About The Company Hopper is a leading travel technology company dedicated to transforming the way travelers plan, book, and experience their journeys. Renowned for its innovative use of data analytics and machine learning, Hopper powers one of the most popular travel apps globally, with over 120 million downloads.
The company’s mission is to make travel more transparent, flexible, and affordable by leveraging advanced technology and fintech solutions. Hopper’s platform combines a world-class travel agency experience with proprietary financial products, providing travelers with real-time pricing insights, trip disruption assistance, and flexible booking options. With a robust presence in the online travel industry, Hopper has established itself as a trusted brand among Millennials and Gen Z travelers, and continues to expand its influence through strategic partnerships and cutting-edge innovations.
About The Role Hopper is seeking a talented Staff Software Engineer to join our dynamic team focused on enhancing our Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) platform. This platform is a configurable, multi-tenant travel commerce engine that enables global partners—such as banks, airlines, and fintech leaders—to deploy seamless hotel and travel booking experiences swiftly and efficiently.
As a key member of our engineering team, you will be instrumental in developing scalable solutions that drive growth and innovation. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in building high-quality backend systems, with experience in distributed system architecture and a keen understanding of AI-driven workflows. You will work closely with product managers, business partners, and senior engineers to design and implement features that improve partner integrations, enhance user experience, and leverage AI tools to accelerate development cycles.
Your expertise will help position Hopper as a strategic partner in the travel and financial sectors, moving beyond traditional travel vendor roles to become a leading innovator in travel fintech and commerce.
Qualifications
- Proven experience in software engineering, with a focus on backend development and distributed systems.
- Strong proficiency in Scala, with a willingness and ability to learn other programming languages such as Go, Python, or Java.
- Experience working with cloud platforms, particularly Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services.
- Familiarity with frontend technologies like React and TypeScript is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to architect scalable, reliable, and maintainable systems.
- Experience integrating AI and automation tools into software workflows.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate complex codebases quickly.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts and trade-offs clearly.
- Track record of working effectively in autonomous, low-process environments.
- Passion for innovation, continuous learning, and delivering high-impact solutions.
Responsibilities
- Identify opportunities to improve the codebase, making it more accessible for both human engineers and AI agents to develop and deploy features rapidly and safely.
- Collaborate with a team of senior engineers in a trust-based, low-process environment to deliver high-quality software solutions.
- Drive technical decisions and build consensus through comprehensive documentation and specifications.
- Own end-to-end feature development, primarily focusing on backend systems but utilizing AI tooling across the stack as needed.
- Design and implement scalable architecture patterns that support the rapid deployment of new partner experiences.
- Work directly with product managers and business stakeholders to define, refine, and execute the product roadmap.
- Implement feedback loops and guardrails to ensure AI-assisted development remains productive, reliable, and aligned with business goals.
- Participate in code reviews, provide constructive feedback, and mentor junior team members.
- Stay current with emerging AI technologies and incorporate them into development workflows to maximize efficiency and innovation.
Benefits
- Competitive salary with the benefits of pre-IPO equity packages.
- Unlimited paid time off to support work-life balance.
- Carrot Cash travel stipend to facilitate travel experiences.
- Access to flexible co-working spaces and work-from-home stipends.
- Generous parental leave policies exceeding industry standards.
- Comprehensive employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage.
- Disability and Life insurance benefits.
- Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) and FSA options.
- Participation in 401(k) retirement savings plan.
- Entrepreneurial company culture emphasizing innovation, risk-taking, and open communication.
- Opportunity to make a significant impact within a small, agile team.
Equal Opportunity
Hopper is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other protected status. We believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds drive innovation and are essential to our success.
We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply and join us in shaping the future of travel technology.
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