About the OpportunityPallet is building infrastructure for AI-powered logistics, systems that operate real-world workflows across warehouses, freight, and supply chains. We are looking for engineers to define the foundations: the abstractions, tools, and guardrails that make systems reliable, scalable, and easy to change. You will partner closely with a team that has built and scaled systems at companies like Google, Ramp, Scale AI, DoorDash, and Rippling to define how AI-native infrastructure should work from first principles.
Why This Role Is DifferentThis role is as much about how we build as what we build.
- High agency: we don't wait for direction, we identify what matters, take ownership, and drive it to completion
- Leverage over activity: we focus on eliminating entire classes of problems through better systems, not managing them with process or manual effort
- Build the right defaults: we design systems where reliability, security, and correctness are built in, not bolted on later
- Pragmatic engineering: every decision is a tradeoff; we value engineers who optimize for simplicity and effectiveness over theoretical perfection
- Velocity with direction: we move quickly on reversible decisions while staying disciplined about solving the problems that matter
- Direct collaboration: we work closely with founders and other engineers with minimal layers or overhead
What You'll Work On- Drive reliability and resilience across systems
- Own and evolve observability to make production transparent and debuggable
- Diagnose and resolve complex performance and correctness issues
- Design and operate multi-region and multi-cloud infrastructure with strong isolation boundaries, failover, and global scalability
- Establish security guardrails and primitives that enforce security by default
- Develop systems to train, operate, and evaluate world-class AI models/agents
- Improve developer velocity without sacrificing safety or correctness
- Help define engineering standards and best practices as an early team member
- Take ownership of high-impact problems across the stack, including areas beyond those listed above, aligned with your strengths and interests
What We're Looking For- 6+ years in backend or platform engineering
- Strong software engineering fundamentals - this is a coding-heavy role
- Experience building systems, abstractions, or internal tools with real leverage
- Ability to own projects end-to-end from design to rollout
- Comfort working in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
- Clear, pragmatic thinking around system design and tradeoffs
Nice to Have- Infrastructure fundamentals, such as cloud, containers, and networking
- Experience improving reliability through design and code, not just operations
- Practical security knowledge, such as auth and common vulnerabilities
- Experience at early-stage or high-growth startups
Our tech stack- Database: PostgreSQL
- Backend: Node.js + TypeScript, Encore for server-side development and managed DevOps, hosted on GCP
- LLMs: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google (foundation models), Browserbase (browser automation)
- Frontend: React + TypeScript, hosted on Vercel
Interview Process- Intro Chat with Head of Talent (30 mins)
- Technical Screen + Meet and Greet with an Engineer (60 mins)
- Executive Chat - Nilkanth, CTO (30-45 mins)
- Final Interview, visit our Fidi office, and deep dive into technical and behavioral interviews (~3.5 hours)
Location- San Francisco: Since we're a small team building 0-1 products, we prefer candidates to be comfortable working in an in-office environment in San Francisco. We typically come into the office 5 days a week. Relocation assistance can be provided for interested candidates.
- New York: Satellite Office with ~8 Pallet employees across engineering, operations, and success - we are seeking to hire and grow out the team more here. The team typically comes into the office 4-5 days a week. Relocation assistance is not provided for our New York office.
CompensationThe estimated salary range for this role is $195,000 - $265,000, depending on experience and skill set. In addition to base salary, we offer competitive equity, benefits, and opportunities for growth. Final compensation will be determined based on a combination of factors, including experience, qualifications, and location.
Top-Tier Benefits Health, Vision, and Dental benefits
Flexible PTO
+ Life Insurance and Accidental Insurance
♥ Short-Term Disability Coverage
Generous salary and equity for all staff
401k option; helping you save for the future
Yearly learning and development stipend
Commuter benefits
Uber ride stipend if you ever have to work late in the office
Office home stipend to get you comfy in your space
Daily catered lunches provided by Sharebite (every meal you order, one meal gets donated)
Monthly happy hours
Annual Company Offsites; this year we'll be headed to Palm Springs
