Backend Software Engineer

Billables Incorporated; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Billables Incorporated in San Francisco is looking for a Backend Software Engineer to design and scale core systems for their AI-driven platform. This role involves collaborating with engineers across various disciplines, focusing on efficient and reliable system architecture.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in deploying Python services and is adept in fast-paced environments. Join our small, innovative team and own significant parts of the system early in your career.

Qualifications

• Strong track record of deploying code in a production environment.
• Comfortable making decisions without perfect information.
• Experience in fast-moving environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain backend services.
• Integrate with third-party systems.
• Scale systems processing large volumes of data.
• Improve reliability and performance.

Skills

Deploying and maintaining high-quality production code

Proficiency in Python

Building and scaling distributed systems

Strong backend fundamentals

Clear communication skills

Experience with AI tools

Tools

Python

gRPC

Postgres

Redis

Docker

Job description

Backend Software Engineer

Location: San Francisco (Hybrid - in-office 3+ days/week in downtown SF)

About Billables AI

At Billables AI, we’re building an AI-powered SaaS platform to transform how professional service providers work, freeing them to focus on the most creative and high-value parts of their business. We build workflows that eliminate manual overhead – starting with automated billable time tracking for attorneys.

We sit close to the core of how our customers operate and generate revenue. The systems we build need to be reliable, scalable, and thoughtfully designed, and the features we deliver have real, day-to-day impact for our fast-growing customer base.

We’re a small, experienced team based in San Francisco. We move quickly, prioritize impact, and empower engineers to drive projects end-to-end.

About the role

We’re looking for a backend engineer to help build and scale the core systems behind our platform. You’ll work on problems from early ideas through production – shaping requirements, making technical decisions, and working cross-functionally to deliver the right outcomes. You’ll work closely with backend, frontend, and AI engineers, and collaborate with leadership, go-to-market, and customers directly.

You might be a senior engineer who’s worked in startups before, or someone earlier in your career who’s already shown you can get a lot done and take initiative in fast-moving environments. This role is a great fit if you like owning meaningful parts of a system and making pragmatic trade-offs to ship.

What you’ll work on

• Design, build, and maintain backend services (Python, gRPC, Postgres, Redis)
• Work across a service-oriented architecture and integrate with third-party systems
• Own projects end-to-end: clarify requirements, propose solutions, implement, and iterate in production
• Scale systems that ingest and process large volumes of activity data
• Improve reliability, performance, and observability across services
• Make thoughtful trade-offs between speed, quality, and scalability
• Contribute to system architecture and long-term technical direction
• Step outside your primary lane when needed – frontend, infrastructure, etc.

What we’re looking for

• Strong track record of deploying and maintaining high-quality, production-ready code in a modern environment
• Proficiency in Python and strong backend fundamentals (APIs, data modeling, system design)
• Experience building and scaling distributed systems or microservice architectures
• A high ownership mindset – you take responsibility for outcomes, not just code
• Comfort moving quickly and making decisions without perfect information
• Actively use AI tools (LLMs, copilots, etc.) as part of your day-to-day development workflow
• Clear communicator who can engage with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience in early-stage or fast-moving environments

Nice to have

• Experience with gRPC or similar RPC frameworks
• Experience with DevOps/infrastructure (Docker, IaC, CI/CD)
• Experience working with AI/ML systems or integrating LLMs into products

Tech stack (not exhaustive)

Python, gRPC, Postgres, Redis, Azure, Docker

Why this role

• You’ll work on systems that are central to how our customers run their business
• You’ll have real ownership early – not just implementation work
• You’ll be part of a small, collaborative team where your decisions meaningfully shape the product and architecture

How to apply

Ready to join our team at Billables.ai? Please send your resume to [e-mail]. We look forward to hearing from you!