Lead Backend Engineer, Search

Instacart is hiring a Lead Backend Engineer, Search to join our fully remote team in the United States. As a Lead Backend Engineer, Search, you'll design, build, and ship reliable software that scales to millions of users. This is a full-time, work-from-home role open to candidates across the US (Remote — Anywhere in the US). About the role You'll design, build, and ship reliable software that scales to millions of users, partnering with a friendly, distributed team across US time zones. We care about outcomes over hours and give you the autonomy, tools, and support to do your best work from home. What you'll do: • Review pull requests and mentor teammates • Improve performance, reliability, and developer experience • Write clean, well-tested, and documented code • Collaborate with product and design on new initiatives • Develop, test, and maintain features across the stack What we offer: • Home office and wellness stipends • Generous paid time off and company holidays • 401(k) retirement plan with company match • Flexible working hours across US time zones • Competitive salary and meaningful equity How we work We're remote-first and async-friendly. Expect clear documentation, regular feedback, supportive teammates, and real opportunities to grow your career. Instacart is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone.

Minimum qualifications: • 7+ years of experience, including leading teams or projects • Proficiency in one or more modern languages (TypeScript, Go, Python, or Java) • Solid understanding of data structures, APIs, and databases • Strong communication in a remote, async environment • Experience with version control and CI/CD Nice to have: • Familiarity with modern collaboration tools (Slack, Notion, Linear) • Experience working in a fully remote or distributed team