Lead Backend Developer, AI Pods

EPAM Systems; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Paid time off

Upskilling & certification courses

LinkedIn Learning access

Global career opportunities

Job summary

EPAM Systems, Inc. is seeking a Lead Backend Developer to deliver secure, scalable AI-driven API services and orchestrate LLM workflows within AI Pods.

You will connect language models to internal systems, vector databases, and external tools via orchestration frameworks, treating LLMs as distributed components. You will design backend services and LLm layers, ensure reliability, security, observability, and cost awareness.

Qualifications

• 5+ years backend experience with microservices and distributed systems.
• Proficiency in Python to build high-performance cloud-native APIs.
• Experience with AWS and container orchestration (Docker, ECS/EKS).
• Strong API design and secure coding practices.
• English proficiency at B2 level or higher.
• Familiarity with AI SDKs and vector databases is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and build backend API services and LLm orchestration layers.
• Own API contracts and service reliability end-to-end.
• Integrate LLMs with systems, observability, fallback handling, and cost awareness.
• Develop RAG pipelines for document ingestion, chunking, embedding, and retrieval.
• Build reusable orchestration frameworks for internal consumption by developers.
• Ensure security, privacy, and enterprise-grade observability and test coverage.
• Collaborate with frontend, data, and infrastructure teams.

Skills

Python

Distributed systems

Backend engineering

API design

Security best practices

English communication

Tools

AWS

Docker

ECS/EKS

LangChain

LangGraph

MCP

OpenAI SDK

Vector databases

LangSmith

Job description

We are looking for a Lead Backend Developer to deliver secure, scalable AI-driven API services and agentic workflows for our AI Pods. You will connect language models to internal systems, vector databases, and external tools via orchestration frameworks, treating LLMs as distributed components.ResponsibilitiesDesign and build backend API services along with LLM orchestration layersOwn API contracts and service reliability end-to-end, ensuring AI edge cases fail gracefullyIntegrate LLMs with disciplined systems engineering, including evaluation, observability, fallback handling, and cost awarenessImplement and maintain advanced RAG pipelines, covering document ingestion, chunking, embedding, and retrieval optimizationDevelop and connect agent tools using LangChain, LangGraph, and potentially MCP (Model Context Protocol)Build dependable, reusable orchestration frameworks and logic for downstream developer consumptionEnsure security, privacy, enterprise-grade observability, and test coverage across all backend workflowsContribute to architecture decisions and engineering standards within the podCollaborate with frontend engineers, data engineers, and infrastructure teamsRequirementsProven backend engineering experience (5+ years) centered on microservices and distributed systemsHands-on proficiency in Python to build high-performance backend services and cloud-native APIsWorking knowledge of AWS plus containerization with Docker and orchestration via ECS/EKSStrong understanding of RESTful APIs and practical API design experienceSolid grasp of secure coding practices, including strong auth/authz fundamentalsEnglish proficiency at B2 (Upper-Intermediate) level or higherNice to have2+ years of hands-on experience with AI SDKs (OpenAI, Anthropic/Claude, AWS Bedrock, or equivalent) in productionPractical experience with vector databases (Amazon Kendra, OpenSearch), embedding strategies, and retrieval systemsHands-on experience with LangChain, LlamaIndex, or LangGraphFamiliarity with AI evaluation tooling or real-time APM (LangSmith, Langfuse, Arize)Skills in React and TypeScriptExperience deploying to EKS environments at scaleUnderstanding of agent interoperability patterns (MCP)Knowledge of identity/security domain (IAM, CIAM)Flexibility to use secondary languages such as Java, Node.js, or GoWe offerInternational projects with top brandsWork with global teams of highly skilled, diverse peersHealthcare benefitsEmployee financial programsPaid time off and sick leaveUpskilling, reskilling and certification coursesUnlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning library and 22,000+ coursesGlobal career opportunitiesVolunteer and community involvement opportunitiesEPAM Employee GroupsAward-winning culture recognized by Glassdoor, Newsweek and LinkedIn