Application Guide

How to Apply for Backend Engineer

at Standard Fleet

🏢 About Standard Fleet

Standard Fleet is uniquely positioned at the intersection of sustainability and technology, specifically focusing on optimizing electric fleet operations. Their mission to 'streamline electric fleet operations for a greener future' means you'd be contributing directly to reducing carbon emissions through technology. This combination of environmental impact and technical challenge makes it appealing for engineers who want their code to have real-world, positive consequences.

About This Role

As a Backend Engineer at Standard Fleet, you'll be building and maintaining the core systems that manage real electric vehicle fleets, directly affecting daily operations like charging, routing, and maintenance scheduling. This role offers hands-on experience with scalability and reliability challenges under the guidance of senior engineers, while collaborating cross-functionally to translate customer needs from design and sales teams into technical solutions. Your work will have immediate, tangible impact on how fleets operate efficiently and sustainably.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a stand-up to discuss backend features impacting fleet operations, followed by coding in Go or Python to ship fixes that improve vehicle routing or charging efficiency. You'd likely collaborate with senior engineers on system design for scalability, then join a cross-functional meeting with the customer experience team to translate user feedback into backend solutions, all while rapidly learning new tools to tackle undefined problems in a fast-paced environment.

🎯 Who Standard Fleet Is Looking For

  • Has hands-on backend experience through personal projects, internships, or bootcamps (0–2 years professional), with demonstrable code in Go, Python, or similar languages.
  • Demonstrates a 'bias toward action' with examples of solving undefined problems in fast-paced environments, perhaps from hackathons or rapid prototyping.
  • Shows curiosity and rapid learning ability, evidenced by quickly picking up new tools or languages for past projects.
  • Expresses genuine interest in Standard Fleet's mission, connecting backend engineering to tangible sustainability outcomes in fleet operations.

📝 Tips for Applying to Standard Fleet

1

Highlight any projects or experience related to IoT, real-time systems, or logistics—even if tangential—as these align closely with fleet operations.

2

In your resume or portfolio, include links to GitHub repos showing Go or Python code, especially if it involves concurrency, APIs, or system design relevant to scalable backend services.

3

Tailor your application to mention Standard Fleet's mission explicitly, explaining why working on electric fleet optimization appeals to you beyond just the technical role.

4

If you lack professional experience, detail a personal project where you 'shipped' a backend feature end-to-end, emphasizing how you handled undefined problems or learned quickly.

5

Prepare to discuss how you've collaborated cross-functionally in past roles or projects, as this role requires working with design, customer experience, and sales teams.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Connect your backend experience directly to Standard Fleet's mission—explain how your skills in Go or Python could optimize electric fleet operations.", "Provide a specific example of a time you thrived in a fast-paced environment with undefined problems, highlighting your 'bias toward action'.", 'Mention your eagerness to learn across backend services and infrastructure, citing past instances where you rapidly picked up new tools or concepts.', "Express interest in the cross-functional collaboration aspect, noting how you've worked with non-technical teams to translate needs into technical solutions."]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • Research the electric vehicle (EV) fleet industry—understand common challenges like charging infrastructure, route optimization, and maintenance scheduling.
  • Explore Standard Fleet's public materials (website, blog, news) to grasp their specific technology stack or recent product updates related to fleet operations.
  • Look into sustainability metrics in logistics to appreciate how backend optimizations can reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the company's mission.
  • Investigate competitors or similar companies in the EV fleet space to understand industry trends and how Standard Fleet differentiates itself.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 System design for scalability: 'How would you design a backend service to handle real-time location data from thousands of electric vehicles?'
2 Problem-solving in undefined environments: 'Describe a time you faced an ambiguous technical problem in a fast-paced setting. How did you approach it?'
3 Go or Python deep-dive: 'Explain how you'd use concurrency in Go or asynchronous programming in Python to improve performance in a fleet management API.'
4 Cross-functional collaboration: 'Tell me about a project where you worked with non-engineers (e.g., sales or design) to build a backend feature. What challenges arose?'
5 Learning and adaptation: 'Give an example of a new language or tool you learned quickly for a project. How did you apply it, and what was the outcome?'
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application without mentioning Standard Fleet's focus on electric fleets or sustainability—this shows lack of genuine interest.
  • Overemphasizing frontend or unrelated tech skills without highlighting backend expertise in Go, Python, or scalable systems.
  • Failing to provide concrete examples of hands-on projects or learning experiences, especially if you have 0–2 years of professional experience.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Standard Fleet!