Staff AI Backend Engineer (f/m/d)
WFA Digital Insight
The demand for skilled backend engineers with expertise in AI and machine learning has skyrocketed, with a 25% increase in job openings over the past year. As companies like paretos GmbH continue to push the boundaries of decision intelligence, the need for talented individuals who can architect and operate complex backend systems has never been greater. With its commitment to inclusivity and a culture guided by meaningful work, shared goals, and mutual support, paretos offers a unique opportunity for engineers to make a real impact. Before applying, candidates should be prepared to showcase their technical expertise, product mindset, and ability to drive AI-first engineering culture.
Job Description
About the Role
The Staff AI Backend Engineer plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of paretos' Decision Intelligence platform, working closely with cross-functional teams to design, build, and operate scalable backend services. As a technical anchor for the backend and agent platform, this role requires a deep understanding of AI-first principles, machine learning, and software engineering. The ideal candidate will have a strong product mindset, with the ability to set technical direction, define how features are measured and adopted, and drive the engineering team towards outcomes, not output.The role involves working in a remote or hybrid setup, collaborating with Product, Forward Deployed/AI Engineers, and Data Scientists to set direction, raise the bar, and multiply the impact of the engineers around them. With a focus on customer value, product impact, and adoption, the Staff AI Backend Engineer will operate as a technical leader, driving the development of scalable backend services, clean API and service contracts, and a robust semantic data layer.
As part of the paretos team, the Staff AI Backend Engineer will be working in an inclusive and supportive environment, with a culture that values meaningful work, shared goals, and mutual support. With a strong emphasis on personal growth and development, this role offers the opportunity to work on complex and challenging projects, with a high degree of autonomy and ownership.
What You Will Do
- Own the technical backbone of the Decision Intelligence platform and the architecture that lets it scale
- Set the direction for how to build scalable backend services that bring forecasting and optimization models, agentic workflows, and the semantic data layer into productive use
- Work AI-first, using tools like Claude Code, MCPs, and custom skills to define how the rest of the team uses them
- Think in terms of customer value, product impact, and adoption, and be relentless about strengthening the system, not just solving the task at hand
- Architect, build, and operate scalable backend services in Python (FastAPI, Pydantic) for agent workflows, forecasting, and replenishment
- Design clean API and service contracts between platform, agents, ML models, frontend, and customer systems (ERP, BI, planning tools)
- Develop and maintain the semantic data layer, including PostgreSQL modeling, dbt transformations, pipelines, caching, and retrieval
- Define how to integrate LLM and agent systems into the backend, including tool use, function calling, RAG pipelines, eval frameworks, guardrails, and production deployment
- Drive the AI-first engineering culture, using Claude Code, AI-assisted development, and subagents to evolve the internal setup and ship faster and safer
What We Are Looking For
- 8+ years of experience as a Backend, Software, or AI Engineer in a product-oriented environment
- Track record of leading the design and delivery of complex systems, ideally in a product or SaaS context
- Strong technical skills in AI, machine learning, and software engineering
- Experience with Python, FastAPI, Pydantic, and other relevant technologies
- Strong product mindset, with the ability to set technical direction and define how features are measured and adopted
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a remote or hybrid setup
Nice to Have
- Experience with cloud-based technologies, such as AWS or Google Cloud
- Knowledge of containerization and orchestration using Docker and Kubernetes
- Familiarity with agile development methodologies and version control systems like Git
Benefits and Perks
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- Opportunity to work on complex and challenging projects, with a high degree of autonomy and ownership
- Collaborative and supportive team environment, with a strong emphasis on personal growth and development
- Flexible working hours and remote work options
- Access to cutting-edge technologies and tools, including AI and machine learning frameworks
- Professional development and training opportunities, including conferences and workshops
How to Stand Out
- Tip: Showcase your technical expertise in AI, machine learning, and software engineering by highlighting relevant projects and experiences in your application.
- To stand out, demonstrate your ability to drive AI-first engineering culture and set technical direction, with a strong product mindset and excellent communication skills.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with scalable backend services, clean API and service contracts, and robust semantic data layers.
- Highlight your ability to work effectively in a remote or hybrid setup, with excellent collaboration and communication skills.
- Consider creating a portfolio or GitHub repository that showcases your technical skills and experience, to share with the hiring team during the application process.
- When negotiating salary, be prepared to discuss your experience, skills, and market rate, and be open to feedback and discussion.
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