Senior Software Engineer, Backend

TRM Labs is a blockchain intelligence company committed to fighting crime and creating a safer world.By leveraging blockchain data, threat intelligence, and advanced analytics, our products empower governments, financial institutions, and crypto businesses to combat illicit activity and global security threats.At TRM, you'll join a mission-driven, fast-paced team made up of experts in law enforcement, data science, engineering, and financial intelligence, tackling complex global challenges daily.Whether analyzing blockchain data, developing cutting-edge tools, or collaborating with global organizations, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact.The Product Engineering team is responsible for building a comprehensive set of features, frameworks, and functionalities for both end customers and internal-facing teams to successfully execute and scale TRM's business.We are looking for a pragmatic backend engineer who can build reliable and scalable software that will be used by all TRM customers.You'll also design backend APIs with a deep understanding of the customer experience and performance.As an early member of the team, you will be deeply involved in the technical details along with our operational processes to champion the velocity, quality, and overall impact of TRM, ultimately building a safer financial system for billions of people.The impact you'll have here:Work on complex engineering problems that help you build and hone not only technical skills but also project management and human/soft skillsDevelop and maintain public APIs that are part of the API Product suiteCollaborate with stakeholders on transforming a functional vision into a tangible roadmap with clear outcomesSupport and enable internal business units through shared engineering services and functionalitiesDevelop cross-functional relationships with stakeholders across the organization to understand and empower their mission from end to endExperience designing and building scalable systems, web applications, APIs, and services (our backend is built in but prior experience in is not required; we believe tools and languages can be learned on the job)What we're looking for:Experience designing and building scalable systems, web applications, APIs, and services.An understanding of storage systems such as relational databases (e.g., Postgres) and analytical databases.Demonstrated experience in understanding customer pain points and bridging their needs to technical & product requirements.A high degree of initiative and ownership, combined with the ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt quickly to change.Exceptional ability to structure problems and identify the most critical issues to prioritize.Ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences, verbally and in writing.Experience working collaboratively in a cross-functional environment with a diverse group of people at all levels in an organization.About the Team:The team operates on a weekly sprint schedule.Individuals on the team are tasked to lead projects as technical anchors, and given a chance to grow and take ownership according to their level and goals.We work closely with our internal stakeholders to deliver impactful features to our internal customers and the company.The team's culture is built on psychological safety wherein team members build rapport and trust-based relationships with teammates, hold each other accountable and to a high bar, collaborate extensively, and have lots of fun along the way.The team's timezone is a mix of EST and PST with at least 6 hours of overlap with PST (8 am to 2 pm PST)On-Call: We have an on-call rotation that is specific to internal tools.In this role, the internal tools engineer is responsible for triaging customer support requests from specific Slack channels pertaining to internal tools.Learn about TRM Speed in this position:Ruthless Prioritization & Adaptability: We adapt quickly when faced with new information.For example, an engineer may message the PM or EM to prioritize Task A vs. Task B in the middle of the sprint – we don't let inertia guide our decisions.Instead we focus on ruthless prioritization and pivot quickly as needed.Challenging Timelines (Execution Pressure): An engineer questions a teammate's proposed 3-week timeline, and constructively argues for condensing it to 2 weeks—backed by rationale, tradeoffs, and a plan to reduce scope or increase velocity.They show ownership of delivery speed and willingness to push for urgency.Time-Boxed Spiking (Rapid Learning & Decision-Making): An engineer proposes a 1-week spike with a clear time-box and success criteria to explore implementation options or validate feasibility through a proof of concept.They demonstrate speed not just in execution, but in de-risking decisions early.Life at TRM LabsLeadership PrinciplesOur Leadership Principles shape everything we do—how we make decisions, collaborate, and operate day to day.Impact-Oriented Trailblazer – We put customers first, driving for speed, focus, and adaptability.Master Craftsperson – We prioritize speed, high standards, and distributed ownership.Inspiring Colleague – We value humility, candor, and a one-team mindset.Accelerate your Career At TRM, you'll do work that matters—disrupting terrorist networks, recovering stolen funds, and protecting people around the world.You will:Work alongside top experts and learn every day.Embrace a growth mindset with development opportunities tailored to your role.Take on high-impact challenges in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.Thrive in a culture of coaching, where feedback is fast, direct, and built to help you level up.What to Expect at TRMTRM moves fast—really fast.We know a lot of startups say that, but we mean it.We operate with urgency, ownership, and high standards.As a result, you'll be joining a team that's highly engaged, mission-driven, and constantly evolving.To support this intensity, we're also intentional about rest and recharge.We offer generous benefits, including PTO, Holidays, and Parental Leave for full time employees.That said, TRM may not be the right fit for everyone.If you're optimizing for work life balance, we encourage you to:Ask your interviewers how they personally approach balance within their teams, andReflect on whether this is the right season in your life to join a high-velocity environment.Be honest with yourself about what energizes you—and what drains youWe're upfront about this because we want every new team member to thrive—not just survive.The Stakes Are RealOur work has direct, real-world impact:Jumping online after hours to support urgent government requests tracing ransomware payments.Delivering actionable insights during terrorist financing investigations.Collaborating across time zones in real time during a major global hack.Building new processes in days, not weeks, to stop criminals before they cash out.Analyzing blockchain data to recover stolen savings and dismantle trafficking networks.Thrive as a Global Team As a remote-first company, TRM Labs is built for global collaboration.We cultivate a strong remote culture through clear communication, thorough documentation, and meaningful relationships.We invest in offsites, regional meetups, virtual coffee chats, and onboarding buddies to foster collaboration.By prioritizing trust and belonging, we harness the strengths of a global team while staying aligned with our mission and values.Join our missionWe're looking for team members who thrive in fast-paced, high-impact environments and love building from the ground up.TRM is remote-first, with an exceptionally talented global team.If you enjoy solving tough problems and seeing your work make a difference for billions of people, we want you here.Don't worry if your experience doesn't perfectly match a job description— we value passion, problem-solving, and unique career paths.If you're excited about TRM's mission, we want to hear from you.Recruitment agenciesTRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes.Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees.TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.Privacy PolicyBy submitting your application, you are agreeing to allow TRM to process your personal information in accordance with the TRM Privacy PolicyLearn More: Company Values | Interviewing | FAQs