Software Engineer (Backend) - Python

Munich Re; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global reinsurer is seeking a skilled Software Engineer to join the alitheia team in Toronto. This role focuses on building scalable, secure APIs and services to improve access to life insurance. Candidates should have expertise in Python and experience with API design, cloud computing, and performance optimization. The company offers a hybrid work environment, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Collaborative work environment

Market-leading health and dental benefits

Generous time off

Learning and development programs

Employee Referral Program

Qualifications

• Professional experience with Python preferred.
• Understanding of software design lifecycle (SDLC) best practices.
• Experience with load testing and performance optimization.

Responsibilities

• Shape the design of API architecture for real-time decisioning.
• Collaborate to develop and deliver the product roadmap.
• Optimize performance and scalability of backend systems.
• Build maintainable software and participate in code reviews.

Skills

Python

API design tools (e.g., Swagger, OpenAPI, FastAPI)

Cloud computing and Kubernetes

Docker

PostgreSQL

SQLAlchemy

Terraform

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Job description

We are seeking a skilled Software Engineer with expertise in Python and modern backend frameworks to join the alitheia team. This role is ideal for someone passionate about building scalable, secure, and high-performance APIs and services that power data-driven solutions. You will work on mission-critical systems leveraging AI, electronic health records (EHRs), and other complex, sensitive medical data to make it easier for people to get essential life insurance coverage. The role sits within a small high-impact team dedicated to building the industry’s most advanced solution for medical risk assessment. Position offers substantial opportunity to shape a new solution, ship product quickly and see immediate impact.

Key Accountabilities

• Participate in shaping the design of API architecture for real-time decisioning with complex medical data
• Collaborate with data scientists, underwriters, customer success and product managers to develop and deliver the product roadmap
• Optimize performance and scalability of backend systems handling large volumes of structured and unstructured health data
• Adapt product to evolving use of machine learning models and LLMs
• Build maintainable software; write unit/integration tests and implement automated testing
• Participate in code review and contribute to continuous improvement of development practices

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Professional experience with Python preferred; understanding of software design lifecycle (SDLC) best practices
• Familiar with API design tools/languages (e.g., Swagger, OpenAPI, FastAPI)
• Cloud computing and Kubernetes (or similar orchestration tools)
• Containerizations tools (e.g., Docker)
• Experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and ORM libraries (e.g., SQLAlchemy)
• Experience with load testing, latency profiling, and performance optimization for backend systems
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform)

Together, we engage with everything we have and are, to help humankind act braver and better.

As the world’s leading reinsurance company with more than 40,000 employees in over 50 locations around the globe, Munich Re introduces a paradigm shift in the way you think about insurance. By turning uncertainty into manageable risk, we enable fundamental change. We recognize Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging as a key priority with a culture that welcomes different thoughts and opinions. We dare to think big and are continuously innovating on behalf of our clients.

Our data, our technology, and our teams place us in a unique position to drive transformative change in the life insurance industry. We invest strategically in our world class talent, offering our employees a work experience that promotes professional development, innovation, and rewards high performance.

What Can We Offer You?

We are pleased to offer our employees great benefits and resources to support their mental, physical and financial wellbeing. These include:

• An engaging and collaborative environment that promotes continuous learning and development
• A hybrid work environment that combines weekly in-office and remote days with Meeting-Free lunch hours and Focus Friday afternoons
• A great compensation package including annual company bonus
• Market leading company-paid flexible health and dental benefits, starting on your first day
• Flexible dollars provided by the company to put towards Health Spending Account and/or Wellness Spending Account
• Immediate participation in DC Pension Plan with an automatic 5% employer contribution, plus optional company match
• Generous time off including vacation, personal days, unplanned time, Statutory Holidays and company-wide early closure half-days
• Learning and development programs and resources, including unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning, Education Assistance Program and reimbursement for professional fees
• Maternity, Parental & Adoption Leave top-up program
• Employee Referral Program, Recognition & Rewards Platform

Please note that only candidates who are selected for interview will be contacted directly. We thank all candidates for their interest.

Munich Re is committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of employment barriers and discrimination. Accommodations will be made for qualified applicants with a disability throughout the recruitment process. If you receive a request for an interview and you have a disability which will require an accommodation to support your participation, please contact [e-mail] as soon as practical so that suitable accommodations can be arranged.