Senior Salesforce Engineer with background in Java, C#, or similar prior to Salesforce

Senior Salesforce Engineer with background in Java, C#, or similar prior to Salesforce

Remote

3 Months CTH

Here is the update:

Additional feedback here. Let's go more senior - even architect/developer level. Must bring a strong software programming background and not just be a pure Salesforce Developer for entire career. I can flex up on rate for the right candidate. Let me know if you have any questions.

I ve created a Coderbyte assessment that all candidates must complete prior to submission. Once you qualify a candidate, please share their resume and email and I can issue the test before booking a screening with me.

Below is a full breakdown of the target skill set after our follow-up conversation with the hiring managers:

1. Core Shift in Priority
   The hiring manager made it clear that:

• Fundamental computer science skills are more important than platform familiarity.
• Data structures, algorithms, and OOP are considered non-negotiable.
• It is easier to teach Salesforce APIs than to teach core CS fundamentals.
• Candidates who began as traditional software engineers and moved into Salesforce will perform better than SFDC admin turned developers.

2. Financial Services Cloud (FSC) is not mandatory, but still a strong selling point

• FSC experience is helpful but not mandatory.
• Sales Cloud and Service Cloud combined experience are considered equivalent foundations.
• FSC is mostly about understanding a data model, which can be learned.

3. Clear Distinction: Admin vs Engineer
   The team is concerned about:

• Candidates listing many skills but not actually coding deeply.
• Admin heavy backgrounds transitioning into development without strong fundamentals.
• Limited hands-on coding experience despite years in Salesforce.
• They want real engineers, not configuration focused developers.

4. Communication and Collaboration Are Critical
   Major feedback:

• Candidate did not verbalize thinking.
• Could not explain approach or strategy.
• Did not demonstrate pair programming style communication.

They want someone who:

• Thinks out loud.
• Explains tradeoffs.
• Engages interactively during problem solving.

5. Senior Trajectory Expectation
   They want someone who:

• Can grow into a Staff Engineer.
• Thinks at architecture level.
• Has potential for high level system thinking.
• Can analyze and translate business problems into code.
• This is Not just a ticket executor.

Updated Target Skill Set Must Have (Non-Negotiable)

1. Strong computer science fundamentals
• Data structures: Lists, Maps, Sets
• Sorting, grouping, collections manipulation
• Basic algorithmic reasoning
• Ability to identify inefficient logic
2. Object Oriented Programming depth
• Class design
• Encapsulation
• Separation of concerns
• Clean abstraction
3. Real coding experience
• Majority of career spent writing code, not configuring
• Apex heavy role with meaningful logic
• Demonstrable problem solving
4. Strong communication during technical work
• Explains thinking clearly
• Engages during live coding
• Can reason through strategy out loud
5. Senior level problem translation
• Can convert vague business problems into structured technical approaches

Strongly Preferred

• Background in Java, C#, or similar prior to Salesforce
• Experience with integration patterns
• Exposure to architecture conversations
• High volume data handling experience
• Financial Services Cloud or Sales Cloud, Service Cloud
• CI/CD familiarity

Bottom Line This role is not:
A senior Salesforce Developer with FSC.
This role is:
A strong software engineer who happens to work in Salesforce.
Recruiting screens for engineering fundamentals first and platform exposure second, should improve submission quality paired with additional Coderbyte screening.

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Job details:

Senior Salesforce Engineer

100% Remote

3 Months Contract-to-hire

Work Environment: Fully remote team, not Time-Zone sensitive
Interview Process: 1st round: Initial intake interview with Manager
2nd and 3rd Rounds: Technical interview rounds including:

• Coding exercise
• Architecture and design exercise
• Front end assessment (LWC)
• Database and data focused questions
• Potential additional interview with the Product Owner and Business Analyst depending on final process design

References: Verified

Must Have:

• 9+ years of experience minimum
• Updated LinkedIn profile

Overview
Client is seeking a Senior Salesforce Engineer to join the Retirement Division pod, supporting Sales Effectiveness and the sales teams responsible for annuity products. The Retirement Division supports a steady mix of new feature work, integrations, and ongoing platform enhancements.

The team operates in a product aligned model with project and product management support, including a Product Owner, Business Analyst support for requirements and mockups, and a technical team made up of engineering and admin resources. This hire is expected to take ownership of complex stories with minimal hand holding, contribute to design discussions, and help drive reliable delivery from refinement through deployment.
Top Required Skills

• Apex Development Depth: Strong experience building and maintaining Apex solutions, including legacy triggers, automations, and Apex jobs.
• Salesforce Engineering Across Front and Back End: Experience with both backend development and front-end implementation using Lightning Web Components.
• Integration and API Experience: Ability to support integrations and data movement into Salesforce, including working with upstream analytics or external platforms.
• DevOps and Deployment Ownership: Comfort using Salesforce deployment tools such as Gearset (or similar tools like Copado or Flosum), with an understanding of metadata API limitations and deployment processes.
• Senior Level Execution and Independence: Ability to take a story, ask the right questions, navigate ambiguity, and drive progress without significant oversight.

Preferred Skills

• Data Management: Experience with data cleansing, deduping, archival processes, and data quality initiatives.
• Salesforce Certifications: Preferred but not required, including Developer certifications and LWC related badges or superbadges

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What Recruiting Must Now Qualify Up Front
Below are concrete screening checkpoints to prevent another mismatch.
1. Coding Depth Qualification
Ask directly:

• What percentage of your time is writing Apex versus configuration?
• Describe a complex algorithm or logic problem you solved recently.
• Have you implemented custom sorting or grouping logic in Apex?
• What data structures do you use most often and why?

Red flag:

• Answers focus only on triggers and flows without explaining logic depth.
• Cannot describe collections manipulation comfortably.

2. Computer Science Fundamentals Qualification
   Ask:

• Explain the difference between a List, Set, and Map in Apex.
• When would you use a Map over a List?
• What makes an algorithm inefficient?

3. Background Assessment
   Clarify:

• Did you start your career as a developer or administrator?
• Do you have formal CS education or equivalent hands-on background?
• Have you coded outside Salesforce?

4. Senior Thinking Check
   Ask:

• If you are given a vague performance improvement request, how do you approach it?
• How do you define success before writing code?

You are looking for:

• Clarifying questions
• Metrics
• Structured approach
• Not immediate coding