Software Development Engineer - 3 (Backend)

ABOUT QUINCE Founded in 2018, Quince was built to challenge the idea that nice things have to cost a lot. Our mission is simple: to make really high quality essentials for really low prices, produced fairly and sustainably. We believe everyone deserves exceptional craftsmanship and timeless design without the traditional markups. Quince is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model that cuts out middlemen and leverages just-in-time manufacturing to minimize waste and maximize value. Quince is a tech company disrupting the retail industry by putting AI, analytics and automation at the center of everything we do. Our unwavering commitment to excellence and company values guide our teams and actions: • Customer First: We prioritize customer satisfaction in every decision. • High Quality: True quality means premium materials and rigorous production standards you can feel good about. • Essential Design: We focus on timeless, functional essentials instead of chasing trends. • Always a Better Deal: Innovation and transparency ensure value for both customers and partners. • Social & Environmental Responsibility: We commit to sustainable materials, ethical production, and fair wages. Quince partners with world-class manufacturers across the globe and serves millions of customers. With strong investor backing and a focus on sustainable growth, we are a company that is rapidly scaling while maintaining a commitment to quality, simplicity, and radical price transparency. OUR TEAM AND SUCCESS At Quince, you will be part of a high-performing team that is redefining what quality, value, and sustainability mean in modern retail. We are a destination for builders, innovators, and operators to come together and challenge the status quo. Our collective ambition is bold. We are creating an entirely new category and customer experience – one that democratizes luxury and provides high quality products at radically low prices. That mission demands a world-class team committed to excellence. If you are motivated by impact, growth, and purpose, you will find a strong sense of belonging at Quince. THE ROLE Software Development Engineer - 3 (Backend) We’re looking for a Software Development Engineer - 3 (Backend) to join our growing engineering team. In this role, you will lead the design and development of highly scalable, reliable backend systems that power our core products. You will solve complex technical challenges, drive architectural decisions, and play a key role in shaping the technical direction of the team. Success in this role means delivering robust, high-performance systems at scale, proactively identifying and solving ambiguous problems, and influencing engineering excellence across teams. You will also mentor engineers, drive best practices, and contribute to building a high-performing engineering culture. This position is critical to enabling scalable growth and supporting Quince’s mission of delivering exceptional quality at incredible value. Responsibilities: • Lead the design and implementation of scalable, resilient backend systems and services • Own architectural decisions and drive system design for complex, high-scale distributed systems • Identify and solve deeply complex technical challenges related to scalability, performance, and reliability • Define and drive short-term and long-term technical strategy for backend systems • Establish and enforce high standards for code quality, system design, and engineering best practices • Review and guide design and code across teams to ensure consistency and excellence • Mentor and develop engineers across levels, fostering a strong engineering culture • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (product, data, infra) to drive end-to-end delivery of impactful solutions • Proactively identify areas of improvement in system architecture, performance, and developer productivity • Drive initiatives around system observability, reliability, and operational excellence • Contribute significantly to hiring, team building, and raising the bar for engineering talent Qualifications: • Strong computer science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, and system design • 5+ years of experience in backend development using Java, Spring/Spring Boot • Deep expertise in building and scaling high-traffic, distributed systems • Strong experience with SQL and NoSQL databases and data modeling at scale • Proven experience in designing fault-tolerant, highly available systems • Ability to drive architecture and influence technical decisions across teams • Strong debugging and problem-solving skills for complex, large-scale systems • Experience working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with high ownership • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills • Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and leading technical initiatives Preferred: • Experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and cloud-native architectures • Strong understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems patterns • Experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and infrastructure automation • Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes • Experience driving large-scale system migrations or architectural transformations • Prior experience in high-growth startups or consumer internet companies. WHY QUINCE? Joining Quince means being part of a mission-driven team reshaping retail. You will work alongside talented colleagues, tackle meaningful challenges, and contribute to building a more sustainable, accessible future for customers and partners alike. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & HIRING INTEGRITY Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing this accommodation form. We review all requests individually and will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Security Advisory: Beware of Frauds At Quince, we're dedicated to recruiting top talent who share our drive for innovation. To safeguard candidates, Quince emphasizes legitimate recruitment practices. Initial communication is primarily via official Quince email addresses and LinkedIn; beware of deviations. Personal data and sensitive information will not be solicited during the application phase. Interviews are conducted via phone, in person, or through the approved platforms Google Meets or Zoom—never via messaging apps or other calling services. Offers are merit-based, communicated verbally, and followed up in writing. If personal information is requested to initiate the hiring process, rest assured it will be through secure and protected means.