Software development · Back-end developers

Hire Back-End Developers from Canada, Latin America, and the US

Hire a back-end developer who builds the secure, scalable services, databases, and APIs your applications run on. We find the right person, or build your entire development team, in Canada, Latin America, or the US, on a contract, permanent, or fractional basis.

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Back-end developers, screened by back-end developers

DevEngine is a Vancouver-based IT recruitment and staffing firm. We recruit back-end developers from Canada, Latin America, and the US for contract, permanent, or fractional roles. They build the server-side logic, APIs, and data layers behind customer-facing products and internal systems, on premises and in the cloud. A senior back-end developer screens every candidate before you see one. You manage the day-to-day work. We handle contracts, HR, and admin.

The role

A back-end developer builds the systems behind the application

A back-end developer builds the server-side logic that makes an application work. They design system architecture, build and secure APIs, manage how data is stored and retrieved in SQL and NoSQL databases, integrate cloud services, and tune performance so the application stays fast and reliable as users and data grow.

Typical outputs include APIs and microservices, database schemas and queries, authentication and security controls, integrations with third-party and cloud services, automated tests, and fixes for performance bottlenecks.

The role could be confused with two others, and organizations define all three differently. In general:

Back-end developer

What they work on: The server-side logic, databases, and APIs behind the application
Core question: Does the system process data correctly, securely, and at scale?
Typical outputs: APIs, services, database logic, integrations
Works most with: Front-end developers, architects, and DevOps teams
Often brought in when: The application can't keep up with users, data, or security needs

Front-end developer

What they work on: The interfaces users see and interact with
Core question: Is the interface fast, accessible, and easy to use on every device?
Typical outputs: Responsive interfaces, component libraries, front-end tests
Works most with: Designers, back-end developers, and product managers
Often brought in when: Users struggle with a slow, dated, or inconsistent interface

Full-stack developer

What they work on: Both sides of the application, end to end
Core question: Can one person deliver a complete feature from interface to database?
Typical outputs: Complete features, prototypes, smaller applications
Works most with: Product managers and small, cross-functional teams
Often brought in when: A small team needs to ship features without hand-offs

	Back-end developer	Front-end developer	Full-stack developer
What they work on	The server-side logic, databases, and APIs behind the application	The interfaces users see and interact with	Both sides of the application, end to end
Core question	Does the system process data correctly, securely, and at scale?	Is the interface fast, accessible, and easy to use on every device?	Can one person deliver a complete feature from interface to database?
Typical outputs	APIs, services, database logic, integrations	Responsive interfaces, component libraries, front-end tests	Complete features, prototypes, smaller applications
Works most with	Front-end developers, architects, and DevOps teams	Designers, back-end developers, and product managers	Product managers and small, cross-functional teams
Often brought in when	The application can't keep up with users, data, or security needs	Users struggle with a slow, dated, or inconsistent interface	A small team needs to ship features without hand-offs

If the work is the interface users see, see Hire Front-End Developers. If one person needs to deliver features end to end, see Hire Full-Stack Developers. If the job is connecting separate business systems, see Hire Integration Developers.

When to hire

When you need a back-end developer

The need usually shows up as one of these situations:

Core platforms are reaching their limits.
Peak traffic and growing data volumes slow down the systems revenue depends on, and they need to scale without a risky rewrite.
Security reviews are stalling enterprise deals.
Customer security questionnaires and SOC 2 audits expose gaps in authentication and data protection that hold up contracts.
Legacy monoliths make every change risky.
Core logic sits in an aging monolith few people understand, so features take months and the system must be modernized while it keeps running.
Cloud spend is growing faster than the business.
Workloads moved to the cloud without being redesigned, so the bill rises every quarter while performance stays flat.

Need a different role?

If you need someone to build the interfaces users see, hire a front-end developer. If you need one person to deliver features end to end, hire a full-stack developer. We recruit for both roles.

Our screen

What our senior back-end developers look for

Most candidates can build an API. Fewer can show a system that stayed fast, secure, and reliable as traffic and data grew, and explain the design decisions behind it. A senior back-end developer screens every candidate and asks for specifics: the architecture, the load, what failed, and what they changed.

Systems that scaled
We ask for a system they built or rebuilt that handled real growth in users or data, and how they designed it to scale.
Security built in
We ask how they secured APIs and sensitive data, and how they handled a vulnerability or a security review.
Performance and cost trade-offs
We ask about a service they made faster or cheaper to run, how they found the bottleneck, and what they traded to fix it.
Fluency with your constraints
A back-end developer who has worked with your language, your cloud, or regulated data reasons differently from one who hasn't. We weight that context, not only certifications.

Candidates who can't explain their architecture choices, treat security as someone else's job, or have never supported a system in production are screened out. Your interviews focus on fit, not filtering.

Where we source

Hire from Canada, Latin America, or the US

One search can cover all three talent pools. Brief the role once, and compare candidates from each market side by side before you decide.

Canada

Where candidates are based: Across Canada
Working hours: Canadian time zones, Pacific to Atlantic
Cost: Canadian market rates. See the Canada salary guide below.
Fits when: The role needs knowledge of the North American market, regular in-person time in Canada, or a Canadian base

Latin America

Where candidates are based: Across Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica
Working hours: Within 2 hours of US Eastern time, year-round. Up to 4 hours ahead of Pacific time.
Cost: Typically 35–40% below comparable North American cost. See the Latin America salary guide below.
Fits when: You want a wider candidate pool or more seniority for the budget, or the back-end developer will work with a nearshore team

United States

Where candidates are based: Across the United States
Working hours: US time zones, Pacific to Eastern
Cost: US market rates.
Fits when: The role needs knowledge of the US market, regular in-person time at a US site, or a US base

	Canada	Latin America	United States
Where candidates are based	Across Canada	Across Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica	Across the United States
Working hours	Canadian time zones, Pacific to Atlantic	Within 2 hours of US Eastern time, year-round. Up to 4 hours ahead of Pacific time.	US time zones, Pacific to Eastern
Cost	Canadian market rates. See the Canada salary guide below.	Typically 35–40% below comparable North American cost. See the Latin America salary guide below.	US market rates.
Fits when	The role needs knowledge of the North American market, regular in-person time in Canada, or a Canadian base	You want a wider candidate pool or more seniority for the budget, or the back-end developer will work with a nearshore team	The role needs knowledge of the US market, regular in-person time at a US site, or a US base

Not sure which market fits? Tell us about the role, and we'll scope it in each market and show you candidates and cost side by side.

Technology salaries in Canada and Latin America

Benchmark salaries by role and seniority before you set a budget.

Download the Canada Salary Guide Download the Latin America Salary Guide

Engagement models

Contract, permanent, or fractional

Contract

Who employs the back-end developer: DevEngine
Time commitment: Full-time, for a defined period
Fits when: A new service, a legacy modernization, or a cloud migration with a defined end
Placement protection: Two-week guarantee

Permanent

Who employs the back-end developer: You
Time commitment: Full-time, ongoing
Fits when: Your platform needs a standing owner for its core services
Placement protection: 180-day prorated guarantee from the start date: full refund in the first 30 days, then partial refunds on a sliding scale

Fractional

Who employs the back-end developer: DevEngine
Time commitment: Part-time, hourly or monthly
Fits when: An architecture review, a performance or security audit, or a few hours a week of development, without a full-time seat
Placement protection: Tailored to the scope of work

	Contract	Permanent	Fractional
Who employs the back-end developer	DevEngine	You	DevEngine
Time commitment	Full-time, for a defined period	Full-time, ongoing	Part-time, hourly or monthly
Fits when	A new service, a legacy modernization, or a cloud migration with a defined end	Your platform needs a standing owner for its core services	An architecture review, a performance or security audit, or a few hours a week of development, without a full-time seat
Placement protection	Two-week guarantee	180-day prorated guarantee from the start date: full refund in the first 30 days, then partial refunds on a sliding scale	Tailored to the scope of work

Each model works a little differently depending on whether you hire in Canada, Latin America, or the US. Compare the options by market to find the engagement that fits your team.

Explore services by market

How it works

How a back-end developer search runs

You brief us on the scope and goals of the project, your current back-end stack and cloud environment, and the systems that depend on it.
We source for your role in Canada, Latin America, or the US, not from a bench.
A senior back-end developer screens each candidate. Someone who does the same work, not a recruiter matching keywords.
You choose who to interview and who to hire.
You direct the work. On contract and fractional engagements, DevEngine holds the contract and handles payroll and compliance. On a permanent hire, the back-end developer joins your payroll.
If the placement isn't working, we replace the candidate: within two weeks on contract, or under the 180-day prorated guarantee on a permanent hire.

Case studies

How this works in practice

All case studies

Healthcare
Modernizing Multi-State Healthcare Systems Across Three Workstreams
- HIPAA-compliant
- Team of 7
Read case study

FAQ

Back-end developer hiring questions

How much does it cost to hire a back-end developer?

Cost depends on four things: seniority, language and specialization (for example, cloud architecture, security, or high-traffic systems), the market you hire from, and the engagement model. Hiring in Latin America typically costs 35–40% less than comparable North American hires. For salary benchmarks across technology roles, download the Canada Salary Guide or the Latin America Salary Guide. DevEngine quotes against your actual brief on the first call.

Which skills and certifications do back-end developers bring?

Most work in languages such as Python, Java, JavaScript or TypeScript with Node.js, PHP, or Ruby, and frameworks such as Django, Express.js, Laravel, or Ruby on Rails. They work with SQL and NoSQL databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB, and with cloud services on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Common certifications include the AWS Certified Developer - Associate and the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate. Skills and certifications show familiarity, but not whether someone can build a system that holds up in production. That's what the senior back-end developer screen tests.

Can a back-end developer modernize a legacy application?

Yes. Many back-end developers have broken monoliths into services, moved applications to the cloud, and replaced outdated frameworks without stopping the business. For larger platform decisions, a solution architect usually sets the design first, and we can scope both roles together.

Can I hire a fractional back-end developer?

Yes. A fractional back-end developer works part-time, on an hourly or monthly cadence, inside your team and tools. Companies often use one for an architecture review, a performance or security audit, or help with a cloud migration. DevEngine places fractional back-end developers from Canada, Latin America, and the US.

What's the difference between a back-end developer and an integration developer?

A back-end developer builds the services and APIs inside one application. An integration developer connects separate business systems, such as ERP, CRM, and finance platforms, so data moves between them reliably. New features or scale in your own product point to a back-end developer; systems that don't talk to each other point to an integration developer.

Can a back-end developer work with a DevEngine Engineering POD?

Yes. A back-end developer can sit inside an Engineering POD or work alongside one. You choose the POD's composition and direct the work. The back-end developer builds the services and APIs, and the rest of the POD builds the interfaces and features on top of them on your sprint cadence, in your tools.

What's your interest?

Choose the path that aligns with how you want to build and scale your team.

Tell us what your platform needs to support.

We'll tell you which market and model fit, and how long the search should take.

Not ready to talk yet? Compare technology salaries in the Canada Salary Guide or the Latin America Salary Guide.