Senior Software Engineer (Backend)

Cortico; United States; Remote; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Cortico, a nonprofit using technology to foster constructive conversations, seeks a backend-focused Senior Software Engineer to enhance their audio processing platform. This role involves designing scalable services, collaborating with MIT on AI integrations, and mentoring team members in a supportive, inclusive culture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software engineering experience.
• Experience in backend roles with a focus on scalable services.
• Strong knowledge of database systems, especially PostgreSQL.

Responsibilities

• Designing and building scalable backend services.
• Integrating AI/ML models into production systems.
• Mentoring junior engineers and maintaining code quality.

Skills

Database design

PostgreSQL

API development

Performance optimization

DevOps practices

Kubernetes

AWS

Collaboration

Mentoring

Tools

Docker

Terraform

Job description

Cortico is a non-profit committed to fostering constructive conversations and surfacing underheard voices. We believe that intentionally designed and intentionally deployed technology can enable communities to achieve these aims in ways that are more inclusive and scalable.

Ourplatform brings people together in recorded small-group conversations. Through a powerful combination of AI and human listening, this platform enables organizations to make sense of the conversations they collect, and surfaces community voices into public dialogue and decision making.

Whether in person, on a laptop, or on a phone, we are committed to meeting people where they are. Our platform continues to grow, in both mobile and web format, as we leverage emerging technologies to enhance the process of understanding rich conversation data.Cortico’s unique human/machine system is the product of an effort led by Cortico in cooperation with MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication (MIT CCC).

About this role

We are looking for a backend-focused Senior Software Engineer to join our small engineering team.

The primary responsibilities of this role include:

• Designing, building, and maintaining scalable backend services to enable our partners to hold conversations and to process, analyze, and store the resulting audio data and transcripts
• Working with our MIT collaborators to integrate AI/ML models into our production systems
• Building and enhancing APIs that connect our mobile and web applications
• Contributing to architecture decisions that shape our platform’s future
• Writing clean, well-tested, and documented code
• Participating in code reviews and helping maintain high code quality standards
• Collaborating cross-functionally with product, design, and research teams
• Mentoring junior engineers and sharing knowledge with the broader team

At Cortico, we look at a number of things when setting compensation—like your experience, skills, certifications, training, and what the role needs. Where you land on our range depends on your unique background and experience, as well as where you live. For this role, the estimated pay range is $105,000 – $125,000. We have competitive benefits which can be found here .

Our team members must be based in the U.S. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visas at this time.

About our culture

Cortico’s team is kind, collaborative, inquisitive and inclusive. We have high standards for quality. We help each other learn in order to reach our objectives. We think technology is best built by teams with a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. Every team member is a human first, and we strive to create a culture and environment that supports your career goals and respects all of the hats you wear in life, not just the ones that earn you a paycheck.

About our AI approach

At Cortico, we recognize the complexity of building technology that thoughtfully balances human judgement and AI capabilities. We want to avoid push-button AI and instead champion responsible and responsive AI approaches that emphasize transparency, security, human agency, and collaboration.

About you

These are not hard and fast requirements. Some of the best people we’ve ever hired have not ‘fit the profile’ and above all we prize curiosity and ability to learn fast and adapt.

• You’re passionate about the problems we’re working on.
• You value sharing knowledge and learning from both technical and non-technical team members.
• You value accountability, equity and transparency in your work style and seek to design these values into the products you build.
• You have 5+ years of software engineering experience, mostly in a backend role.
• You’re well-versed in database design and optimization with PostgreSQL
• You have experience with DevOps practices and tools, especially Kubernetes and AWS
• You are comfortable working on a small team and shifting around the backend, with tasks such as API development, performance optimization, data pipeline design, and operations.

About our stack

Frontend

• Testing: Cypress, React Testing Library
• Python: Django, Flask, Falcon

Operations

• Docker
• Terraform

About next steps

Please apply here and include the following information:

• A little about you and your interest in the role. Please share with us why this role excites you and how you see yourself in this work.
• Any links you think may be relevant (i.e. portfolio, GitHub, etc.)

This is not an entry-level position, but we know great candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds. If you’re passionate about what we’re building at Cortico, don’t hesitate to apply—even if you’re not sure you meet every qualification.

About our process

We aim to review and respond to all applicants within three weeks of submission. Our interview process includes multiple rounds that include:

• An initial phone interview
• Time bound (2-4 hours) Python take-home assignment. The assignment will give you a chance to work with some of our data, but won’t involve building anything of value for Cortico. We want to make sure the take home isn’t extractive, but instead gives you an opportunity to assess what it may be like to build software with us. This will be reviewed by members of the Cortico engineering team.
• “On-site” Interviews via Zoom (with breaks!)
  • 10-15 minute technical talk on any topic of interest to you, followed by answering questions from the Cortico engineering team.
  • Meet with members of the backend team to discuss how you might expand upon the take-home exercise, and a short architecture conversation
  • Conversation with a senior engineer and a member of our product team to discuss previous work experiences
• Reference checks.

Through all of these sessions we make sure that you have plenty of time to ask questions of Cortico team members.

Cortico maintains a strong policy of equal opportunity in employment. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations.