Principal Backend Engineer (Java and Go)

About the role

Nortal is hiring a Principal Backend Engineer (Java and Go) for a fully remote position within its LATAM team. The project builds compliance and traffic-monitoring systems for a cross-border payments platform that evaluates transactions against country-specific rules, helps compliance teams manage those rules, automates regulatory reporting and supports shared identity-data and regulatory-storage services. As a Technical Referent (L4), the role combines hands-on backend engineering with technical direction, quality ownership and mentoring. It is a full-time, long-term engagement with two openings and a target start in December 2026.

Key responsibilities

• Lead architecture decisions and design reviews, documenting trade-offs and technical choices.
• Set and uphold quality practices, including testing strategy, Definition of Done and verification before completion.
• Conduct timely code reviews and help keep review cycles moving across time zones.
• Work hands-on in Java and Go on complex, critical backend systems.
• Turn ambiguous requirements into clear scope and acceptance criteria with product and engineering management.
• Mentor engineers, unblock the team and give technical and business context.
• Communicate asynchronously through written updates, design documents and decision records for a team across LATAM and Europe.
• Use AI-assisted development tools while keeping code review, testing and human oversight standards.
• Take part in the Technical Interviewer Program, conducting technical interviews for your account and others.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of software engineering experience.
• Strong production experience with both Java and Go.
• Experience designing event-driven, high-volume distributed systems, including queues, streaming or transaction processing.
• Track record of improving engineering quality through testing, CI/CD and code review.
• Excellent written and spoken English (C1+); advanced English is required because the client is US-based.
• Autonomy in defining scope, estimates and priorities, and availability for overlap with European working hours (CET).

What we offer

• Competitive USD salary and 100% remote work, with access to coworking spaces across LATAM.
• Paid time off and national holidays, sick leave and annual credit.
• Team-building activities, birthday off and support from the People Care team.