Role OverviewThe Senior Backend Engineer will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the backend systems that support our applications and services. This role requires a deep understanding of backend technologies, databases, scalable system architecture, and AI agentic systems. This engineer will play a key role in building Athena's AI agentic systems and the engineering harnesses that support the system development, evaluation, reliability, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will have strong problem-solving skills and experience working in a collaborative, agile environment.
Responsibilities- Design and Develop Backend Systems: Architect, code, and maintain backend infrastructure using modern technologies and best practices to ensure high performance, security, and scalability.
- Build AI Agentic Systems and Harnesses: Design and develop backend services, orchestration layers, and supporting engineering harnesses for AI agentic systems, including tooling for evaluation, testing, monitoring, and iterative improvement.
- Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely with frontend developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to define requirements, design solutions, and deliver high-quality software.
- Optimize and Improve Existing Systems: Continuously monitor and optimize backend performance. Identify bottlenecks and implement improvements to enhance efficiency, scalability, and the reliability of AI-powered systems.
- Ensure Code Quality: Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code. Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback to peers.
- Implement Security Best Practices: Ensure backend systems are secure and comply with industry standards and regulations.
- Mentor Junior Engineers: Provide guidance and mentorship to junior team members to help them grow their technical skills and career.
Qualifications- Experience: 5+ years of experience in backend development, with a strong focus on building scalable and robust systems. Proficiency in languages such as Python or Node.js. Experience building AI-powered products, agentic systems, or engineering tooling / harnesses is strongly preferred.
- Technical Skills: Deep understanding of databases (SQL and NoSQL), RESTful APIs, microservices architecture, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP). Familiarity with LLM-based systems, orchestration frameworks, evaluation pipelines, or related AI infrastructure is a plus.
- Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify issues and implement effective solutions.
- Collaboration: Excellent teamwork and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
