Sr. Backend Engineer

SR. BACKEND ENGINEER

Portland, OR

$70-80/hr

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About the Role

This is a chance to own an authorization model from the ground up instead of inheriting someone elses design. A growing cloud software platform has outgrown its broad, one-size-fits-all user roles, and two active projects need a permission model that matches how customers actually organize their people and resources. Youll work with several teams to figure out what they need, shape the strategy, and build it into a Go microservices stack running on Kubernetes. Other projects will build on this for years, so the goal is something clean that the permanent team can understand and keep running long after youve handed it off. The team leans hard on agentic AI tools like Claude Code across coding and pull requests, and theres potential to extend past the first term.

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What Youll Do

• Take ownership of the platforms permission model and work with several teams to pin down what each one needs
• Help set the overall authorization strategy, then design fine-grained access built on users, groups, resources and the relationships between them
• Build the model into existing Go microservices and the APIs that sit in front of them
• Plan and run the cutover of every current customer onto the new model with zero downtime and proof that nobodys access changed by accident
• Write and support backend services, both new ones and ones already in production, including event-driven work
• Document the design, review code, and walk the permanent team through it so they can own it after you
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Required Skills

• 6+ years building backend microservices and APIs in production, ideally in Go, and strong Java, C# or Python engineers with lighter Go and deep permissions experience will be considered
• Hands-on design of authorization and permission models, including relationship-based access with inherited and delegated permissions, since login, SSO and identity work alone wont cover this one
• Experience with OpenFGA, Google Zanzibar-style authorization, or a comparable fine-grained permissions platform
• Solid SQL and relational database fundamentals, including schema design, query tuning and migrations you write and check yourself
• Kubernetes plus comfortable day-to-day Linux work, including basic administration and shell scripting
• Daily use of agentic AI coding tools like Claude Code, directing agents through multi-step work and reviewing everything they produce
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Preferred Skills

• GraphQL API development, along with REST and gRPC
• Microsoft Azure and Terraform, though AWS or GCP experience carries over
• Event-driven systems using Kafka, NATS, RabbitMQ or similar message brokers
• OIDC providers like Auth0, and user provisioning with SCIM through Okta, Entra ID or similar SSO tools
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Schedule and Work Environment

This role is on-site five days a week in the Portland area, with a target start in late November. The interview process starts with a virtual meeting with the hiring manager, then one on-site day with the team. A drug test and pre-employment screening are required.

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Skip the wait

Book 15 minutes with me and Ill walk you through whether this is worth your time. Book a quick call

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Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Beaverton, OR.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $70.00 - $80.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Beaverton, OR.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Beaverton,OR.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: 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.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.