Founding Backend Engineer

New York City on site Until 8/22/2026 First posted March 18, 2026 Last posted March 18, 2026
Job description

As a Backend Engineer, you'll design and enhance the core systems powering our AI capabilities. Your role involves developing scalable APIs, efficiently processing large datasets, and building reliable, performant backend infrastructure.

What You’ll Do

  • Design and implement robust backend systems supporting AI-driven analytics.

  • Develop scalable APIs enabling real-time insights and efficient data handling.

  • Optimize data processing pipelines for large-scale structured and unstructured datasets.

  • Ensure system security, performance, and reliability at every level of the stack.

  • Work closely with front-end engineers and data scientists to deliver seamless, high-impact features.

  • Own key technical decisions, balancing speed with long-term maintainability.

Who You Are

  • A strong portfolio or GitHub showcasing backend development expertise.

  • Expertise in Node.js, Typescript and Python with hands-on experience building scalable backend solutions.

  • Deep familiarity with database systems (PostgreSQL, S3, data lakes etc.) and efficient query design.

  • Proven track record developing robust data pipelines and experience with distributed systems.

  • Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

  • Strong grasp of security best practices, API authentication, and performance tuning.

  • Comfortable in a fast-moving, high-performance startup environment.

  • Experience in System Prompt Engineering and LLM Output Evaluation.

Compensation (from employer):
$150K – $250K • Offers Equity

About this role

Summary

Design and develop scalable backend systems for AI applications, focusing on performance, security, and data pipelines

Job title

Founding Backend Engineer

Experience level

not specified

Industry

software

Location requirements

Candidates in New York City, remote not allowed

Salary

$150K – $250K

Management role

No

Skills & keywords

Required skills

Node.jsTypescriptPythonPostgreSQLAWS

Preferred skills

data lakesDockerKubernetessecurity best practicesLLM output evaluation

Specializations

APIsdatabasesdistributed systemscloud infrastructureLLM
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

New York, NY, USA

On-site City