Junior Cloud Backend Engineer

Junior Cloud Backend EngineerWhat we are: Fun, fast-paced, client-focused, people-centric, inviting, flexible, and rapidly growing.What we are not: Overly structured, uncompromising, disengaged, or disconnected.We build large-scale industrial IoT software systems that ingest, process, and analyze data from hundreds of thousands of connected devices. We're looking for a Junior Cloud Backend Engineer to help modernize the heart of our cloud platform—the APIs, telemetry ingestion pipeline, and backend services that power our products. This is a highly hands-on engineering role for someone who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, modernizing legacy systems, and building reliable, scalable cloud services. You'll work alongside a small team of senior engineers to safely migrate critical production systems from a legacy PHP environment to modern serverless architectures while sharing responsibility for the operational health, reliability, and scalability of our platform.Technologies We Use: AWS, Serverless Architectures (Lambda, API Gateway), PHP (legacy), Python, Node.js, SQS / Kinesis / MQTT / event-driven systems, PostgreSQL / MySQL / DynamoDB / time-series databases, Terraform, GitHub Actions, Observability and logging platforms, and more.We are a leading provider of wireless, mesh-networked, "Internet of Things" (IoT) sensors for industrial environments. Our cost-effective, plug-and-play products empower plants of all sizes to conduct predictive and preventative maintenance on mission-critical and secondary equipment in order to maximize uptime. Our innovative sensors, machine learning, services, and solutions have been revolutionizing this industry for the past 15 years.Reports to: Principle Software ArchitectLocation: Huntsville, ALTravel: Minimal travel requiredWork Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. **Sponsorship is not available at this time**Exemption Status: exemptThis position will give you the opportunity to:Engineer the core backend platform, including the API tier, telemetry ingestion pipeline, and supporting cloud servicesModernize a legacy PHP application by migrating services incrementally to a serverless architecture using safe, low-risk deployment strategiesRead, understand, and improve existing production systems while ensuring uninterrupted service for customersDesign and build highly reliable APIs, backend services, and scalable data ingestion pipelinesRebuild sensor-data ingestion using durable, replayable streaming architectures to improve reliability and disaster recoveryDevelop characterization tests and leverage record-and-replay validation techniques to ensure migration accuracy before production deploymentContribute to Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and observability to improve platform reliability and operational excellenceParticipate in the team's on-call rotation and troubleshoot production systems you ownLeverage AI-assisted development, testing, and code review to improve engineering productivity and software qualityPartner closely with platform, frontend, AI, and firmware engineering teams to deliver cohesive, scalable solutionsCarry out additional responsibilities as needed to support business objectivesQualifications & Requirements:Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experienceFoundational knowledge of backend software development through internships, co-ops, coursework, or personal projectsFamiliarity with cloud technologies, preferably AWS services such as Lambda, API Gateway, SQS, Kinesis, RDS, or DynamoDBAbility and willingness to learn, maintain, and help modernize existing PHP applicationsUnderstanding of API design, distributed systems, asynchronous processing, and event-driven architecture conceptsExposure to data ingestion pipelines, queues, streams, or serverless technologiesStrong software testing mindset with familiarity with unit, integration, or regression testingFamiliarity with Infrastructure as Code and modern CI/CD practicesExperience using AI-assisted software development tools to support coding, testing, or problem-solvingStrong communication, collaboration, and analytical skillsEagerness to learn new technologies, receive feedback, and contribute within a collaborativePreferred QualificationsInternship, co-op, academic, or personal project experience involving IoT, telemetry, or data-intensive applicationsExposure to messaging or streaming technologies such as SQS, Kafka, Kinesis, RabbitMQ, or MQTTExperience with one or more backend languages, such as Python, Node.js, Go, or PHPFamiliarity with databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, Redis, or TimescaleDBBasic understanding of cloud security, data privacy, or compliance frameworks such as SOC 2Exposure to observability, monitoring, or logging toolsA portfolio, GitHub profile, or examples of relevant academic or personal projectsWhat Success Looks LikeLegacy APIs and services are successfully migrated to modern serverless architectures with no customer-visible disruptionData ingestion pipelines operate reliably under heavy production workloads without silent data lossProduction migrations are validated through comprehensive testing before deploymentSystems are observable, well documented, and supported by multiple engineers rather than relying on tribal knowledgeEngineering teams can confidently deploy and operate backend services with speed and reliabilitySecurity, reliability, and compliance are designed into systems from the beginning rather than added laterCulture Fit RequirementsHigh intellect and strong analytical skillsInnovative and driven to constantly improveNon-bureaucratic, flexible, and able to thrive in a fast-moving environmentPositive energy and attitude towards people and problem-solvingDemonstrates a balance of humility, strong work ethic, and interpersonal savvy ("Humble, Hungry, and Smart") in approach to teamwork and problem-solving.A genuine human.Demonstrates a “Can Do” mentality. Why Waites? At Waites, we offer an attractive base salary with a strong history of profit sharing. We are intensely customer-focused, with a culture that encourages hard work, fun, and mutual success. As we continue to grow, there will be many opportunities for professional advancement and development. If you are a talented Cloud Engineer professional looking for an exciting new challenge, please apply!Learn more about who we are and what we do by checking out our website at www.waites.net.WST is an Equal Opportunity Employer.