting new recipes

In a Lead Back End Engineer, we're looking for:

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, and a clear understanding of software best practices
• Expertise in hardware-software integration and Linux-based environments
• Experience with Python. Additional experience with Java or Go is a plus
• Innate ability to architect solutions that can adapt to changing requirements
• Effective communication of technical challenges and solutions that is clear and concise
• Proven ability to learn new skills quickly and a continuous desire to improve
• Ability to work productively in a hybrid/remote environment
• Passion for making healthy food accessible to all

The base salary range for this role is $155,000 to $170,000 . The base pay offered will be determined by factors such as experience, skills, training, certifications, education, and any applicable minimum wage requirements.

In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for company performance-based/performance (sales) bonuses and equity.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package , including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (multiple plans available)
• 401(k) with immediate employer match vesting
• Paid time off (including vacation, sick leave, and holidays)
• Paid sabbatical after 5 years of service
• Employee discounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Benefits at Farmer's Fridge:

In This Together - Our HQ employees are currently hybrid – we stay connected with weekly town hall meetings, social hours, and game nights. Our bonus roles as taste testers are also still intact! You can sample what new items we’re cooking up in our test kitchen each week.

Happier Weekdays - Each day at work should fill you with joy, not dread. We're a fun and passionate group, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. Bring your unique self to work, dress comfortably, and always feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. We encourage curiosity and inquiry; there's no hierarchy here when we're all swapping ideas.

Innovate & Elevate - We're all teachers and learners. You'll grow, and help grow the company through cross-functional collaboration, open access to leadership, and regular business updates. You have a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. You can also impact your personal bottom line by participating in our 401(k) plan that includes a company match with immediate vesting.

Farmer’s Fridge Diversity Statement:

"Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Farmer’s Fridge, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.”

Farmer’s Fridge is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including hiring, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. View our disclosures related to External Agencies and Applicants below: