Software Engineer - Back End

Distyl AI; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% medical, dental & vision coverage

Flexible time off

401(k) retirement planning

Wellness benefits (Carrot)

In-office lunches & snacks

Access to state-of-the-art AI models

Ownership of high-impact projects

Job summary

Distyl AI in San Francisco is seeking a Software Engineer Back End to design, build, and optimize Distillery—our AI-native platform powering enterprise AI workflows.

You will develop scalable AI infrastructure, cloud-native microservices, and ensure reliability, security, and observability while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with backend & distributed systems; scalable architectures.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, Golang, or C++ for high-performance services.
• Experience with Kubernetes, CI/CD, and major cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Familiarity with ML/AI Ops, observability, and security best practices.

Responsibilities

• Build & scale AI-native infrastructure and workflows.
• Develop cloud-native microservices and scalable AI systems.
• Optimize performance, reliability, security, and observability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate needs into platform capabilities.

Skills

Python

Java

Golang

C++

Backend & Systems Engineering

AI-native development

Security

Distributed systems

Observability

Cloud-native development

Tools

Kubernetes

CI/CD

AWS

GCP

Azure

Infrastructure as Code

Job description

About Distyl AI

Distyl is an applied AI technology company partnering with the world’s most ambitious institutions to rearchitect critical operations for the frontier of AI. Our customers include the largest companies in telecom, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, consumer goods, and global social organizations.

We research and deploy technologies that power AI-native operations — both for our partners and for Distyl itself. Our work spans research into self-constructing systems, the development of the most reliable execution of AI systems, and products that transform mission-critical workflows. As a result, Distyl's technologies affect some of the world's largest operations — from hundreds of millions of consumer interactions to tens of millions of supply chain transactions and millions of patient journeys.

Distyl is backed by leading investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Coatue, DST Global, and the board-members of 20+ F500s.

What We Are Looking For

As a Software Engineer Back Endyou will help design, build, and optimize Distillery—our AI-native platform that powers real-world enterprise AI systems for diverse F500 workflows.

Your role will involve developing scalable AI infrastructure, ensuring system reliability, and collaborating with engineers and business leaders to solve some of the most complex AI deployment challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Build & Scale AI-Native Infrastructure: Develop and refine a platform where AI builds, optimizes, and operates AI-powered workflows. Define how AI automation integrates into traditional enterprise infrastructure.

• Develop Cloud-Native Microservices & Scalable AI Systems: Design and build secure, high-performance backend services deployed across AWS/GCP/Azure or on-prem Kubernetes environments. Build using Python, FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, Alembic, and modern DevOps tools to develop scalable, reliable AI infrastructure.

• Optimize System Performance & Reliability: Ensure high-availability, security, and observability of AI-native workflows. Implement best practices for ML/AI Ops, distributed computing, and scalable service orchestration.

• Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Partner with Forward-Deployed Engineers (FDEs), AI Researchers, and business SMEs to translate real-world operational needs into platform capabilities. Advocate for strong software engineering and DevOps practices, driving high coding standards and scalable architectures.

Who You Are

• We are hiring multiple roles across different levels of seniority (3-10+ years of software engineering experience)

• Proficiency in Backend & Systems Engineering. Expertise in Python, Java, Golang, or C++ for building scalable, high-performance systems

• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, CI/CD, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), and infrastructure as code

• Strong interest in AI-native development, leveraging tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Cursor in engineering workflows

• Experience with security, distributed systems, storage, ML/AI Ops, and large-scale observability is a plus

• Travel: Ability to travel 10-20%

What We Offer

• The base salary range for this role is $150K – $250K, depending on experience, location, and level. In addition to base compensation, this role is eligible for meaningful equity, along with a comprehensive benefits package

• 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance for employee and dependents

• Flexible time off

• Retirement and financial planning benefits, including access to pre-tax HSA, FSA, and commuter accounts, 401(k), and financial coaching resources

• Comprehensive wellness benefits, including physical fitness, mental well-being, and fertility and family-building benefits through Carrot

• Complimentary in-office lunches and snacks provided

• Access to state-of-the-art AI models, generous usage of modern AI tools, and real-world business problems

• Ownership of high-impact projects across top enterprises

• A mission-driven, fast-moving culture that values curiosity, pragmatism, and excellence

Distyl has offices in San Francisco and New York. This role follows a hybrid collaboration model with 3+ days per week (Tuesday–Thursday) in‑office.

We believe diverse perspectives make our work stronger and more impactful. We are an equal opportunity employer and evaluate all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.