Job Details

Join to apply for the Senior Backend Engineer (Ruby on Rails) role at Scribd, Inc.

About The Company
At Scribd (pronounced “scribbed”), our mission is to spark human curiosity. Join our team as we create a world of stories and knowledge, democratize the exchange of ideas and information, and empower collective expertise through our three products: Everand, Scribd, and Slideshare.

We support a culture where our employees can be real and be bold; where we debate and commit as we embrace plot twists; and where every employee is empowered to take action as we prioritize the customer.

When it comes to workplace structure, we believe in balancing individual flexibility and community connections. It's through our flexible work benefit, Scribd Flex, that employees – in partnership with their manager – can choose the daily work-style that best suits their individual needs. A key tenet of Scribd Flex is our prioritization of intentional in-person moments to build collaboration, culture, and connection. For this reason, occasional in-person attendance is required for all Scribd employees, regardless of their location.

The Growth Team and The Role

The Growth team is at the heart of driving user engagement and business impact across the customer journey. Focused on technical excellence and innovation, we work on critical domains including SEO, MarTech, Signup Optimization, Subscription, and Retention. Our work involves designing and optimizing complex backend systems with an emphasis on performance, scalability, and maintainability. Our team values collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.

We are seeking a talented Senior Software Engineer to join our Growth team. In this role, you will build, scale, and maintain backend systems using Ruby on Rails. As a Senior Engineer, you will have a significant impact on our technical infrastructure, ensuring our systems are robust, performant, and maintainable. You'll work closely with cross-functional partners to deliver high-quality solutions, contribute to the team's strategic direction, and help shape a culture of excellence.

What We Are Looking For

• A passionate engineer who takes pride in writing clean, maintainable code
• Someone who enjoys tackling complex backend challenges while maintaining high quality standards
• A team player who is enthusiastic about building and improving development processes
• An individual who values continuous learning and stays current with technology trends
• Someone who can balance technical excellence with practical solutions

Requirements (Must Have)

• 6+ years of professional software development experience
• Strong proficiency in Ruby on Rails framework and its ecosystem
• Working knowledge of JavaScript
• Strong understanding of database systems (both SQL and NoSQL) and ability to make informed decisions about database architecture
• Experience writing comprehensive test suites (unit, integration, and end-to-end)
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment

Technical Skills

• Primary: Ruby on Rails
• Databases: SQL, NoSQL
• Testing: RSpec, Minitest, or similar testing frameworks
• Version Control: Git or similar version control workflows
• API Development: RESTful APIs

Nice to have

• Experience with MarTech
• Experience with various Rails templating engines (Phlex, Fortitude, etc.)
• Familiarity with Javascript and Node, including frameworks such as React and NextJS
• Familiarity with AWS services, particularly S3
• Experience with CI/CD tools like Jenkins
• Knowledge of workflow management tools like Airflow

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. San Francisco is our highest geographic market in the United States. In the state of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $143,000 [minimum salary in our lowest geographic market within California] to $231,000 [maximum salary in our highest geographic market within California].

In the United States, outside of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $117,500 [minimum salary in our lowest US geographic market outside of California] to $219,500 [maximum salary in our highest US geographic market outside of California].

In Canada, the reasonably expected salary range is between $147,500 CAD[minimum salary in our lowest geographic market] to $190,000 CAD[maximum salary in our highest geographic market].

We carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including but not limited to experience; job-related skill sets; relevant education or training; and other business and organizational needs. The salary range listed is for the level at which this job has been scoped. In the event that you are considered for a different level, a higher or lower pay range would apply. This position is also eligible for a competitive equity ownership, and a comprehensive and generous benefits package.

Are you currently based in a location where Scribd is able to employ you? Employees must have their primary residence in or near one of the following cities. This includes surrounding metro areas or locations within a typical commuting distance: United States – Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.; Canada – Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver; Mexico – Mexico City.

Benefits, Perks, And Wellbeing At Scribd

• Benefits/perks listed may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Scribd and the geographical location where you work.
• Healthcare Insurance Coverage (Medical/Dental/Vision): 100% paid for employees
• 12 weeks paid parental leave
• Short-term/long-term disability plans
• 401k/RSP matching
• Onboarding stipend for home office peripherals + accessories
• Learning & Development allowance
• Learning & Development programs
• Quarterly stipend for Wellness, WiFi, etc.
• Mental Health support & resources
• Free subscription to the Scribd Inc. suite of products
• Referral Bonuses
• Book Benefit
• Sabbaticals
• Company-wide events
• Team engagement budgets
• Vacation & Personal Days
• Paid Holidays (+ winter break)
• Flexible Sick Time
• Volunteer Day
• Company-wide Employee Resource Groups and programs that foster an inclusive and diverse workplace.
• Access to AI Tools: We provide free access to best-in-class AI tools, empowering you to boost productivity, streamline workflows, and accelerate bold innovation.

We're unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.