Backend Engineer - AI

Anything; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Anything, the AI product engineer for the next wave of entrepreneurs, is building an AI agent that turns English into apps. This role offers day-one ownership of real AI systems and the chance to ship features used by millions.

You will move fast, learn continuously, and collaborate with product and design to deliver high-impact solutions. Ideal candidates are driven, curious, and comfortable with TypeScript, modern AI frameworks, and fast-paced startups.

Qualifications

• Strong technical foundation from a top CS program or equivalent hands-on experience building real systems.
• Evidence of ambitious, self-driven projects or internships that required problem solving and ownership.
• Solid programming fundamentals and comfort with TypeScript.

Responsibilities

• Break down complex problems and propose practical AI solutions.
• Build AI-powered features using TypeScript and modern AI frameworks.
• Collaborate with product and design to align on goals and ship with confidence.
• Talk with users and use the product to understand real-world needs and opportunities.
• Contribute to a culture of ownership, ambition, and fast-paced learning.

Skills

TypeScript

System design

Ownership

Problem solving

Education

Top CS program

Tools

AI frameworks

Job description

Anything is the AI product engineer for the next wave of entrepreneurs.
It's an AI agent that turns English into apps. Everything you need make money on the internet built in - mobile, web, design, AI, backend, infra, payments.

Launched Aug 7th. https://x.com/anything
Hit $5m rev and growing quickly
Try it at anything.com

Role

What this role is

This role is for people who want to grow faster than they could anywhere else. You will work on real AI systems from day one and take ownership of meaningful product work. You will tackle challenging problems, learn new tools constantly, and operate in an environment where speed, ambition, and personal growth are core expectations. You will be supported by senior engineers but trusted to figure things out, push through ambiguity, and build systems that reach millions of users. This is a place for people who want to develop world class skills early in their career.

You will be expected to move fast with clarity–reasoning through tradeoffs, writing things down when helpful, and choosing solutions that fit the broader system.

How you will operate

Break down complex or unclear problems into clear steps and propose practical solutions

Make thoughtful tradeoffs between speed, correctness, and long-term maintainability

Build AI powered features using TypeScript and modern AI frameworks

Collaborate closely with product and design to align on goals and ship with confidence

Talk with users and use the product yourself to understand real-world needs and opportunities

Push through obstacles with resourcefulness and a strong problem-solving mindset

Learn new concepts quickly and apply them to real production challenges

Stay up to date on the latest in AI research and engineering

Take on tasks that stretch your abilities and work hard to close skill gaps quickly

Contribute to a culture of ownership, ambition, and fast-paced learning

AI is a rapidly evolving field, and no one here has all the answers. We value humility, openness to feedback, and a willingness to revise your thinking as you learn. Strong opinions are welcome when they are paired with curiosity and respect for evidence.

Primary outcomes

Your success will be measured by:

1. Independent problem-solving and executionYou take goals, investigate unknowns, evaluate options, and deliver solutions without waiting for extensive guidance.

2. Fast skill growthYou significantly expand your technical range within your first months through hands-on work and deliberate learning.

3. Shipped product impactYour features improve user experience, performance, and product depth in measurable and well-reasoned ways

Required background

Candidates typically show:

A strong technical foundation from a top CS program or equivalent hands‑on experience building real systems

Evidence of ambitious, self-driven projects or internships that required problem solving and ownership

Solid programming fundamentals and comfort with TypeScript

Exceptional ability to read deeply, reason clearly, and communicate complex ideas

Curiosity about AI systems and a desire to push beyond easy or obvious solutions

A personal track record of learning quickly and putting in real effort to master difficult skills

Experience working in fast‑paced environments while balancing care with urgency.

Nice to have

Prior internships in AI, backend, or infrastructure engineering

Previously been one of the first 10 hires at startup

Personal projects that show initiative, creativity, and independent thinking

Backgrounds or interests that span technical and non‑technical domains (e.g. writing, design, philosophy, economics, etc)

Why this role matters

We are building products on the frontier of AI and that requires a team that learns fast, thinks clearly, and works hard. You will grow more in one year here than in several years at a typical company. You will take on challenges that stretch your abilities and solve problems that materially shape the future of the product.

In all roles

Intense. Ship fast. Cycles are hours, not weeks. Hard to outwork.

Ownership. Grab the #1 priority and relentless to deliver.

Fearlessness. Risk on. Do the unknown / uncomfortable. Say "good" to bad news.

Taste. Obsess over quality. Know what “great” looks like. No slop.

Play. Curiosity, joy, and energy.

Come do the most meaningful work of your career.