Staff Software Engineer, Backend

Toast creates technology to help restaurants and local businesses succeed in a digital world, helping business owners operate, increase sales, engage customers, and keep employees happy.

The Android Systems team bridges the gap between hardware and software to build the foundational platform for Toast POS devices. The team develops the end-to-end software driving our device management product suite—including system applications, cloud-based services, and web user interfaces designed to secure and manage Toast's hardware ecosystem.

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer who is hands-on with coding, is able to design end to end systems, and will pave the path for the team to build modern technical solutions keeping customer empathy in mind. If you are a leader who collaborates well with teams within the organization, can think big, and are passionate about building software systems used to manage hardware devices with high focus on quality, this position is for you!

_About this roll* (Responsibilities):_

• Hands-on design and implementation of Kotlin backend services to improve our device management workflows for customers.
• Lead the design and development of the next generation of Toast’s software services and applications to bring a seamless device configuration and user experience for customers.
• Collaborate with Product Management, Hardware, QA and other Software teams on the product roadmap and requirements to build a long term vision for Toast.
• Create technical requirements and detailed designs of the software system being developed.
• Lead effort estimation sessions and use sound judgment to enable planning of projects.
• Diagnose performance bottlenecks and implement optimizations.
• Make solid technical decisions keeping software quality, security, and maintainability in mind.
• Help set the standard for software quality by adopting modern software test frameworks and practices in day to day development.

_Do you have the right ingredients*? (Requirements):_

• 8+ years of experience in designing and implementing robust backend services
• Proficient in a modern object-oriented programming language such as Java or Kotlin.
• Demonstrated technical leadership, with the ability to drive cross-team alignment and influence across engineering, product, and business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with microservices architecture and containerization technologies for enhanced scalability and maintainability.
• Applied knowledge of best practices in backend application lifecycle management, including database, service, & API design strategies, with the ability to share this amongst the team and peers.
• Experience developing single-page frontend applications using React.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with AI-augmented development workflows and tools (e.g., Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar).

_Bonus ingredients*:_

• Demonstrated proficiency with DynamoDB or PostgreSQL.
• Proficiency in Kotlin (or Java and willing to learn Kotlin) and Kotlin-specific frameworks and libraries for building efficient backend solutions.
• Experience with monitoring tools to debug and resolve tough customer issues.
• Understanding of mobile device management (MDM) concepts and enterprise device management platforms.

AI at Toast

At Toast, one of our company values is that we're hungry to build and learn. We believe learning new AI tools empowers us to build for our customers faster, more independently, and with higher quality. We provide these tools across all disciplines, from Engineering and Product to Sales and Support, and are inspired by how our Toasters are already driving real value with them. The people who thrive here are those who embrace changes that let us build more for our customers; it’s a core part of our culture.

Our Total Rewards Philosophy

We strive to provide competitive compensation and benefits programs that help to attract, retain, and motivate the best and brightest people in our industry. Our total rewards package goes beyond great earnings potential and provides the means to a healthy lifestyle with the flexibility to meet Toasters’ changing needs. Learn more about our benefits at 

The base salary range for this role is listed below. The starting salary will be determined based on skills, experience, and geographic location. In addition to base salary, our total rewards components include cash compensation (overtime, bonus/commissions if eligible), equity, and benefits. You can learn more about how we align pay with local labor markets in our Geographic Pay Zone Philosophy.

Zone A

$193,000—$309,000 USD

Zone B

$168,000—$269,000 USD

Zone C

$151,000—$242,000 USD

How Toast Uses AI in its Hiring Process

Throughout the hiring process, our goal is to get to know you. We use AI tools to support our recruiters and interviewers with tasks like note-taking, summarization, and documentation of interviews to ensure they can be fully focused on your conversation. All hiring decisions are made by people. We ask that you complete interviews and assessments on your own, without real-time AI tools, recording, or transcription bots, unless we tell you otherwise in advance. To learn more:

Our Approach to Hybrid Working

We embrace a hybrid work model that fosters in-person collaboration while valuing individual needs. Our goal is to build a strong culture of connection as we work together to empower the hospitality community, regardless of location. Please visit the Locations page on our career site to learn more about our in-office expectations by region: 

People Are the Secret Ingredient in Our Recipe for Success

At Toast, our employees are our secret ingredient—when they thrive, we thrive. The restaurant industry brings together people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and we value that same breadth at Toast. We strive to build a culture grounded in authenticity, respect, and humility, where every Toaster has a real opportunity to grow, contribute, and do their best work—raising the bar in delivering exceptional experiences for our customers and each other.

Apply today!

Toast is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive hiring process. As part of this commitment, we strive to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities to enable them to access the hiring process. If you need an accommodation to access the job application or interview process, please contact [View email address on click.appcast.io](mailto:View email address on click.appcast.io).

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_For roles in the United States, it is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability._