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Senior Scala/Python Engineer (Hybrid)

Rewards Network · Chicago, IL · $130,000–$170,000 a year · IT & Engineering

Posted Aug 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a back-end service you built in Scala using functional programming. What design choices did you make?

What they are checking: Real functional programming experience, which the platform team builds its services around.

Tell me about a time you improved the reliability of a production system.

What they are checking: Ownership of reliability, which matters for seamless rewards delivery.

What would you do

A partner reports that some members didn't receive rewards. How do you investigate?

What they are checking: Debugging distributed transaction flows where data passes through several systems.

You think a design decision on the team is wrong. How do you raise it?

What they are checking: Ability to influence technical direction constructively as a senior engineer.

About the work

How do you handle side effects in a functional Scala codebase, for example with Cats Effect or ZIO?

What they are checking: Depth in functional effect systems used to build robust, testable services.

How would you design a transaction processing service so a reward is never credited twice?

What they are checking: Understanding of idempotency and consistency in systems that move money and rewards.

When would you choose Python over Scala for a task on this platform?

What they are checking: Practical judgment about using each language where it fits best.

How do you make a back-end system scale to millions of users without overbuilding it?

What they are checking: Scalability judgment that avoids both fragile and overengineered designs.

How do you review a teammate's code, and what do you look for first?

What they are checking: Code review habits that raise quality across the team at a senior level.

How would you test a service that depends on external partner APIs?

What they are checking: Testing strategy for integrations that are hard to reproduce locally.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Rewards Network from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Rewards Network.

About Rewards Network&nbsp; For 41 years, Rewards Network has been helping restaurants grow revenue, increase traffic, and boost customer engagement through innovative financial, marketing services, and premier dining rewards programs. By offering unique card-linked offers, we introduce diners to fantastic restaurant experiences, leveraging advanced technology and data analytics to deliver value to restaurants, diners, and our strategic partners' loyalty programs.&nbsp; Our Culture&nbsp; At Rewards Network, you'll be part of a driven and diverse team that excels in collaboration, issue resolution, and taking ownership of both personal growth and the company's success. We take pride in partnering with the world's most powerful loyalty programs to drive full-price paying customers to local restaurants through marketing services and flexible funding options. Our engaging and rewarding environment is designed to help you gain your full potential.&nbsp; Job Overview The Senior Software Engineer (Platform Team) joins a dynamic group responsible for designing and developing scalable back-end systems that power Rewards Network’s dining and transaction processing platform. This role contributes to building robust, functional programming-driven services, ensuring seamless rewards delivery and exceptional partner experiences for millions of users. We’re open to hiring at the mid to senior level based on experience . This is a hybrid position that requires in office presence 3 days a week (Tuesday-Thursday) in Chicago.&nbsp; What&nbsp; you’ll bring to the table: (Responsibilities) • &nbsp; &nbsp;Lead the development of scalable back-end systems to support platform services. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Architect RESTful APIs and microservices using functional programming to ensure reliability and maintainability. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Build real-time data pipelines to enable efficient platform operations. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Optimize databases for performance and data integrity. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Mentor team members on functional programming practices and system design for high-quality, testable code. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Collaborate with DevOps and data teams to align on platform performance and operational needs. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Implement security measures to safeguard sensitive platform data. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Oversee projects from design to deployment, ensuring alignment with business goals. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Enhance CI/CD processes to maintain platform reliability. • &nbsp; &nbsp;Research advanced functional programming techniques to improve system performance. Do you have the right mix of ingredients : • 7+ years of experience in back-end software development, with at least 3 years focused on functional programming. • Expert proficiency in Scala or other functional programming languages for building complex back-end systems. • Strong experience with functional programming libraries, including Cats Effect, for concurrent and scalable applications. • Advanced skill in designing RESTful APIs and microservices with functional paradigms. • Proficiency in event streaming systems like Kafka for real-time processing. • Expertise in optimizing relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL) for high-throughput environments. • Ability to write clean, testable code adhering to functional programming principles. • Deep knowledge of security practices for critical systems. • Proven ability to lead technical projects and mentor engineers across teams. • Experience with CI/CD pipelines and containerized environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes). • Familiarity with Typelevel ecosystem (preferred). • Experience building applications using Python (preferred). Education, Certifications and Experience: Preferred • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience (e.g., coding bootcamp or self-taught expertise). What you’ll love about us: <span class="EOP SCXW37983397 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"201341983":0,"335559738":40,"335559739":0,"335559740":259}">&nbsp; Comprehensive benefits package, which includes: • This is a full-time, exempt position. The base salary range for this role in Chicago is $130,000–$170,000 annually, depending on level (mid-level or senior), as well as candidate experience, skills, and other factors. This role is also eligible for an annual bonus target of 10%, bringing total target compensation to $143,000–$187,000. • Competitive Time Off Benefits: including flexible PTO, 11 company holidays, and parental leave.&nbsp; • Generous dining reimbursement when you dine with our restaurant clients&nbsp; • 401(k) plan with a company match • Two medical plan options- Standard PPO or High Deductible Health Plan (HSA with company match for HDHP participants) • Partnership with Rx n Go, offering certain prescriptions for free • Two dental plan options and a vision plan • Flexible Spending Accounts and a pre-tax commuter benefit program • Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance Plans • Short Term and Long Term disability&nbsp; • Company-paid life insurance and AD&D insurance, supplemental employee, spouse, and child life insurance&nbsp; • Employee Life Assistance Program • Hybrid working environment in a new office space downtown near the Metra Train stations and catered lunches on Tuesdays.&nbsp; Rewards Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We encourage and strongly support workplace diversity. &nbsp; Expected Pay Range $130,000 &mdash; $170,000 USD

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