Feeny
a16z Games

Sr. Backend Operations Engineer - Coverstar at a16z Games (San Francisco, CA)

a16z Games· San Francisco, CA·

Role details

Work type
Remote
Employment
Full-Time

Job description

Location: REMOTE - Preferably Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) Timezone

Join a fast-growing video social and gaming startup that's already engaging over 200K daily active users (DAUs) and counting! Backed by a16z Speedrun, we've multiplied our growth —and we're aiming for the same moving forward.

As a Senior Backend Operations Engineer at Coverstar, you will be responsible for maintaining, optimizing, and scaling our backend infrastructure. Your primary focus will be ensuring the high availability, performance, and reliability of the backend infrastructure through advanced monitoring, proactive maintenance, and robust security practices.

Responsibilities:

Operations Excellence:

  • Expand and enhance our Grafana/Prometheus monitoring solution.
  • Consolidate logs, metrics, and system health data for actionable insights and streamlined troubleshooting.
  • Configure automated alerts based on predefined thresholds and anomaly detection to ensure rapid incident response.
  • Diagnose and resolve infrastructure incidents between 9AM-9PM EDT, leveraging monitoring tools and system logs.
  • Implement corrective actions and preventive measures to avoid recurrence. Database Management (Postgres Aurora):
  • Analyze and optimize database queries, indexing, and partitioning strategies for enhanced performance and scalability.
  • Regularly inspect database tables, identifying areas for improvement and recommending necessary maintenance activities.
  • Monitor database usage trends to predict and proactively address scaling needs, preventing performance issues. Security:
  • Improve platform-wide security monitoring with real-time analytics and automated anomaly detection to quickly identify and respond to threats.
  • Utilize security tools to simulate realistic attack scenarios to uncover vulnerabilities.
  • Conduct ongoing vulnerability assessments and automated penetration testing.
  • Strengthen and document incident response procedures, ensuring clear cross-team communication and swift incident remediation.

CI/CD:

  • Develop and maintain robust CI/CD pipelines for efficient code integration, testing, and deployment.
  • Implement and integrate comprehensive testing frameworks, including unit, integration, and end-to-end tests, ensuring high-quality code delivery.
  • Collaborate with teams to enforce industry-standard security checks and continuous monitoring across the software delivery lifecycle.

Qualifications:

  • Extensive experience in backend infrastructure operations, including monitoring, incident management, database optimization, and security.
  • Strong proficiency with Grafana, Prometheus, PostgreSQL (Aurora), and CI/CD pipeline tools.
  • Proven ability to implement proactive security measures and conduct continuous assessments.
  • Excellent problem-solving and incident management skills.
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills, capable of cross-team coordination and documentation.
  • Availability during core operational hours (9AM-9PM EDT).

Why work at a16z Games

  • High-Impact Environment: Work directly with top-tier founders building the next generation of gaming and entertainment companies. You'll be at the heart of innovation in AI, 3D, and consumer tech.
  • Team Culture: a16z describes its culture as a "team sport" where "every time we win, we win as a team." They value diverse backgrounds (introverts, extroverts, creative thinkers, and conscientious workers) and maintain a high standard of performance.
  • Operator Experience: Roles on the speedrun team offer the chance to work hands-on with portfolio companies on go-to-market, product, talent, and strategy—providing broad exposure rapidly.
  • Location & Flexibility: The program is headquartered in the Bay Area (Menlo Park) but is "open to founders around the world," suggesting a globally-minded, potentially hybrid or remote-capable team environment.
  • Notable Perks: "Unfair advantages" in sales, marketing, and hiring resources; access to top-tier partners; and the opportunity to be part of a community of 600+ elite founders. The firm also offers dedicated in-house recruiters, visa assistance, and banking support.
  • Open Roles (as of late 2024/2025): The team has posted for roles including Business Intelligence Developer, Senior/Staff Machine Learning Engineer (Simulation Realism), IT Engineer, and Research Scientist—indicating a mix of technical, data, and operational roles.

Application questions