Staff Software Engineer

Zest for Tech; United States; On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible work arrangements

Generous time off policy

Learning budget

Job summary

Zest for Tech is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to work remotely in the United States, shaping system design and building production-ready AI-enabled software at a pivotal growth stage.

You’ll design scalable backend services in Python, create robust APIs (REST and GraphQL), and mentor teams while maintaining reliability, performance, and developer experience across boundary lines.

Qualifications

• Production-grade software design and operation experience.
• Strong backend engineering skills with Python as a primary language.
• Proven experience designing APIs (REST/GraphQL) and service-oriented architectures.
• Background working with distributed systems and cloud platforms (GCP or similar).
• Confidence designing systems that handle concurrency, scale, and operational reliability.
• Sound engineering judgment around testing strategies, performance trade-offs, and system resilience.
• Experience influencing technical decisions beyond your immediate scope or team.
• Comfort working in environments where requirements evolve and solutions emerge through discovery.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve backend systems that scale with real users, high traffic, and real world constraints.
• Shape technical direction by proposing architectures, abstractions, and service boundaries that create long term leverage.
• Take loosely defined problems and turn them into clear, testable solutions through iteration and experimentation.
• Build and refine APIs and services that support complex workflows and data-driven products.
• Work across system boundaries when needed from infrastructure and reliability to developer experience and product flows.
• Set a high bar for engineering quality through hands-on contribution, review, and technical leadership.

Skills

Backend engineering

Python

API design

Distributed systems

Cloud platforms

Technical leadership

Tools

REST

GraphQL

Job description

Staff Software Engineer - Remote - up to $230k

We're partnered with a well funded health-tech startup using AI to support users on their platform through everyday mental health and life challenges. With proven product market fit and backing from leading investors, the company is now scaling their team. This role offers the opportunity to shape system design, drive technical direction and build robust production ready AI enabled software at a pivotal stage of growth.

What you'll do

• Design and evolve backend systems that scale with real users, high traffic, and real world constraints
• Shape technical direction by proposing architectures, abstractions, and service boundaries that create long term leverage
• Take loosely defined problems and turn them into clear, testable solutions through iteration and experimentation
• Build and refine APIs and services that support complex workflows and data-driven products
• Work across system boundaries when needed from infrastructure and reliability to developer experience and product flows
• Set a high bar for engineering quality through hands-on contribution, review, and technical leadership

What you'll bring

• Extensive experience building and operating production software systems
• Strong backend engineering skills, with Python as a primary language
• Proven experience designing APIs (REST and/or GraphQL) and service-oriented architectures
• Background working with distributed systems and cloud platforms (GCP or similar)
• Confidence designing systems that handle concurrency, scale, and operational reliability
• Sound engineering judgment around testing strategies, performance trade-offs, and system resilience
• Experience influencing technical decisions beyond your immediate scope or team
• Comfort working in environments where requirements evolve and solutions emerge through discovery

What's on offer

• $190k - $230k base + equity
• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous time off policy
• Dedicated budget for learning, development, and technical growth