Lead Backend Engineer to $7500

Translucent is building AI-powered infrastructure for accounting firms. We aggregate transaction-level data from Xero and QuickBooks, then turn it into dashboards, workflows, and tools that accountants actually use daily.
 

We're a small team (9 people), venture-backed, moving fast. Our backend processes financial data for thousands of companies. We need someone who can own systems, not just tickets.

What you'll work on:

• Data ingestion pipelines (Kafka) transforming raw accounting data into queryable formats
• API design and performance for internal services and external integrations
• PostgreSQL and ClickHouse: schema design, query optimization, scaling
• Infrastructure for AI workflows: RAG pipelines, embeddings, schema validation

Our stack: Kotlin (JVM), PostgreSQL, ClickHouse, Kafka, Docker, AWS

What we're looking for:

• Strong Java or Kotlin experience (5+ years backend)
• Deep PostgreSQL knowledge (not just "I've used it")
• Experience with streaming/event-driven systems
• Someone who ships first and refactors later when the building is on fire
• Comfort with ambiguity. We don't have a PM writing specs for you.

If you've only worked in large teams with clear requirements and dedicated QA, this probably isn't the right fit. If you like building things fast with smart people and minimal process, let's talk.

Remote, async-first, EU-friendly hours.