Backend Engineer

Focus AI, Inc.; Stanford (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking exceptional engineers to join their team in building an AI-native platform that enhances engineering productivity. The role involves designing scalable systems, optimizing performance, and driving technical excellence. As an early hire, you'll influence the company's direction and enjoy comprehensive rewards and support.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Significant equity stake

Exceptional benefits

Commitment to personal and professional growth

Qualifications

• 1-4 years of backend development experience in fast-paced tech environments.
• Experience with scalable APIs and cloud architecture.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop core infrastructure for AI-driven platform.
• Build and maintain backend services, APIs, and data pipelines.
• Collaborate on foundational technology decisions.

Skills

Backend Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Technical Leadership

Tools

Node.js

Python

SQL

NoSQL

Cloud Architecture

Containerization

CI/CD

Job description

Focus AI is transforming engineering productivity through intelligent automation. Our AI-native platform serves a dual purpose: empowering engineers to focus on high-impact work by automating routine tasks, while providing managers with actionable insights to drive strategic alignment and team success.

Led by proven leaders from top-tier institutions (Harvard, Stanford) and industry giants (Microsoft, Salesforce, Palantir), we're building sophisticated tools that eliminate unnecessary meetings, streamline workflows, and deliver smart task prioritization. Our platform reduces time-to-execution, enhances visibility across engineering operations, and ensures daily activities align with strategic objectives.

We're looking for exceptional engineers to join us in building the future of engineering.

Curious about what we're building? Check out our demo to see our platform in action: https://demo.focus-ai.com/

What You'll Do:

• Design Scalable Systems: Architect and develop core infrastructure powering our AI-driven platform, supporting millions of interactions.

• Own Core Services: Build and maintain robust backend services, APIs, and data pipelines integral to our expanding feature set.

• Drive Technical Excellence: Collaborate closely with senior engineers and leadership to make foundational decisions about technologies, frameworks, and system architecture.

• Optimize Performance: Develop and maintain high-performance systems capable of real-time analytics and complex data processing at scale.

You Bring:

• Proven Backend Skills: 1-4 years of backend development experience in fast-paced tech environments. Expertise in Node.js (Express.js) or Python, designing scalable APIs, and experience with SQL/NoSQL databases.

• Cloud Expertise: Deep understanding of cloud architecture. Experience with containerization and CI/CD pipelines.

• System Design: Strong foundation in distributed systems, data modeling, and API design. Experience building and scaling microservices architecture.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Demonstrated ability to approach backend challenges creatively, delivering innovative, reliable, scalable solutions.

• Technical Leadership: Willingness and ability to contribute meaningfully to architectural decisions, while proactively learning from experienced team members.

Promise to You:

• A Seat at the Table: As an early hire, your voice influences company direction. You'll actively shape our technical roadmap.

• World-Class Support: Backed by top-tier investors and an experienced founding team, you'll have the resources and guidance to make bold moves.

• Comprehensive Rewards: Competitive compensation, significant equity stake, exceptional benefits, and a commitment to your personal and professional growth.

• Impactful Work: Your contributions will help build a generational company with a real, measurable impact on engineers across the globe.

This role represents a rare opportunity to rapidly advance your technical and leadership skills in an environment committed to excellence. If you're passionate about building intelligent, scalable AI solutions that redefine how engineers and managers work—let's talk.