Software Engineer II (Backend, Core)
Whoop is hiring a Software Engineer II (Backend, Core) in Boston, United States. It pays $125k-$175k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Whoop.
Level's read on this job
- Little AI ●○○○ is how Level rates this software engineer role: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Java, Kafka and Postgres.
- Level classifies it as a mid-level role.
- Level lists 125 other open roles at Whoop.
AI in this role
Backend software engineer building foundational services and core features for wearable health technology.
At WHOOP, we're on a mission to unlock and inspire performance for life. WHOOP empowers members to perform at a higher level through a deeper understanding of their bodies and daily lives. Our wearable technology monitors vital physiological metrics to offer personalized insights that enhance fitness, health, sleep, and recovery.
As a Software Engineer II on the Core team, you will build the foundational services that power the WHOOP App and develop features that empower members to optimize performance and longevity. You will play a critical role in building and scaling the foundational systems that power the WHOOP member experience for fitness, sleep, strain, recovery, and integrations. You will partner closely with other engineers, product management, design, data science, and performance science to shape and build the polished member-facing experiences for these features.
Responsibilities
Own the design, implementation, and delivery of backend services that power member-facing experiences, collaborating with cross-functional partners to deliver scalable, reliable solutions.
Contribute to technical planning by translating product requirements into actionable engineering work, identifying risks and dependencies, and delivering iteratively.
Improve system reliability, performance, and observability through testing, monitoring, and continuous refinement.
Contribute to shared engineering foundations through code reviews, documentation, and technical discussions that improve team effectiveness.
Support other engineers through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback.
Qualifications
Demonstrated ability to independently deliver production-quality software while collaborating effectively across engineering, product, and design.
Strong proficiency with backend development, including Java, RESTful APIs, and relational databases such as Postgres.
Experience working with cloud platforms and asynchronous systems such as Kafka or SQS.
Experience designing, testing, and maintaining reliable, scalable backend services.
Understanding of distributed systems, observability, and performance optimization.
Strong collaboration and communication skills with cross-functional partners.
Growth mindset with a desire to learn, iterate, and continuously improve.
Enthusiasm in leveraging AI tools while maintaining high standards for quality and engineering excellence.
Bonus: Experience contributing to mobile applications or shared platform services.
Learn more about our Software Org and how to be successful in your engineering career at WHOOP via our Career Framework.
This role is based in the WHOOP office located in Boston, MA. The successful candidate must be prepared to relocate if necessary to work out of the Boston, MA office.
Interested in the role, but don’t meet every qualification? We encourage you to still apply! At WHOOP, we believe there is much more to a candidate than what is written on paper, and we value character as much as experience. As we continue to build a diverse and inclusive environment, we encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply.
WHOOP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-verify to determine employment eligibility. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
How we rate this
Software Engineer II (Backend, Core) at Whoop rates 20 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in software engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $125k
- Typical software engineer job
- $167k
This posting starts 25% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where backend was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where distributed systems was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where api development was part of your work. What did you do?
- What's a project where you used Java hands-on?
- Walk me through how you've used Kafka in your day-to-day work.
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Backend, Distributed Systems, API Development, Java, and Kafka. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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