Senior Backend Architect – Modeling & Simulation (Remote)

Code Metal, Inc.; Boston; On-site; PHP 8,766,000 - 13,150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401k with matching

Unlimited PTO

Hybrid or remote work options

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Code Metal, Inc. is seeking a senior backend and data engineering leader to own Python services, APIs, and data systems powering a cutting‑edge wargaming platform. You will guide architecture, review code, and mentor engineers while delivering secure, observable software for critical missions.

You’ll balance hands‑on coding with people leadership, shaping the technical direction across simulation, AI, frontend, and platform teams. A strong track record in production backend systems is essential.

Qualifications

• Significant experience building and operating production backend systems for enterprise software.
• Strong Python programming skills and experience designing services, APIs, background workers, and integration layers.
• Proven technical leadership, including architecture guidance, code review, mentoring, and delivery ownership for a small team.
• Strong understanding of service architecture, domain modeling, API contracts, system boundaries, and failure modes.
• Experience with relational databases—preferably PostgreSQL—along with strong SQL and data‑modeling fundamentals.
• Experience with ORMs and database migration frameworks, such as SQLAlchemy, Alembic, Django ORM, or comparable tools.
• Experience delivering secure, reliable, observable software in production environments.
• Familiarity with cloud deployment patterns in AWS, Azure, GCP, or similar platforms.
• Experience supporting software deployed beyond standard SaaS environments, including private cloud, on‑premises, customer‑managed, appliance‑style, or disconnected deployments.
• Ability to make practical decisions around data consistency, reliability, observability, and operational support.
• Strong cross‑functional communication skills and the ability to turn ambiguous requirements into clear plans and working software.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a high‑performing backend and data engineering team while remaining hands‑on in the codebase.
• Define the technical direction for backend services, APIs, data systems, and integrations across simulation, AI, frontend, and platform teams.
• Design, build, and operate secure, reliable Python services, APIs, workers, and integration layers.
• Translate product, research, and domain requirements into clear architectures, technical plans, and incrementally deliverable work.
• Establish strong engineering standards for API design, service boundaries, testing, observability, error handling, migrations, security, and code review.
• Build enterprise‑grade software for cloud, private‑cloud, customer‑managed, on‑premises, and disconnected environments.
• Partner with platform and data engineering leaders to ensure systems are deployable, observable, performant, and maintainable.
• Lead design reviews, RFCs, technical grooming, and pragmatic decisions across speed, correctness, reliability, and long‑term maintainability.
• Debug and resolve complex issues spanning services, databases, queues, APIs, infrastructure, and third‑party integrations.
• Review code, mentor engineers, and uphold a high bar for quality—including the validation of AI‑assisted code in high‑assurance environments.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, and government stakeholders to align platform capabilities with mission needs.
• Recruit, develop, and scale the backend and data engineering organization; at senior levels, help forecast headcount and technical capacity.

Skills

Python backend

API design

Team leadership

Architecture guidance

Code reviews

Observability

Security practices

Cloud deployment

PostgreSQL

SQL

Job description

Code Metal, Inc. is seeking a senior backend and data engineering leader to own Python services, APIs, and data systems powering a cutting‑edge wargaming platform. You will guide architecture, review code, and mentor engineers while delivering secure, observable software for critical missions.

You’ll balance hands‑on coding with people leadership, shaping the technical direction across simulation, AI, frontend, and platform teams. A strong track record in production backend systems is essential.