Lead Backend Developer

Our Flavor — Why Whataburger

Whataburger isn’t just a fast-food burger chain it is where bold leadership starts — and where potential doesn’t just grow, it heats up. Whether you're leading the line or working behind the scenes, this is the place where opportunities stack up, and every day gives you a chance to Make a Difference.

Since 1950, we’ve invested in people who lead with integrity, Serve with Heart, and bring their best flavor to the team. We believe in working together, speaking up, having a little fun, and Winning as One — because great burgers (and great teams) start with the right ingredients. If you're ready — to learn, grow, impact, and Move Forward Boldly — we’ve got your back and your path cooked to perfection.

Your Recipe for Impact — What You’ll Do

As a Lead Backend Developer, you'll play a critical role in designing and delivering the enterprise applications that power exceptional experiences for our customers and Team Members. You'll lead the development of scalable, secure, and high-performing backend solutions while partnering across Technology and the business to solve complex challenges that support Whataburger's continued growth.

In this role, you'll Make a Difference by building reliable systems that drive business performance and innovation. You'll Serve with Heart by creating solutions that improve experiences for customers, Team Members, and stakeholders. You'll Win as One through close collaboration with architects, product teams, DevOps, QA, and business leaders to deliver impactful results. And you'll Move Forward Boldly by championing modern technologies, driving continuous improvement, and shaping the future of our digital platforms.

Day-to-Day Ingredients — Responsibilities

As a Lead Backend Developer, you will:

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise backend applications and services.
• Architect scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions across distributed systems.
• Establish and promote development standards, best practices, and coding frameworks.
• Guide technical direction and evaluate emerging technologies and platforms.
• Partner with Product, Architecture, QA, DevOps, and business teams to deliver solutions.
• Design and implement APIs, integrations, and microservices architectures.
• Conduct code reviews to ensure quality, maintainability, and performance.
• Mentor developers and provide technical leadership across projects.
• Troubleshoot complex production issues and drive system reliability improvements.
• Advance CI/CD, automation, and DevOps practices to improve delivery efficiency.

The Sauce — Pay & Perks

As a Lead Backend Developer, you will receive:

• Competitive Weekly Pay
• Bonus Program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results
• 5 weeks PTO
• Flex Weeks
• Paid Corporate Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave*
• 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4%
• Competitive Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits*
• Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits*
• Opportunities for Career Development and Growth
• Whataburger Family Foundation - Scholarship Program (dependents eligible) and Hardship Grant Assistance
• Discounted Meals for You and a Guest
• Wireless Service Discounts
• Computer & Software Discounts
• Fitness / Gym Discounts
• Awards and recognition for all you do
• Retirement Celebration Program

What You Bring to the Table — Required Experience

As a Lead Backend Developer, you must have: 

• 5+ years of application development experience.
• Advanced proficiency in C#, .NET, ASP.NET, and enterprise application development.
• Experience designing and building APIs, microservices, and scalable system architectures.
• Hands-on experience with Azure cloud services and modern CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong expertise in SQL Server and enterprise database technologies.
• Experience with DevOps practices, automation, and software delivery processes.
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and influence solution direction.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.

Extra Toppings — Desired Experience

As a Lead Backend Developer, we prefer you to have: 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience supporting enterprise-scale digital products and platforms.
• Experience with cloud-native application design and modernization initiatives.
• Knowledge of mobile application integration and backend support architectures.
• Experience mentoring and developing technical talent.
• Familiarity with Agile delivery methodologies and Azure DevOps.
• Passion for continuous improvement and adopting emerging technologies

Where & How You’ll Work

This role is based at the San Antonio Home Office, working on‑site Monday through Thursday with remote flexibility on Fridays. In this role, you’ll have strong collaboration with leadership, across cross-functional teams, and with external partners to align capabilities with restaurant realities. The work environment is fast‑paced and requires sound judgment, strategic thinking, and strong collaboration skills. Full‑time availability is required, with occasional extended hours based on business needs, along with occasional travel to properties, project sites, and external meetings. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.

Whataburger is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, age, or other condition or status protected by law. Whataburger participates in the federal E-Verify Program. For more information go to www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

*Eligibility rules may apply

300 Concord Plaza Dr San Antonio TX 78216-6903