Staff Software Engineer (Backend)

MLabs; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 225,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful Equity

High Impact

Complex Problem Solving

Founder Culture

Job summary

A high-growth AI technology firm is looking for a Staff Software Engineer to lead backend development and AI orchestration within a small, agile team. The ideal candidate will have over 6 years of experience and expertise in TypeScript, Node.js, and cloud-native technologies. You will own the lifecycle of features and work on challenging backend problems involving autonomous agents. This role offers competitive compensation, stock options, and significant influence on product development.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of backend engineering experience.
• Proficient in building data-intensive services at scale.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems and API design.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-native technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design and build high-throughput AI orchestration pipelines.
• Own significant parts of a unified product stack.
• Take full accountability for feature lifecycles.
• Ship code constantly while maintaining system stability.
• Contribute to the technical roadmap and mentor peers.

Skills

Backend engineering

TypeScript

Node.js

Distributed systems

Cloud-native technologies

Tools

PostgreSQL

Redis

Kubernetes

AWS

Job description

Location: San Francisco, New York, or Remote (US) On-site/Remote| Full-time Compensation: $225K - $300K

Our client is a high-growth, venture-backed organization (YC W24) that has raised over $35M to pioneer the next generation of autonomous digital workers. Unlike traditional chatbots or copilots, our client builds fully autonomous "AI employees" that research leads, manage complex outbound sequences, handle deliverability infrastructure, and self-optimize through behavioral patterns.

Currently at $8M+ ARR and scaling rapidly, the organization is deep in the development of its next-generation platform—a step change in the capabilities of AI agents. The backend is the core of this transformation, processing millions of signals to facilitate autonomous decision-making. Our client is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to serve in a foundational role, owning major segments of the platform infrastructure and driving high-throughput AI orchestration. The engineering culture is flat, high-velocity, and results-oriented. There is no red tape; engineers are expected to own outcomes end-to-end, from architecture and design to deployment and monitoring.

Key Responsibilities

• AI Orchestration: Design and build the high-throughput pipelines and services that allow autonomous agents to process massive volumes of data and make reliable, real-time decisions
• Platform Infrastructure: Own significant portions of a unified product stack that replaces traditional sales tools, including email infrastructure, CRM integrations, lead databases, and campaign engines
• End-to-End Ownership: Take full accountability for the lifecycle of features—designing, building, deploying, and monitoring services without a separation between architecture and implementation
• Rapid Iteration: Ship code constantly in a continuous release environment, maintaining high velocity while ensuring system stability
• Technical Leadership: Contribute to the technical roadmap, mentor peers, and maintain high standards for reliability, observability, and testing across a distributed system

Interview Process

• Recruiter Screen: An introductory chat to discuss background and alignment
• Technical Interview I: A 60-minute technical session with a member of the engineering team
• Technical Interview II: A second 60-minute session focused on deeper technical capabilities
• Leadership Interview: A 30-minute conversation with the CPTO regarding system design and vision
• Culture & Values Interview: A final 30-minute session with the CEO to ensure alignment with the organization's core principles

Requirements

• Experience: 6+ years of backend engineering experience, preferably within a high-growth startup environment where systems were owned end-to-end
• Technical Proficiency: Strong experience building and operating data-intensive services at scale. Expertise in TypeScript/Node is preferred, though proficiency in Python, Go, or similar languages is acceptable if fundamentals are strong
• Systems Knowledge: Deep understanding of distributed systems, database performance, and API design
• Cloud Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with cloud-native technologies, including containers, orchestration (Kubernetes/ECS), CI/CD, and monitoring
• AI-Native Workflow: A "5x engineer" mindset with the ability to effectively leverage modern AI coding tools to accelerate development
• Communication: Clear ability to explain complex technical systems to both engineering peers and product leadership
• Tech Stack Familiarity: Experience with or a desire to work in an environment utilizing PostgreSQL, Redis, Kubernetes, Mastra, Temporal, Langfuse, and AWS

Benefits

• Meaningful Equity: Competitive salary paired with significant equity in a company with proven revenue and a clear path to a major outcome
• High Impact: Small team environment with a large scope of influence; engineers have a direct line to customer impact
• Complex Problem Solving: Opportunity to work on non-trivial backend challenges involving autonomous agents interacting with real-world infrastructure
• Founder Culture: An environment that values the "Founder Mindset," where initiative is rewarded and ego is minimized

Due to the high volume of applications we anticipate, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback to all candidates. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. We genuinely appreciate your interest and wish you the best in your job search.

Commitment to Equality and Accessibility

At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job-advert in an accessible format please let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing [e-mail].

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