Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior/Staff Back-end Engineer

at Arbor

🏢 About Arbor

Arbor is building an intelligent electricity marketplace that democratizes wholesale energy pricing, previously exclusive to Fortune 500 companies, for renters, homeowners, and small businesses. Their AI-powered platform aggregates users to unlock cheaper rates and optimize usage in real-time, addressing both cost savings and environmental impact. With $20M+ in funding and $7.5M+ already saved for customers, they're tackling a critical infrastructure problem at the intersection of technology, energy, and sustainability.

About This Role

As a Senior/Staff Back-end Engineer at Arbor, you'll build and scale the core infrastructure powering their energy marketplace, including rate monitoring systems and marketplace orchestration. This is a high-ownership role where you'll ship production systems (not just features) using AI-augmented development practices. You'll directly impact how millions access affordable, renewable energy by developing the backend services that match customers with optimal suppliers in deregulated markets.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start by reviewing metrics from your rate monitoring systems tracking utility pricing across deregulated markets, then collaborate with the lean engineering team to design a new event-driven service for marketplace orchestration. Using AI-augmented development practices, you'd implement scalable backend logic in TypeScript, manage infrastructure with Terraform on GCP, and deploy production systems that directly impact how customers access optimal energy rates.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Arbor Is Looking For

  • Has 5+ years building production backend systems at scale, specifically with JavaScript/TypeScript (Node.js) and preferably Nest.js
  • Possesses hands-on experience managing real cloud environments using native GCP tooling, serverless architectures, and event-driven systems
  • Is proficient with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and has managed cloud environments beyond tutorials
  • Thrives in a lean, high-leverage engineering team and is excited about building systems that solve complex marketplace and pricing problems

📝 Tips for Applying to Arbor

1

Highlight specific examples of production systems you've built at scale, especially those involving marketplace dynamics, pricing algorithms, or real-time optimization

2

Demonstrate your GCP and Terraform expertise with concrete projects (not just tutorials) - mention specific services you've used and problems you've solved

3

Show how you've worked with event-driven architectures and serverless systems in past roles, particularly for data processing or orchestration

4

If you have experience with energy, utilities, or fintech domains, emphasize it - otherwise, show enthusiasm for solving complex infrastructure problems

5

Tailor your resume to show progression in backend engineering responsibilities, with quantifiable impact on system performance, scalability, or reliability

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Explain why you're specifically interested in Arbor's mission to democratize energy pricing and how your backend experience aligns with building marketplace infrastructure", 'Describe a relevant project where you designed scalable backend services for a complex system (preferably involving real-time data or orchestration)', 'Highlight your hands-on experience with GCP, serverless architectures, and Terraform in production environments', "Express enthusiasm for working in a lean, high-ownership environment where you'll ship production systems end-to-end"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Understand how electricity deregulation works in different US markets and why this creates Arbor's opportunity
  • → Research how AI data centers are increasing electricity demand and creating market imbalances
  • → Explore the $20M+ funding round and the investors involved (likely climate tech or infrastructure-focused VCs)
  • → Learn about the technical challenges of real-time energy pricing optimization and marketplace orchestration

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Designing scalable backend services for a marketplace that matches customers with energy suppliers based on real-time pricing data
2 Implementing event-driven architectures using GCP native tooling for processing utility rate changes across deregulated markets
3 Managing infrastructure-as-code with Terraform in production GCP environments
4 Optimizing Node.js/TypeScript services for performance and reliability in a high-stakes financial/energy context
5 Approaching system design for AI-augmented development workflows in a lean engineering team
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on frontend or full-stack experience without emphasizing backend systems at scale
  • Listing cloud certifications or tutorial projects without demonstrating production experience with GCP and Terraform
  • Applying with a generic resume that doesn't highlight specific backend architecture, scalability, or infrastructure-as-code achievements

📅 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 Arbor!

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