Backend Engineering Intern

Traffic during holiday peaks can reach ten times normal levels, and the platform is built for it.

The program

Houston Online is hiring a Backend Engineering Intern for May 2027. The intern will work on internal tools and APIs used by our support and operations staff. Daily standup on Google Meet, everything else async on Slack. Remote within the US. The team meets in Houston once a quarter, travel covered. Normal working hours, Monday to Friday.

What you'll do

• Refactor old modules when asked, keeping behaviour the same.
• Query and update data in PostgreSQL or MySQL, including simple migrations.
• Fix bugs from the Jira backlog, starting with small, well-defined tickets.
• Write and test backend features in Python or Node.js under the guidance of a senior developer.
• Join the daily 15-minute standup on Google Meet and post a short written update in Slack.
• Debug failing builds in the GitHub Actions pipeline and note what caused them.
• Profile slow endpoints and suggest fixes, such as adding an index or caching a result.
• Add unit tests with pytest or Jest so new code does not lower coverage.

Basic qualifications

• Available 40 hours a week for the full internship.
• Authorized to work in the US. CPT and OPT candidates are welcome to apply.
• Some experience with Git, even if only on college or personal projects.
• A GitHub profile with at least two projects you wrote yourself.
• Available for 30 to 40 hours a week for the full internship period.
• Own laptop with at least 8 GB RAM and a reliable internet connection.
• Basic understanding of data structures, OOP and how HTTP requests work.

Preferred qualifications

• Competitive programming practice on LeetCode, Codeforces or CodeChef.
• Exposure to Docker or a cloud platform such as AWS or GCP.
• Familiarity with Django, Flask, FastAPI or Express.

What you get out of it

• Certificate and letter of recommendation on completion, plus a pre-placement offer for strong performers.
• Weekly 1:1 with your mentor to go over what went well and what to work on next.
• Writing tests is part of the job here, and you will get good at it.

Program dates: May 2027, 12 weeks.

Pay: $39.50 - $50.50 per hour

Benefits for interns

• Intern events and speaker sessions (virtual)
• Flexible hours.
• Learning and development stipend.
• Paid sick time.
• Final presentation to leadership.
• Mentorship from a dedicated buddy and manager.

Houston Online is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

We are unable to sponsor visas for this position.

Duration: 12 weeks. Start: May 2027.

Demo job created on 11jobs for testing and demonstrations. It is not an actual opening at Houston Online.