6 Strategic Wins of Hiring Backend Engineers to Scale Internal APIs

Modern software depends on fast, reliable internal APIs. But most companies treat internal interfaces as an afterthought—until poor documentation, breaking changes, or delays start hurting delivery speed.

Hiring backend engineers with a focus on internal API development helps teams scale faster, avoid tech debt, and support cross-functional growth.

Before jumping into hiring, let’s explore the common blockers, business impacts, and non-hiring solutions teams can implement to fix internal API issues.

Why Internal APIs Stall at Scale

Expanding internal APIs is key to enabling collaboration across frontend, backend, DevOps, and data teams. Yet many software companies struggle to scale APIs without friction.

Common Challenges

• Lack of ownership: No clear team or person is responsible for maintaining API quality.
• Inconsistent documentation: APIs lack up-to-date usage examples, schema details, or onboarding instructions.
• Tight coupling with monoliths: Changes to one service break others, slowing releases.
• Low visibility: Developers don’t know what APIs exist or how to request changes.
• Security and access risks: Without consistent governance, sensitive data or endpoints may be exposed.

Implications for Software Teams

• Slower product delivery due to inefficient handoffs and redundant work
• Bugs caused by undocumented or misunderstood internal endpoints
• Increased onboarding time for new developers
• Difficulty supporting new initiatives (e.g., data platforms, mobile apps)

What You Can Do Before Hiring

Before scaling the team, implement these best practices to maximize impact:

• Centralize API discovery: Use internal portals like Backstage or Stoplight for visibility
• Standardize versioning and deprecation policies to prevent breaking changes
• Create API style guides to align teams on naming, auth, and error handling
• Assign maintainers per API and publish service-level ownership internally
• Run regular API audits to clean up unused endpoints and outdated docs

Once these are in place, hiring backend engineers becomes the lever to scale and sustain your API strategy.

Internal API Development Challenges and How Hiring Solves Them

Most internal API issues begin with a lack of process, governance, or clarity. Before hiring, assess where friction occurs—and whether it’s a people, process, or visibility gap.

Key takeaway: The faster your internal APIs scale, the faster your whole team ships. Hiring engineers with DX and documentation skills is critical to success.

How to Scale Internal APIs with the Right Hires

API growth shouldn’t mean growing pain. Here’s how backend engineering hires unlock velocity:

1. Hire Backend Engineers Who Prioritize Developer Experience

APIs are products—and the dev team is your customer. Hiring backend engineers focused on DX helps:

• Produce self-documenting APIs
• Maintain API changelogs and examples
• Reduce Slack questions and unblock teams

Result: Faster delivery with fewer dependencies.

2. Add Engineers With Experience Building Internal Dev Portals

Centralizing internal APIs improves discoverability and governance. Engineers with experience in tools like Backstage or Postman workspaces can:

• Consolidate internal documentation
• Build searchable portals with usage stats
• Define API lifecycle rules (versioning, deprecation)

Result: Reusable, transparent infrastructure.

3. Bring in Backend Engineers With Auth & Access Control Skills

APIs need access controls tailored to team, role, and service. Engineers with IAM and API gateway skills:

• Implement OAuth2, SSO, RBAC for APIs
• Integrate logging and audit trails
• Manage developer tokens and rate limits

Result: Secure internal systems that scale with compliance needs.

4. Recruit Microservices Engineers to Decouple API Layers

Avoid monolithic APIs that break everything when one service changes. Engineers with microservices backgrounds can:

• Create modular service interfaces
• Use GraphQL or gRPC for internal data layers
• Reduce coupling between teams

Result: Flexible APIs that support fast product iteration.

5. Use Talent-as-a-Service to Avoid Long Hiring Cycles

Need quick wins? Ubiminds’ Talent-as-a-Service lets you:

• Hire backend engineers with internal API experience
• Scale cross-functional API teams without adding overhead
• Get short-term support for audits, documentation, or refactors

Result: Momentum now, headcount control later.

Each hiring type—short-term, long-term, and full-time—fulfills a unique role in software development. Short-term contractors offer flexibility and scalability, long-term contractors bring expertise without the commitment of full-time employment, and full-time employees support continuity and loyalty. Understanding their differences is critical for resource allocation. Photo from Pixabay.

When to Hire Internal API Engineers

Not sure if you’re ready? These signs say it’s time:

• Devs complain about missing or unclear API docs
• Features are delayed due to unclear service boundaries
• Your team is stuck firefighting integration bugs
• PMs and Data teams build shadow systems around missing APIs

That’s when hiring for internal API development for software firms becomes a strategic move.

Ubiminds Helps You Build Backend Teams That Scale APIs

Ubiminds specializes in sourcing backend engineers who:

• Design internal APIs with scalability and DX in mind
• Understand documentation, modularity, and security
• Collaborate across functions to deliver maintainable interfaces

Our Talent-as-a-Service model means flexible engagement—without sacrificing quality.

📞 Book a discovery call to unlock API growth without the growing pains.

FAQs: Internal API Development Hiring for Software Firms

Scheila Farias Silveira

International Marketing Leader, specialized in tech. Proud to have built marketing and business generation structures for some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies on both sides of the Atlantic (UK, DACH, Iberia, LatAm, and NorthAm). Big fan of motherhood, world music, marketing, and backpacking. A little bit nerdy too!