Senior Software Engineer | Backend-Leaning | Python | Distributed Systems | Data Pipelines | Must have Startup Exp

Optimal
New York, NY

Senior Software Engineer | Backend-Leaning | Python | Distributed Systems | Data Pipelines | Must have Startup Exp


Package: $190,000 - $280,000 + meaningful equity

Working model: Hybrid – 2/3 days p/w in New York City

Eligibility: Existing US work authorisation required

Required Tech Stack: Python backend, distributed systems, data pipelines/integrations, startup experience (Non-Negotiable)


🚨 Please only apply if you have ALL of the following 🚨

Core technologies:

  • Strong Python backend engineering
  • Hands-on experience designing and building distributed data pipelines
  • Experience integrating with complex, messy external systems and data sources
  • Strong SQL and experience with structured and semi-structured data


Environment:

  • Proven experience in a fast-moving startup or scale-up (this is non-negotiable)
  • Comfortable owning systems end-to-end, from architecture through to production
  • Thrives on autonomy, ambiguity, and rapid iteration
  • High-ownership mentality — you research, build, ship, and talk to customers


Key skills:

  • Architecting and scaling production-grade data integration infrastructure
  • Solving genuinely hard interoperability and data-ingestion problems
  • Contributing to architectural vision and technical roadmap, not just tickets
  • Strong engineering fundamentals — code quality, reliability, performance
  • Clear written and spoken English and the ability to work effectively in a small, high-talent-bar team


Role Overview

An early-stage, investor-backed AI company is on a tear — and they're hiring a backend-leaning Senior Software Engineer to help take them to the next level.

This is a team using AI to fix one of the largest, most broken, and most expensive problems in healthcare. The product already delivers serious, measurable value to customers, they've recently closed a Series A, and they're scaling fast off the back of major enterprise deals just signed. Early team. Huge mission. Real impact.

You'll own the data integration strategy that lets them onboard customers at scale — building the pipelines and infrastructure that connect cleanly into a messy, fragmented ecosystem. This is one of the hardest and most important problems in the business, and you'll be central to solving it.


Key Responsibilities

  • Drive the architecture, design, and build of complex pipelines for AI agents and data ingestion
  • Develop and scale data integration infrastructure that connects seamlessly to a wide range of external systems
  • Solve tough interoperability challenges that directly unlock customer value
  • Work shoulder-to-shoulder with engineering and product to improve onboarding speed and shape the data strategy
  • Contribute to the team's architectural vision and long-term technical roadmap
  • Drive code quality through reviews and technical design docs, and spread knowledge across the team


Nice to Have

  • Staff-level experience
  • Background at a high-bar startup or a top-tier, fast-moving tech company
  • Domain experience in healthcare, regulated environments, or complex data interoperability
  • Experience working closely with customers to shape what gets built


This is a rare shot to join early, shape the technical direction, and build something that genuinely matters -fast.


If you tick every box above and can move quickly, get in touch for a fast response. 🚀

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