Lead Software Engineer Backend

Role summary

Written by MyIslandJob from the job title and employer. See the employer's page for the full description.

Grab is seeking a Lead Software Engineer, Backend to design, build, and maintain reliable, scalable backend services supporting its technology platforms. The role typically requires strong experience with backend development, distributed systems, databases, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and software architecture, along with proficiency in languages such as Java, Go, Python, or similar. Candidates are expected to lead technical initiatives, review code, improve system performance and reliability, mentor engineers, and collaborate with product, mobile, data, and operations teams. Strong communication, problem-solving ability, ownership, and experience delivering production systems in a fast-paced environment are important. Experience with microservices, high-availability systems, testing, monitoring, and agile development would be advantageous.

About the employer

Grab is a Southeast Asian technology company headquartered in Singapore, operating across mobility, deliveries, and digital financial services. Its platform connects consumers, driver-partners, merchant-partners, and businesses across countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In Indonesia, Grab provides ride-hailing, food and parcel delivery, payments, lending, and other digital services through its consumer and partner ecosystem. The company operates large-scale technology systems that must support high transaction volumes, real-time location services, secure payments, logistics coordination, and data-driven personalization. Grab promotes a mission focused on creating economic empowerment for communities and expanding access to convenient digital services. Engineering teams work in a multicultural, collaborative environment and often address complex challenges involving reliability, scalability, safety, financial technology, and urban mobility.

Working in Indonesia

Indonesia is an archipelago with varied opportunities across Java, Bali, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and other islands. Jakarta and nearby cities offer the largest concentration of technology, finance, logistics, and multinational jobs; Bandung and Yogyakarta have strong technology and education communities, while Bali is popular with international workers in tourism, hospitality, startups, and remote work. Indonesian culture values community, respect, family, and workplace relationships. Lifestyle ranges from busy metropolitan living to quieter coastal or island communities, with generally affordable food and services, though housing and traffic can be challenging in Jakarta. Foreign employees usually need employer sponsorship and an appropriate work visa or stay permit; working on a tourist visa is not permitted. Relocation commonly involves employer support, document legalization, medical checks, accommodation planning, and tax registration. Learning basic Bahasa Indonesia is highly useful, and candidates should verify current immigration rules before moving.