Location: REMOTE / Montreal, Quebec

This job allows you to work remotely.

About the Role

Our client is an early-stage, venture-backed technology company building AI-powered software for engineering teams. Their platform combines generative AI, machine learning, simulation, and validation technologies to help customers identify complex issues earlier in the product development lifecycle.

They’re hiring a Principal Backend Developer to join the Platform team and own the core service infrastructure powering the product end-to-end. This includes internal data systems, backend services supporting AI-driven analysis, and orchestration layers responsible for distributed compute and simulation workloads.

This is a high-ownership individual contributor role. The successful candidate will help set the technical direction of the platform while remaining hands-on in architecture, implementation, and delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

– Own the architecture and implementation of core platform services

– Design and evolve backend systems supporting AI-driven workflows

– Build and maintain AWS infrastructure using infrastructure-as-code

– Design and optimize PostgreSQL schemas, indexing strategies, and migrations

– Define engineering standards for backend services, APIs, observability, deployment, and operations

– Architect and operate distributed compute workloads, job orchestration systems, and scaling infrastructure

– Partner closely with AI/ML engineers, frontend developers, and domain experts

– Mentor through technical leadership, code reviews, architecture discussions, and hands-on contribution

– Leverage AI-assisted development tools effectively while maintaining strong engineering judgment

What They’re Looking For

– High-ownership mindset

– Hands-on technical leadership

– Strong architectural judgment

– Pragmatic decision-making

– Excellent communication

– Comfort operating in ambiguity and fast-moving startup environments

Special Perks:

Compensation & Benefits

– Competitive compensation package

– Equity opportunity

– Comprehensive health benefits

– Fully remote within Canada

– Opportunity to have significant influence on product direction, architecture, and technical strategy within a high-growth venture-backed company

Must Have Skills:

Required Qualifications

– 8+ years building and operating production backend systems

– 3+ years operating at a Staff, Principal, or equivalent senior IC level

– Strong TypeScript experience in production environments

– Deep PostgreSQL expertise including schema design, indexing, query optimization, and migrations

– Experience managing AWS infrastructure using Terraform or similar tools

– Track record of making significant architectural decisions that improved product and engineering outcomes

– Experience with distributed systems and orchestration of long-running compute workloads

– Excellent communication skills

– Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related STEM field

Nice to Have Skills:

Preferred Qualifications

– Experience supporting AI-powered products

– Experience with NestJS or similar TypeScript backend frameworks

– Experience with distributed simulation, batch processing, or scientific computing workloads

– Containerization experience

– Exposure to engineering software, simulation systems, hardware design workflows, or other complex technical domains

– Startup experience