Backend SDE- 1

What is Lokal?

Lokal is India’s leading hyperlocal platform, dedicated to serving the needs of non-English speakers across the country. Our platform connects millions by delivering hyper-relevant local information, classified ads, and a rapidly expanding range of use cases in various Indian languages. Operating in key states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, Lokal has proudly achieved over 45 million downloads since its inception.

Founded in 2018 by Jani and Vipul, both distinguished IIT alumni and featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020, Lokal is headquartered in Bengaluru. As a Series B-funded startup, we’re backed by world-class investors, including Sony Innovation Fund, Y Combinator, 3one4 Capital, India Quotient, and Global Brains.

Our mission is to empower millions of users with world-class products tailored to their local needs, creating impactful solutions that bridge the language and accessibility gap. Lokal’s innovation and success have been featured in prominent outlets like Inc42, Forbes, and The Economic Times.

Join us on our journey to redefine hyperlocal connectivity and make a meaningful impact across India!

About the Role:

We are looking for smart, driven and enthusiastic backend developers for SDE 1 position, who thrive in a fast-paced startup environment. As a key part of our engineering team, you’ll work on building and scaling systems that impact millions of users daily. This role is ideal for individuals passionate about solving complex problems, writing high-quality code, and taking ownership of their work.

What You'll Do

• Implement new features, build proof-of-concepts (POCs), and improve existing systems.

• Contribute to system design and participate in code reviews to maintain top-notch quality.

• Build scalable solutions from scratch while balancing long-term maintainability with business needs.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including developers, designers, and product managers, to deliver high-impact solutions.

• Learn and work with systems running at scale, ensuring reliability and performance.

• Examples of Product-Specific Responsibilities you can expect to work on

• Develop and implement effective algorithms for content matching in user feeds, personalized recommendations, and executing campaigns using cohort calculations, ensuring adaptability to diverse behaviors.

• Design, develop and maintain WebSocket-based systems to enable low-latency, real-time video and audio communication with high reliability.

• Strong expertise in SQL database modeling and crafting highly efficient queries optimized for scalability and performance in large-scale systems.

Who You Are

• Strong Problem Solver: Proficient in data structures and algorithms, with a structured approach to breaking down problems into manageable tasks.

• Self-Starter: Can take ownership of tasks and drive them with minimal supervision.

• Team Player: Comfortable collaborating in a small, autonomous team to deliver end-to-end solutions.

• Technical Skills:

  • Experience (0–2 years) with backend development, preferably in Python, Java, or JavaScript.

  • Understanding of database design and management (SQL/NoSQL databases).

  • Familiarity with distributed backend systems, API development, and optimization.

  • Exposure to CI/CD, load balancing, and containerization is a plus.

  • Expectation: It doesn't matter what language or stack you are comfortable with, but you should have explored it in depth. You should know the benefits, limitations, alternatives, and scope for improvement in your code.

• Eager Learner: Enthusiastic about working on systems at scale and continuously improving skills.

Bonus Points For:

• Experience working in fast-paced startups or on large-scale projects.

• Exposure to consumer tech, media products, or strategic decision-making roles.

• Hands-on experience in managing large-scale systems or projects.

• Experience with WebSockets and video streaming use cases will be a significant plus.

Why Join Lokal?

• Be a part of shaping the company’s future, contributing to both technical and strategic decisions.

• Work in a dynamic environment with 100s of service containers running to serve customers.

• Collaborate with a passionate team to build meaningful products for millions of users.

Join us on our journey to redefine hyperlocal connectivity and make a meaningful impact across India!