Senior Software Development Engineer

About the team The Senior Specialist, Software Engineering, Back End designs, builds, and operates scalable, reliable backend services and platforms that power Zillow’s consumer and partner experiences. This role leads complex server-side development, improves system performance and resiliency, and collaborates closely with product, data, and infrastructure teams to support millions of users and enable developer productivity across multiple brands. About the role

• Architect, develop, and maintain scalable, secure, and highly available backend services and APIs that power Zillow applications and platforms.
• Lead design and implementation of backend solutions that optimize performance, reliability, and observability for large-scale, distributed systems running in containerized and cloud environments (e.g., Kubernetes-based platforms).
• Collaborate with product, front-end, data, and machine learning teams to translate requirements into robust technical designs and end-to-end solutions, providing technical guidance on trade-offs and integration patterns.
• Implement and uphold engineering best practices, including automated testing, code review, CI/CD, instrumentation, and operational runbooks, to ensure high-quality, maintainable services over time.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues across services and data flows, conducting root cause analysis and driving systemic improvements to reduce incidents and improve system resilience.
• Mentor other engineers through code and design reviews, pairing, and knowledge sharing, helping to elevate backend engineering standards and practices across the team.

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $164,400.00 - $262,600.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia the standard base pay range for this role is $156,200.00 - $249,400.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside. Who you are

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in software engineering with a focus on backend or server-side development for scalable, high-availability systems.
• Experience designing, building, and operating RESTful or gRPC services and APIs in one or more modern programming languages (for example, Java, C#, Python, Go, or similar) in production environments.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (such as AWS, GCP, or Azure) and containerization/orchestration technologies (such as Docker and Kubernetes) for deploying and operating services at scale.
• Experience working with both relational and non-relational data stores and messaging/streaming technologies to support high-volume data processing and integration.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating in cross-functional, agile teams to deliver production software, including participation in planning, estimation, and release practices.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Get to know us At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move - through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help people navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.

How we work is a key part of that transformation. Through Cloud HQ, our strategic approach to distributed work, most employees have the flexibility to work from wherever they’re most productive - enabling us to move fast, stay connected and deliver on our people promise.

Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the U.S. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2026, and included on TIME’s America’s Best Companies 2026 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow.

No matter where you sit in the organization, your work will help drive innovation, support our customers, and move the industry - and your career - forward, together.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.