Backend Engineer

Backend Engineer – Globalization (Mandarin Required)

Location: Singapore, CBD (5 Days onsite)
Function: Backend Engineering

About the Role

Our client is a rapidly scaling global consumer internet platform, serving hundreds of millions of users across content, community, and digital commerce. As the company accelerates its international expansion, the International Engineering team is building the next generation of global infrastructure from the ground up. Unlike conventional backend development focused on maintaining mature systems, this role offers a genuine 0-to-1 engineering opportunity, developing the architecture and infrastructure required to operate a large-scale consumer platform across multiple regions, languages, and regulatory environments.

You will work on global multi-region architecture, data compliance infrastructure, and AI-enabled engineering solutions, helping build the foundational systems that support international growth. The role combines deep backend engineering with opportunities to work across frontend, data infrastructure, and intelligent automation.

Key Responsibilities

Global Architecture & Backend Engineering
- Participate in the design and evolution of the company's global multi-region architecture.
- Develop scalable backend services and infrastructure supporting international business operations.
- Own the complete engineering lifecycle, from system architecture and core development through testing, deployment, and production delivery.
- Design solutions that balance technical scalability, operational requirements, and data compliance constraints.
- Contribute to architecture improvements as international business and regulatory requirements evolve.

Data Compliance Platform Development
- Build and scale a data compliance platform from 0 to 1, supporting the company's international operations.
- Develop core platform capabilities, including:
- Data Asset Dictionary: Data discovery, classification, and asset visibility.
- Cross-Border Gateway: Infrastructure supporting controlled cross-border data flows.
- Third-Party Gateway: Governance and management of third-party data integrations.
- RoPA / DSR: Record of Processing Activities and Data Subject Request capabilities.
- Translate complex privacy and regulatory requirements into scalable engineering solutions.
- Work with Legal, Security, and Product teams to ensure infrastructure supports appropriate data governance and compliance processes.

AI-Native Engineering & Intelligent Automation
- Embrace an AI-Native development approach, using AI tools extensively throughout the engineering lifecycle.
- Apply AI-assisted development to accelerate implementation, problem-solving, and cross-domain engineering.
- Explore and develop intelligent capabilities for practical compliance scenarios, including:
- Sensitive data identification
- Intelligent compliance auditing
- Automated compliance Q&A
- Work across backend, frontend, and data infrastructure where required, leveraging AI tools to accelerate development across technical domains.
- Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency, platform capabilities, and automation.

Cross-Functional & International Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with Engineering, Product, Legal, Security, and Data teams across international locations.
- Translate business and regulatory challenges into practical engineering requirements.
- Identify architectural, operational, and compliance bottlenecks and drive improvements.
- Take ownership of complex engineering initiatives from problem identification through production delivery.
- Contribute to a high-performing engineering culture focused on technical quality, system reliability, and continuous learning.

Requirements

Education & Engineering Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related discipline.
- Strong computer science fundamentals, including:
- Data structures and algorithms
- Computer networking
- Operating systems
- Software architecture and engineering principles
- Proficiency in at least one mainstream programming language, preferably Java or Go, with 3–8 years of production experience.
- Strong coding standards, software engineering discipline, and problem-solving capabilities.
- Experience developing backend systems, infrastructure platforms, or complex enterprise applications.

Backend & Platform Engineering
- Strong understanding of backend system architecture and software development.
- Experience designing, developing, and maintaining scalable backend services.
- Familiarity with one or more of the following would be advantageous:
- Distributed systems and microservices
- API gateways and middleware
- Data infrastructure and data governance platforms
- Multi-region deployments
- Enterprise platform engineering
- Ability to take ownership of complex technical modules and deliver reliable production systems.

AI-Native Development Mindset
- Strong practical experience using AI-assisted development tools in day-to-day engineering work.
- Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools to solve complex problems, improve productivity, and accelerate development.
- Strong technical curiosity and willingness to learn unfamiliar technologies and engineering domains.
- Comfortable working beyond a single technical specialization when required.
- Interest in applying AI and intelligent automation to real-world engineering challenges.

Data Compliance & Privacy
- Interest in data privacy, data governance, and regulatory compliance.
- Familiarity with frameworks such as GDPR would be advantageous.
- Experience in any of the following would be highly relevant:
- Data compliance platforms
- API gateways and middleware
- Data governance and classification
- Cross-border data infrastructure
- Privacy engineering
- Security or compliance-related platform development
- Prior direct experience in data compliance is advantageous but not mandatory for candidates with strong engineering fundamentals and learning ability.

Ownership & Collaboration
- Strong ownership mentality and ability to drive initiatives from design through delivery.
- Excellent analytical thinking and structured problem-solving capabilities.
- Ability to understand the underlying technical and business problems rather than focusing solely on implementation.
- Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with evolving requirements.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively with internationally distributed teams.

Why This Role

- Genuine 0-to-1 engineering: Build foundational infrastructure rather than simply maintaining established systems.
- Global-scale challenges: Design platforms supporting international operations across multiple regions and regulatory environments.
- Deep technical ownership: Work across architecture, backend development, data infrastructure, and production delivery.
- AI-Native engineering: Apply AI-assisted development and intelligent automation to complex real-world problems.
- Cross-domain exposure: Develop expertise at the intersection of backend engineering, data governance, privacy, and AI.
- International impact: Build technology that directly enables the expansion of a major global consumer internet platform.

*Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

EA Licence No.: 25S3232
EA Personnel Reg. No.: R1874604
EA Personnel Name: Kenneth Ho