Senior Backend Engineer (Python, PostgreSQL, AI Platform)
Ever wanted to take full ownership of a backend and have a real impact on how the product is built?
Where you're not just implementing tickets, but making architectural decisions, thinking about scalability, and building systems that can support a growing product?
Where you can work closely with the founder, influence technical direction, and eventually help lead another backend engineer?
If you enjoy building production-grade backend systems, solving architectural challenges, and taking ownership beyond your individual tasks - we'd love to talk.
About the Company
Our client is a technology startup building a LinkedIn-based sales technology platform designed to help businesses improve and automate their sales processes.
The platform is built as a multi-tenant system and combines modern cloud infrastructure with AI-powered functionality, including integrations with Google's Gemini models.
It's a product-focused environment where engineering decisions have a direct impact on the platform and its ability to scale.
The Role
We're looking for a Senior Backend Engineer who will take full ownership of the backend and effectively act as the technical lead for this area.
You'll be responsible for designing and building scalable backend systems, making architectural decisions, and ensuring the platform remains reliable as it grows.
You'll work closely with the founder, who has a strong technical background, so this role requires genuine engineering depth and the ability to explain and defend technical decisions.
As the team grows, you'll also help guide and collaborate with another backend developer.
What You'll Do
Backend & Architecture
- Design, build, and maintain backend services using Python
- Develop scalable APIs and business logic for a production SaaS platform
- Design and optimize PostgreSQL databases and data models
- Make architectural decisions around scalability, reliability, and maintainability
- Take full ownership of backend development and technical direction
Multi-Tenant & Cloud Systems
- Build and maintain multi-tenant production systems
- Design solutions that securely and reliably support multiple customers
- Work with cloud infrastructure and production environments
- Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve system performance and reliability
AI & Product Integrations
- Work with AI-powered features and integrations, including Google Gemini
- Integrate external APIs and third-party services into the platform
- Understand how AI capabilities fit into a larger production architecture rather than treating AI-generated code as a replacement for engineering judgment
Technical Leadership
- Drive backend technical decisions and development standards
- Review code and provide technical guidance
- Work closely with the founder on architecture and product decisions
- Eventually support and guide another backend developer
- Take ownership of technical problems from investigation through implementation and production
Cross-Functional Development
- Work with frontend developers and contribute to product features beyond the backend when needed
- Have enough frontend understanding to collaborate effectively and understand the full product flow
- Work in a startup environment where priorities can move quickly and engineers are expected to take ownership
What You Bring
- 4+ years of strong commercial backend development experience
- Strong hands-on experience with Python
- Solid experience with PostgreSQL
- Experience building and maintaining multi-tenant production systems
- Experience working with cloud-based infrastructure
- Strong understanding of backend architecture, scalability, and system design
- Experience working on production systems before the recent AI boom - you understand engineering fundamentals and can make technical decisions independently
- Ability to understand the wider product, including some frontend concepts and user-facing flows
- Experience working in a startup or fast-moving product environment is a strong plus
- Strong ownership mindset and willingness to go the extra mile when the product requires it
- Comfortable communicating directly with technical stakeholders and defending your engineering decisions
- Upper-Intermediate English or higher
Nice to Have
- Experience with SaaS or sales technology platforms
- Experience with AI/LLM integrations, particularly Google Gemini
- Experience designing multi-tenant architectures from the ground up
- Previous experience acting as a technical lead or owning a backend domain independently
- Experience mentoring or guiding other developers
- Startup experience
Frontend experience with modern JavaScript/TypeScript frameworks
What You Get
- Full Backend Ownership: You won't be just another backend developer - you'll own the backend architecture and technical direction.
- Direct Technical Influence: Work closely with a technical founder and have a real voice in architectural and engineering decisions.
- Product Ownership: See your technical decisions directly influence a growing product and its users.
- Modern Technology: Work with Python, PostgreSQL, cloud infrastructure, multi-tenant architecture, and AI-powered functionality.
- Technical Growth: As the team grows, you'll have the opportunity to take on more technical leadership and guide other engineers.
Startup Environment: Fast-moving, direct, and focused on building rather than unnecessary processes and hierarchy.
Interested?
If you're a strong Python engineer who enjoys owning backend architecture, solving complex production problems, and building products from the ground up, we'd love to hear from you.