Backend Software Engineer - Summer Internship

Backend Software Engineer Intern

We are looking for a motivated student to join our Platform Core Services team as a Backend Software Engineering Intern for a 12-week summer internship program based in Toronto, Ontario. This internship focuses on evolving our centralized Notifications Service by exploring the integration of a third-party notification vendor within our existing NodeJS-based system.

Our Notifications Service currently supports end-to-end email delivery using AWS SES and is consumed by multiple engineering teams across the organization.

During this internship, you will design and implement a proof of concept (PoC) to evaluate how a vendor solution (e.g., SuprSend) could enhance metrics, customization capabilities, and support additional notification channels such as SMS or in-app messaging.

This role is an excellent opportunity to learn how shared platform services are designed, extended, and maintained in a real-world production environment, while sharpening your backend development and system design skills.

About the Team

Platform Core Services builds and maintains shared backend services used by other engineering teams across the organization. Our mission is to provide reliable, scalable, and reusable platform capabilities that enable product teams to move faster while maintaining architectural consistency.

We’re a supportive, inclusive group that values collaboration and fosters a strong sense of belonging. Our team operates with transparency and alignment, guided by agile practices that promote continuous improvement.

We’re driven by values that shape how we work together every day:
Teamwork, ownership, accountability, proactivity, transparency, empathy, inclusivity, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth.

What You’ll Do

• Learn how our existing NodeJS-based Notifications Service is designed.

• Design and implement a provider abstraction layer to support multiple notification providers (e.g., AWS SES and a third-party vendor).

• Develop a PoC integration with a notification vendor API.

• Ensure existing email functionality continues to operate without disruption.

• Explore the feasibility of supporting at least one additional notification channel (such as SMS or in-app messaging).

• Retrieve and surface basic delivery metrics or status information from the vendor API.

• Write clear technical documentation outlining architectural decisions, tradeoffs, and recommendations.

• Participate in code reviews and technical discussions to learn best practices in backend and platform development.

What We’re Looking For

• Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.

• Some experience (academic or project-based) in backend development.

• Familiarity with JavaScript or TypeScript and NodeJS.

• Understanding of REST APIs and asynchronous programming concepts.

• Exposure to version control systems such as Git.

• Interest in distributed systems or backend architecture is a plus.

• Familiarity with AWS or messaging/email systems is a plus.

• Strong problem-solving skills and eagerness to learn.

• Good communication and documenting skills for teamwork.

Why Join Us?

This internship offers you the chance to:

• Work on a real shared production service used across multiple engineering teams.

• Gain experience designing vendor integrations and extensible backend architectures.

• Learn how platform teams build reusable infrastructure services.

• Develop practical skills in API integration, system design, and architectural decision-making.

• Be part of a supportive team that values mentorship, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.

UserTesting is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a participant in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. UserTesting will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, as applicable.