Node.js developer job description template (2026)

A Node.js developer job description should make clear that the role is backend work in JavaScript or TypeScript, and say what kind of backend. Node.js teams build public REST and GraphQL APIs, real-time WebSocket services, backend-for-frontend layers and serverless functions, and each one demands different instincts about the event loop, I/O and failure handling. State whether you use TypeScript, which framework you run, where the code is deployed and how much front-end work, if any, is expected. The template below targets a senior Node.js developer building TypeScript APIs and event-driven services. Copy it, fill in the brackets and remove what does not apply.

Node.js developer job description template

Job title

Senior Node.js Developer (TypeScript, Backend APIs)

Employment type: full-time or contract. Location: remote, with at least four hours of overlap with US Eastern time.

About the role

We are looking for a senior Node.js developer to design and run the backend behind [product name]. You will build the APIs and background workers that our [web app / mobile app / partners] rely on, partner closely with front-end engineers who also write TypeScript, and help set the conventions for how we structure, test and deploy Node services. We run Node.js 22 LTS with [NestJS / Fastify / Express] on [AWS / GCP / Azure], backed by Postgres and Redis. You will join a team of [number] engineers and report to [title].

Responsibilities

• Design and build REST or GraphQL APIs in TypeScript with NestJS or Fastify, using schema validation such as Zod or JSON Schema at every boundary.
• Write non-blocking code that keeps the event loop responsive, and move CPU-heavy work to worker threads or separate services.
• Build background jobs with BullMQ, SQS or a similar queue, with retries, backoff and idempotent handlers.
• Model data in Postgres through Prisma, Drizzle or Knex, write migrations and review query plans for slow endpoints.
• Build real-time features with WebSockets or server-sent events where the product needs live updates.
• Handle errors and shutdowns correctly: unhandled rejections, graceful SIGTERM handling and connection draining.
• Write unit and integration tests with Vitest or Jest and Supertest, and keep the suite fast.
• Instrument services with structured logging (pino), metrics and OpenTelemetry traces.
• Manage npm dependencies responsibly: lockfiles, audit findings, supply-chain risk and major version upgrades.
• Review pull requests and help front-end engineers contribute safely to backend code.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional software development, with at least 3 years building production backends in Node.js.
• Strong TypeScript skills: generics, discriminated unions, strict mode and typing third-party libraries.
• Clear understanding of the Node.js event loop, the libuv thread pool, streams and backpressure.
• Production experience with at least one Node framework: NestJS, Fastify, Express or Koa.
• Fluency with async patterns: promises, async/await, cancellation with AbortController and avoiding unbounded concurrency.
• Solid SQL and relational modeling skills, ideally with Postgres, plus experience with Redis for caching or rate limiting.
• Experience diagnosing memory leaks and latency spikes with heap snapshots, clinic.js or the Chrome DevTools profiler.
• Experience deploying Node services to containers or serverless platforms and debugging them from logs and traces.
• Clear written English for design docs, pull requests and async communication.

Nice to have

• Experience with Kafka, NATS or another streaming platform.
• Serverless experience with AWS Lambda, including cold starts and connection pooling.
• Monorepo tooling such as Turborepo, Nx or pnpm workspaces.
• Next.js or another server-rendered React framework on the backend side.
• Familiarity with Bun or Deno and an informed view of their trade-offs against Node.
• Calling LLM APIs from Node with streaming responses.

Tech stack

Node.js 22 LTS, TypeScript 5, NestJS, Fastify, Prisma, Postgres, Redis, BullMQ, Vitest, pnpm, ESLint, Docker, GitHub Actions, AWS (ECS, Lambda, SQS), OpenTelemetry. Replace this with your actual stack; candidates look for the framework and ORM first.

What success looks like in 6 months

• You own at least one Node service end to end and have shipped several features through it.
• You have removed a known source of pain, such as an event-loop-blocking endpoint, a memory leak or a flaky integration test.
• You have tightened type safety somewhere it mattered, for example by validating external payloads instead of trusting them.
• Front-end and backend engineers both bring you API design questions.

How to apply and interview process

Send your resume or LinkedIn profile and a short note about a Node.js service you built or improved. Our process has four steps: a 30-minute intro call, a technical conversation about a system you have worked on, a practical exercise or pairing session on a realistic backend problem, and a final conversation with the team you would join. We aim to give feedback within a few days of each step.

Junior vs mid vs senior Node.js developer

Many Node.js candidates come from front-end work, so years of JavaScript do not always equal backend seniority. Hire for the production ownership the role needs.

Tips for writing a Node.js developer job description that attracts senior talent

• Say backend, not full stack, if that is the job. Senior Node.js engineers often avoid roles that turn out to be half React work. If you need both, say what the split is.
• Commit to TypeScript or explain why not. Most experienced Node developers expect strict TypeScript. A plain JavaScript codebase is fine, but say it up front.
• Name the framework and ORM. NestJS with Prisma and Express with raw SQL are very different daily experiences. Candidates choose between offers on this.
• Describe the runtime environment. Long-running containers, Lambda functions and edge runtimes each come with different constraints on connections, memory and cold starts.
• Give a real performance or scale detail. A sentence about WebSocket connection counts or peak request patterns, using numbers from your own system, tells a senior developer where the hard problems are.
• Be clear about dependency hygiene. Mention whether you run audits, pin versions and review new packages. Senior engineers care about supply-chain risk in npm.
• List the Node version. A current LTS release signals a maintained platform; an end-of-life version signals upgrade work, which you should mention.

Skip the job post: hire a vetted senior Node.js developer

Posting the role is only the start of a hiring cycle that can stretch for months. If you need senior Node.js capacity sooner, Ryz Labs can match you with senior Node.js developers from Latin America who work on your team, work in your repos and join your standups within an hour of US time zones. Only the top 1% of the engineers we interview make it through our vetting, which covers the event loop, TypeScript, API design and debugging Node services under load.

With staff augmentation you can add one Node developer or several as your roadmap changes. Ryz engineers work on your team and report to your leads. Talk to us to scope the team you need. If you are hiring on your own, our Node.js interview questions show what we ask and what strong answers sound like.

FAQ

What should a Node.js developer job description include?

The job title and level, whether the role is backend only or full stack, your Node and TypeScript versions, framework and database, specific responsibilities, realistic requirements, what success looks like in the first months and the steps of the interview process.

Is a Node.js developer the same as a full-stack JavaScript developer?

No. A Node.js developer focuses on server-side work: APIs, data access, queues, performance and reliability. A full-stack developer splits time with front-end frameworks such as React. Many people can do both, but your post should say where most of the hours go.

Should a Node.js job description require TypeScript?

If your codebase is TypeScript, yes. Strong typing affects how people design APIs and handle errors, and engineers without it take time to adjust. If you are planning a migration from JavaScript, list TypeScript as required and mention the migration as part of the work.

Questions we didn't answer? Email info@ryzlabs.com.