• Fully remote role, work from home anywhere in the Asia Pacific region (Australia, NZ, Pacific Islands, S.E. Asia)
• Two year contract with the possibility of extension
• Salary range AUD 7,500 - 8,300 base per month

In a nutshell

Catalpa is a global development organisation improving the lives of people. We design creative ways to tackle diverse problems, integrating technology and behavioural insights with locally-driven solutions.

Catalpa brings together people from unique backgrounds to work together on meaningful projects - education specialists, engineers, designers, public health researchers, international development practitioners, and operations personnel. Check us out at www.catalpa.io.

We are finding ourselves picking up the pace with our projects this year and as Catalpa continues to grow, so does our appetite for awesome talent.

About the role

We are looking for a Backend Software Engineer who thrives in a creative environment and loves building amazing applications that are simple to use and create impact. In this role you will be engaged in a range of projects and in all stages of the software lifecycle from design through development, testing and deployment. You will also be working on projects that solve problems across a variety of areas — health, education, transportation infrastructure, aid transparency, and more.

In this role, you will:

• Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute ideas to our technology and products
• Support the maintenance and deployment of multiple projects
• Design, build, and maintain APIs and database models, bringing value to a diverse range of high-impact projects
• Collaborate with frontend engineers to build intuitive, fast and accessible products
• Improve our code quality through testing, automation, and code reviews
• Assist the product team to review design mockups
• Support staff in adopting Catalpa’s agile product processes
• Iterate products based on user feedback and product requirements

• Other tasks to adapt to the changing needs of projects

Requirements

If you have these skills and experience then we want to hear from you!

• A relevant degree, or an intriguing reason for not having one
• Robust experience and feel at ease writing maintainable Python/Django web applications
• Good knowledge and experience with SQL and databases
• Deployment environments for the above on Ubuntu Linux servers
• JavaScript modern browser environments
• Comfort working in a highly agile, iterative software development process
• Great communication skills and ability to work closely with other parts of the organisation across time zones and cultures (we’re diverse!)
• The ability to thrive in a fully remote organisation
• A passion for making great products, and most importantly, you’re fun to work with!

Bonus points for the following

• Experience with geospatial libraries in Python, Django and PostgreSQL
• Advanced knowledge of PostgreSQL
• Experience with deployment management and monitoring
• A deep understanding of networking concepts
• Experience with Android application development

What you'll love about working at Catalpa

• We do meaningful work every day - our projects matter and make a difference
• We are empowered to make decisions - we don’t let processes and approval hierarchies get in the way; we trust our team to use their judgment
• Have a say in how we do software engineering - we’re always looking to do better
• Teach and learn from other team members - you’ll be a part of an awesome team that values trust and respect for one another
• We have fun - we celebrate our successes & don’t take ourselves too seriously

Eligibility

We love working with smart people from diverse backgrounds who are willing to learn new things. There are many skills we think this job will make use of but feel free to apply even if you’re not a ‘perfect fit’.

Work environment

We work in a creative, supportive environment with colleagues who come from diverse walks of life, and we value the perspectives they bring. We pay attention to the details, and we work together to achieve the best we can. Importantly, we work here because we love what we do and the impact we can have.

We know people’s lives include many obligations outside of work, so we aim to create a flexible work environment that includes remote work options, generous family leave, and return-to-work policies to support new parents. We know we do our best work when we take care of ourselves and communities. We take two weeks off at the end of each year to recharge and refresh.

Fit

Catalpa staff believe in the potential of technology to transform lives for the better. Our team members are flexible and can handle working across a broad range of responsibilities. They don’t mind rolling up their sleeves to solve thorny challenges that take time, patience, and creativity. We are friendly and care about the people with whom we work, always seeking to build and nurture relationships for the long-term.

Catalpa seeks to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all people, regardless of race, colour, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or marital status. We especially welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds.

How to Apply

If this sounds like you, please apply now with your up to date resume and we will be in touch! Please send a cover letter and tell us why you think you’d be a good fit for this role. Applications are to be submitted through our jobs page by clicking the "Apply Now" button.

For further inquiries or questions regarding this position, send an email to [email protected] using the subject line: Backend Software Engineer - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs, please do not email CV's as we require them to go through our website, thanks.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Benefits

• Get out of the rat race and contribute to impactful, meaningful work that makes a difference
• Fully remote roles, anywhere in the Asia Pacific region (Australia, NZ, Pacific Islands, S.E. Asia)
• Generous leave policies