Scribd, Inc. · 1 day ago
Senior Software Engineer, Web API Platform
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
$146K/yr - $228K/yr
6+ years expScribd Inc. is on a mission to spark human curiosity through their products. They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to establish a company-wide API platform that accelerates web modernization, focusing on designing and owning new product-facing web APIs for their web products.
AudiobooksBooksEBooksFile SharingNewsPodcastPublishing
Responsibilities
Design, build, and own new product-facing web APIs that span our full web product surface across Scribd and Everand
Serve as the primary interface between modern web applications and existing backend systems, enabling teams to evolve toward more scalable, maintainable frontend architectures with confidence
Design APIs intentionally with a focus on clear contracts, predictable performance, and strong observability, improving developer experience and enabling teams to ship faster and more safely
Work closely with frontend and backend teams to define integration patterns, guide API usage, and ensure the platform scales with real-world data volumes and access patterns
Qualification
Required
Strong ownership mindset, owning API design and implementation from initial design through production, iteration, and long-term maintenance
Pragmatic approach to system design, balancing ideal architecture with real-world constraints
Ability to design performance-aware APIs with intentional constraints that scale safely
Strong collaborator who works with frontend & backend teams toward better performance and integration outcomes
Long-term perspective on maintainability, extensibility, and developer experience
6+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong backend or platform focus
Proven experience designing APIs for high-volume or data-intensive product workflows
Experience implementing and integrating APIs with a Ruby on Rails application
Familiarity with modern API paradigms (e.g., REST, GraphQL, gRPC), including their performance and operational tradeoffs
Experience with query patterns, caching, pagination, and common performance pitfalls
Experience designing APIs with explicit contracts, versioning, and testing strategies
Experience working with modern web frontends (e.g., React, Next.js, or similar)
Strong communication skills and experience championing API design across teams
Hands-on experience incorporating AI-assisted tools into development workflows (e.g., debugging, testing, documentation, or design exploration)
Preferred
You've designed APIs where performance characteristics were explicit and intentional, not accidental
You consider observability, failure modes, and system health as part of API design, not afterthoughts
You're comfortable placing thoughtful constraints on API consumers to protect scalability and developer experience
You treat APIs and developer tooling as products, not just infrastructure
You care deeply about how backend and API decisions impact end users
You enjoy greenfield work, while navigating integration with existing systems
You bring informed opinions and enjoy refining them through discussion and iteration
Benefits
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.
Company
Scribd, Inc.
We're on a mission to spark human curiosity.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Scribd, Inc. has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (5)
2024 (2)
2023 (8)
2022 (3)
2021 (12)
2020 (15)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$106.75MKey Investors
Spectrum EquityKhosla VenturesCRV
2019-11-25Series E· $58M
2015-01-02Series D· $23M
2011-01-18Series C· $12M
Leadership Team
Tony Grimminck
Chief Executive Officer
Adrian Lienhard
VP, Infrastructure Engineering
Recent News
2026-01-05
TechCrunch
2025-12-11
Company data provided by crunchbase