Software Developer, Backend Ads
TLDR
Build scalable backend services and APIs powering TextNow's ads-driven experiences, collaborating with product, data, and AI-enabled tooling to improve performance and scale.
TextNow is building the future of communication. As one of the largest provider of free phone service in North America, we're connecting millions of people through affordable, accessible wireless and messaging experiences. Our mission is simple: help people stay connected, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Our products sit at the intersection of telecommunications, mobile technology, advertising, AI, and consumer software. Every day, millions of customers rely on TextNow to communicate with family, friends, businesses, and essential services. As we continue to grow, we're investing in the platforms, tools, and technologies that power those experiences at scale.
We are a collaborative team of builders, problem-solvers, and product-minded engineers who care deeply about customer impact. We value ownership, pragmatic decision-making, data-informed thinking, and moving quickly without sacrificing quality.
We're AI-enabled, not AI-driven. AI tools are increasingly part of how we work, but engineering judgment, customer empathy, and thoughtful execution remain at the center of every decision we make.
What You'll Do
- Build scalable backend services, APIs, and platform capabilities that power coreTextNow experiences for millions of users
- Partner with Product Managers, Designers, Data Scientists, and Engineers to deliver reliable, customer-focused solutions
- Contribute to architecture, technical design, and long-term platform strategy
- Use data, experimentation, and customer insights to improve product outcomes and operational efficiency
- Help define and implement engineering best practices across the organization
- Participatein design reviews, code reviews, and technical discussions
- Identifyand resolve performance, reliability, and scalability challenges
- Leverage AI tools and emerging technologies to accelerate development and improve customer experiences
- Work with ourAd Ops team to develop new ad solutions to provide increasing value to advertisers
- Collaborate with our Product team to ensure a high-quality user experience around our ads
- Debug performance issues with ad units and work with ad providers to resolve them
- Implement improvements to the ads code architecture
Who You Are
- 4+ years of professional software engineering experience in a product-focused environment
- Demonstrated ownership and the ability to independently drive projects through ambiguity
- Strong computer science fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, and software design principles
- Experience building and operating distributed systems and cloud-based applications at scale
- Strong understanding of databases, APIs, and modern backend architectures
- Proficiency in one or more modern programming languages, with the ability to learn new technologies quickly
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
- Collaborative mindset with a passion for mentoring, learning, and building high-quality software
- Experience working in fast-moving startup or growth-stage environments
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure, automation, observability, and modern development practices
- Interest in AI, automation, and emerging technologies that improve how teams build and operate software
Base Salary Range
Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Strong work life blend
Health, dental, and vision benefits
Learning & Development opportunities
Employee app usage and customer experience
Dogfooding & Customer Obsession — At TextNow, every employee gets to actively use our app for calling and texting. Dogfooding helps us experience what customers do, to spot issues early, and drive better design, developer, and user experiences.
Parental leave for eligible employees
12 paid holidays per year
Employee stock options
Annual wellness benefit or healthcare spending account