Staff Software Engineer, Backend
WFA Digital Insight
As the demand for skilled backend engineers continues to rise, with a reported 25% increase in job openings in the last year, GlossGenius is at the forefront of innovation, empowering entrepreneurs in the beauty and wellness space. With a strong focus on AI-powered products, this role is ideal for those with a passion for cutting-edge technology and leadership. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their technical expertise, particularly in Kotlin and cloud infrastructure, as well as their ability to drive growth and scalability. Before applying, it's essential to understand the company's commitment to flexibility and community, with benefits like flexible PTO and generous parental leave.
Job Description
About the Role
GlossGenius is seeking a highly skilled Staff Software Engineer, Backend to join their team, driving the technical direction of their AI-enabled products. As a critical technical leader, you will own and support the technical direction of these products, turning ambitious initiatives into clear, buildable roadmaps. This role is an individual contributor position with a balance of leadership and execution, requiring approximately 60% technical planning, architecture, and proof-of-concepts, and 40% hands-on building.The successful candidate will be a force multiplier for the talented engineering team, unblocking technical hurdles, keeping a healthy backlog of build-ready work, and helping to scale AI-powered products. This role matters, as it will have a significant impact on the company's growth and innovation, empowering independent entrepreneurs in the beauty and wellness space to pursue their dreams and successfully grow their businesses.
What You Will Do
- Lead technical planning, system architecture, and scaling of AI-powered products and 0-to-1 product builds, weighing long-term tradeoffs with precision
- Write high-quality code and rapidly build proof-of-concepts to validate architecture options and tackle the team's most complex technical challenges
- Act as a technical mentor and accelerator for backend engineers on the team, proactively identifying systemic technical debt, resolving blockers, and raising the bar for engineering excellence
- Partner closely with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership to turn ambiguous business goals into clear, well-architected initiatives, keeping a healthy backlog of forward-looking work
- Embed cutting-edge AI workflows into daily development practices, helping shape how the engineering organization leverages AI effectively and responsibly
- Collaborate with the team to design and implement scalable, efficient, and reliable systems
- Develop and maintain technical documentation, ensuring that all engineering teams have access to up-to-date information
- Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and ensuring that all code meets the company's high standards
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and new tools, applying this knowledge to continuously improve the company's products and services
What We Are Looking For
- 7+ years of professional engineering experience, with a strong focus on web and a track record of leading high-impact technical work
- Proven experience operating at a senior-to-staff level, with a track record of owning system design and architectural choices for high-scale or high-growth products
- Strong backend depth with Kotlin, and experience with TypeScript is a plus
- Solid understanding of modern cloud infrastructure, specifically AWS and Kubernetes
- Hands-on experience integrating AI models and LLMs into customer-facing products
- Experience working in early-stage, startup, or high-innovation environments, with a comfort level in shipping quickly, iterating rapidly, and navigating ambiguity
- Exceptional communication skills, with a natural ability to collaborate closely with PMs, Designers, and other engineering teams to align on product vision
- Experience with or enthusiasm for AI-assisted development tools to maximize engineering velocity
Nice to Have
- Experience with containerization, using tools like Docker
- Knowledge of agile development methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban
- Familiarity with GitHub Copilot or similar AI-powered development tools
Benefits and Perks
- Flexible PTO, allowing you to recharge and pursue your passions
- Competitive health and dental insurance options, with premiums partially or fully covered by GlossGenius
- In-person opportunities to foster collaboration and build community, such as working out of a co-working space, team dinners, and other team-building activities
- Fertility and adoption benefits via Carrot
- Generous, fully-paid parental leave policy, supporting you and your family during significant life events
- 401k benefit, with employees eligible to contribute starting day one
How to Stand Out
- Develop a strong portfolio showcasing your technical skills, particularly in Kotlin and cloud infrastructure, to stand out as a candidate.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with AI-powered products and how you have integrated AI models into customer-facing products.
- Familiarize yourself with GlossGenius's products and services, demonstrating your enthusiasm for the company's mission and values.
- Showcase your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, highlighting your experience working with PMs, Designers, and other engineering teams.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with agile development methodologies and your ability to navigate ambiguity in high-innovation environments.
- Research the company's flexible work arrangements and be prepared to discuss how you can thrive in a remote work environment.
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