Senior/Staff Platform Engineer at Try Playground

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior/Staff Platform Engineer
Company: Try Playground
Location: New York, New York, United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: DevOps Engineer
Date Posted: April 14, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

Key Responsibilities: Build and maintain critical infrastructure, collaborate cross-functionally to enhance deployment pipelines, security measures, and infrastructure scalability.
Key Technologies: React, Vite, monorepos, logging solutions, monitoring solutions, CI/CD pipelines, security best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in infrastructure, DevOps, or software engineering focused on frontend systems, with a deep understanding of modern deployment tools and security best practices.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

Infrastructure Management: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance deployment pipelines, security measures, and infrastructure scalability.
Frontend Optimization: Optimize Vite configurations to improve build times, reduce bundle sizes, and enhance the developer experience.
Environment Separation: Ensure robust separation between development, staging, and production environments while maintaining debugging capabilities.
Logging Implementation: Implement and maintain a centralized queryable logging system for efficient debugging and analysis.
Uptime Monitoring: Improve and maintain real-time service uptime monitoring and alerts using tools such as Google Cloud Monitoring, PostHog, Sentry, or similar platforms.
Tool Maintenance: Maintain and improve internal developer tools to enhance productivity, including CI/CD automation and workflow enhancements.
Security Compliance: Ensure compliance with security best practices across deployment and infrastructure processes.
Documentation: Write and maintain clear, accessible documentation for configurations, processes, and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves a high level of ownership and requires strong problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience: 5+ years of experience in infrastructure, DevOps, or software engineering focused on frontend systems.

Required Skills:

Proficiency in React
Proficiency with modern deployment tools and CI/CD pipelines
Strong experience with Vite, monorepos, and optimizing frontend build tools
Experience working with logging and monitoring solutions such as Sentry, Datadog, or Google Cloud Monitoring
Deep understanding of security best practices and infrastructure resilience
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Skills:

Experience with Google Cloud Platform or similar cloud services
Familiarity with child care software or related industries
Knowledge of TypeScript or similar typed languages

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, familiarity with child care software or related industries may be beneficial for understanding the context and requirements of the platform.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Demonstrate Infrastructure Management: Showcase projects that highlight your ability to manage and maintain critical infrastructure, ensuring platform scalability, security, and high performance.
Frontend Optimization Examples: Include examples of optimizing frontend build tools, reducing bundle sizes, and improving build times using Vite or similar tools.
Logging and Monitoring: Provide examples of implementing and maintaining logging and monitoring systems for efficient debugging and analysis.
Security Best Practices: Highlight projects that demonstrate your understanding and implementation of security best practices in infrastructure and deployment processes.

Technical Documentation:

Configuration Documentation: Include documentation for configurations, processes, and best practices related to your infrastructure management and optimization projects.
Code Quality: Demonstrate your commitment to code quality, commenting, and documentation standards in your portfolio projects.
Version Control: Showcase your experience with version control systems and deployment processes, including CI/CD pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: As this role requires a high level of ownership and collaboration, be prepared to discuss your approach to problem-solving, communication, and teamwork in your portfolio and interview.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Competitive salary (not specified, research regional standards for senior DevOps engineers in New York)

Benefits:

Equity
3 weeks of PTO
Health, vision, and dental benefits
$1200/year education stipend
Free lunch daily
New MacBook
Collaborative and supportive work culture with a high level of autonomy and room for growth

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines

📝 Enhancement Note: Research regional salary standards and cost of living in New York for senior DevOps engineers to estimate the salary range.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Child care technology, focusing on making excellent child care accessible to all.

Company Size: Early-stage startup with a growing engineering team.

Founded: Not specified (founders recognized by Forbes as 30 under 30)

Team Structure:

Collaborative and supportive work culture with a high level of autonomy and room for growth
Cross-functional teams, including engineering, product, design, and support
Flat hierarchy with a focus on ownership and craftsmanship

Development Methodology:

Agile development processes, with a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement
Regular code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices
CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment strategies

Company Website: www.tryplayground.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Playground has raised millions of dollars in funding, has several Statewide contracts, and is working with thousands of schools across the country, indicating a strong market presence and growth potential.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior/Staff Platform Engineer, responsible for building and maintaining critical infrastructure, enhancing deployment pipelines, and ensuring platform scalability, security, and high performance.

Reporting Structure: Not specified (flat hierarchy with a focus on ownership and craftsmanship)

Technical Impact: Significant technical influence on platform performance, security, and user experience, as well as the ability to shape the future of child care technology.

Growth Opportunities:

Opportunities for career progression and technical leadership within the engineering team
Potential to take on more ownership and responsibility as the company grows
Room for growth in a fast-paced, early-stage startup environment

📝 Enhancement Note: As a senior or staff platform engineer, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of child care technology and make a significant impact on the platform's performance, security, and user experience.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully in-person, located in Union Square, NYC

Office Location(s): New York, New York, United States

Workspace Context:

Collaborative workspace with a high level of autonomy and room for growth
Access to new MacBooks and other necessary tools for the role
Free lunch daily to encourage team bonding and collaboration

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines

📝 Enhancement Note: While the work environment is fully in-person, the company offers a competitive salary, equity, and other benefits to attract top talent in the field.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Technical Phone Screen: Discuss your experience with infrastructure, DevOps, or software engineering focused on frontend systems, as well as your understanding of modern deployment tools and security best practices.
On-site Technical Deep Dive: Dive deeper into your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and approach to infrastructure management and optimization. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio projects and how they demonstrate your qualifications for the role.
Behavioral and Cultural Fit Interview: Assess your communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills, as well as your cultural fit with the Playground team.
Final Decision: The hiring team will make a final decision based on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Highlight your ability to manage and maintain critical infrastructure, ensuring platform scalability, security, and high performance.
Showcase your experience with frontend optimization, logging and monitoring, and security best practices.
Include examples of your problem-solving skills, communication, and collaboration abilities.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Brush up on your knowledge of React, Vite, monorepos, logging solutions, monitoring solutions, CI/CD pipelines, and security best practices.
Prepare for questions about your approach to infrastructure management, optimization, and problem-solving in a fast-paced environment.

ATS Keywords:

Infrastructure
DevOps
Software Engineering
React
Deployment Tools
CI/CD Pipelines
Vite
Monorepos
Logging Solutions
Monitoring Solutions
Security Best Practices
Problem-Solving
Communication
Collaboration

📝 Enhancement Note: Familiarize yourself with the company's mission, values, and culture to ensure a strong fit and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role during the interview process.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Frontend Technologies:

React (required)
Vite (required)
Monorepos (required)
TypeScript (preferred)

Backend & Server Technologies:

Not specified (focus on frontend systems and infrastructure management)

Development & DevOps Tools:

Modern deployment tools (required)
CI/CD pipelines (required)
Logging solutions (required, e.g., Sentry, Datadog, or Google Cloud Monitoring)
Monitoring solutions (required, e.g., Google Cloud Monitoring, PostHog, or Sentry)
Version control systems (required, e.g., Git)

📝 Enhancement Note: While the specific backend and server technologies are not mentioned, the role focuses on frontend systems and infrastructure management, with a strong emphasis on React, Vite, and monorepos.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

Ownership: Take responsibility for your work and the impact it has on the platform and users.
Craftsmanship: Strive for excellence in your work and continuously improve your skills and knowledge.
Empathy: Consider the needs and perspectives of users, team members, and other stakeholders in your work.
Collaboration: Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality results.

Collaboration Style:

Collaborative and supportive work culture with a high level of autonomy and room for growth
Flat hierarchy with a focus on ownership and craftsmanship
Regular code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices

📝 Enhancement Note: Playground's values emphasize ownership, craftsmanship, empathy, and collaboration, fostering a supportive work culture with a high level of autonomy and room for growth.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Platform Scalability: Ensure the platform remains scalable, secure, and high-performing as user demand grows.
Security Best Practices: Implement and maintain security best practices across deployment and infrastructure processes to protect user data and platform integrity.
Optimization: Continuously optimize frontend build tools, reduce bundle sizes, and improve build times to enhance the developer experience.
Troubleshooting: Develop strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment to quickly identify and resolve infrastructure issues.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Technical Skill Development: Expand your knowledge of modern deployment tools, CI/CD pipelines, logging solutions, monitoring solutions, and security best practices.
Industry Knowledge: Deepen your understanding of child care technology and the unique challenges and opportunities it presents.
Leadership Development: Hone your leadership skills and prepare for potential opportunities to take on more ownership and responsibility as the company grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a senior or staff platform engineer, you will face technical challenges related to platform scalability, security, optimization, and troubleshooting. However, these challenges also present opportunities for learning, growth, and career progression.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

Infrastructure Management: Describe your approach to managing and maintaining critical infrastructure, ensuring platform scalability, security, and high performance.
Frontend Optimization: Explain your experience with optimizing frontend build tools, reducing bundle sizes, and improving build times using Vite or similar tools.
Security Best Practices: Discuss your understanding of security best practices and how you have implemented them in previous roles or projects.
Problem-Solving: Provide examples of your problem-solving skills and how you have applied them to infrastructure management and optimization challenges.

Company & Culture Questions:

Company Mission: Explain why you are excited about Playground's mission to make excellent child care accessible to all, and how you can contribute to its success.
Team Dynamics: Describe your preferred working style and how you collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
Growth Opportunities: Discuss your long-term career goals and how you see this role fitting into your professional development.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Demonstrate Infrastructure Management: Showcase your ability to manage and maintain critical infrastructure, ensuring platform scalability, security, and high performance.
Highlight Technical Skills: Include examples of your experience with frontend optimization, logging and monitoring, and security best practices.
Emphasize Problem-Solving: Provide examples of your problem-solving skills, communication, and collaboration abilities to demonstrate your fit for the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare for technical and behavioral interview questions that assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit with the Playground team.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior/Staff Platform Engineer position:

Customize Your Portfolio: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience with infrastructure management, frontend optimization, logging and monitoring, and security best practices, with a focus on React, Vite, and monorepos.
Optimize Your Resume: Highlight your relevant experience, skills, and achievements in infrastructure, DevOps, or software engineering focused on frontend systems, with a focus on modern deployment tools, CI/CD pipelines, and security best practices.
Prepare for Technical Interviews: Brush up on your knowledge of React, Vite, monorepos, logging solutions, monitoring solutions, CI/CD pipelines, and security best practices. Prepare for technical and behavioral interview questions that assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit with the Playground team.
Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with Playground's mission, values, and culture to ensure a strong fit and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role during the interview process.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/DevOps industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Senior/Staff Platform Engineer