Staff Software Engineer

Eden Prescott; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Healthcare

Job summary

Eden Prescott is seeking a Staff Backend Engineer to own the backend platform and data infrastructure for an AI-native platform. You will design core architecture, build APIs and data pipelines, and scale systems to support enterprise-grade insights.

You will mentor teammates and collaborate closely with product, research, and frontend teams to deliver high-quality, scalable software across petabyte-scale datasets.

Qualifications

• Senior/Staff/Principal level experience in backend engineering.
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Deep expertise with Python and backend architecture.
• Experience building APIs, data pipelines, and distributed systems at scale.

Responsibilities

• Define the Backend Architecture for scalable Python services and data systems.
• Build core platform infrastructure including APIs and data pipelines.
• Develop AI-driven data services and ensure reliable performance at petabyte scale.
• Collaborate with product, research, and frontend teams to deliver integrated systems.
• Mentor and influence junior backend engineers as the team grows.

Skills

Python

Backend architecture

Distributed systems

APIs

Big data

Mentoring

Code quality

Tools

Docker

Cloud platforms

Job description

One of our clients is an Applied AI Lab building the next generation of intelligent software systems.As AI continues to reshape how complex problems are solved, this team is focused on developing AI-native platforms that can reason over massive volumes of enterprise data and transform it into clear, actionable outcomes.

Their systems operate across petabyte-scale datasets and complex production environments, using agentic workflows to continuously analyze signals, surface insights, and help organizations make better decisions in real time.

The team partners with large enterprises solving complex operational challenges and is backed by top-tier investors. The founding group brings together researchers, engineers, and builders operating at the frontier of applied AI and large-scale data systems.

The Opportunity

Our client is looking for a Staff Backend Engineer to own the backend platform and data infrastructure that allows customers to explore, understand, and interact with complex AI-driven insights. This is a Staff+ caliber role. You've operated at Staff, Senior Staff, or Principal Backend Engineer level at some point in your career and are excited to define the backend foundation for a new platform.

You will design the backend architecture, build foundational data and services infrastructure, and ensure the platform scales as it grows in both capability and complexity. This role combines deep architectural ownership with hands‑on systems development. Over time, you'll help mentor additional backend engineers as the team grows around the foundations you create.

What You'll Do

• Define the Backend Architecture - Establish the core architecture and technical patterns for Python services and data systems that must scale with both product complexity and usage.
• Build Core Platform Infrastructure - Design and build the APIs, data pipelines, and internal tooling that enable fast, consistent, high-quality development across the team.
• Ship AI-Driven Data Systems - Develop the services that process and reason over massive volumes of enterprise data, turning raw signals into clear, actionable outputs.
• Make Intelligent Systems Work at Scale - Work closely with product, research, and frontend engineers to ensure sophisticated AI capabilities run reliably across petabyte-scale datasets and production environments.
• Shape Engineering Standards - Set a high bar for engineering craftsmanship, code quality, and thoughtful system design as the backend platform evolves.
• Mentor and Influence - Serve as a technical leader and mentor for future backend engineers as the team grows.

About You

• Experience operating at Senior, Staff, Senior Staff, or Principal Backend Engineer level
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience
• Deep expertise with Python and modern backend architecture
• Strong experience building backend infrastructure (APIs, data pipelines, distributed systems, performance optimization at scale)
• Ability to own projects end-to-end with minimal oversight
• Exceptional attention to detail and passion for engineering craftsmanship
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Comfortable operating in fast-moving environments with high ownership

Why This Role Is Interesting

• Opportunity to define the backend foundation of an AI-native platform
• Work at the intersection of applied AI, large-scale data systems, and platform engineering
• High ownership and direct impact on system architecture
• Join a team focused on turning frontier AI research into real-world systems

Compensation: $150,000-300,000 base salary + significant equity + benefits