Backend Engineer -- San Francisco (Remote)

About Engenious Engenious is a technology company building next-generation AI products that transform how people work, learn, and create. We partner with fast-growing startups and global companies to design and scale intelligent systems — from AI-powered applications to full-stack platforms used by millions. Our team combines deep engineering expertise with product thinking to deliver solutions that are not just technically strong, but genuinely useful. About the Role We’re looking for a Backend Engineer to join our team and work on AI-driven products. In this role, you will be working as part of an Engenious team embedded with one of our clients, a leading technology company building products used at global scale. You’ll collaborate closely with both Engenious and client-side teams to deliver high-impact solutions. You’ll help build systems that support students throughout their writing journey — from drafting and citations to AI transparency and plagiarism detection. This role combines backend development with practical application of modern AI technologies, and you’ll be expected to actively work with AI-powered features as part of your day-to-day development. What You’ll Do Build and ship end-to-end features across the high-load backend servicesDesign scalable APIs and servicesBuild and integrate AI-powered features into product workflowsWork with LLM-based systems and AI-driven servicesImprove performance, reliability, and system architectureCollaborate with product, design, and AI teams (both Engenious and client-side)Contribute to technical decisions and engineering standardsMentor engineers and support team growth What You’ll Work On AI-powered writing and productivity toolsSystems for AI transparency and authorship clarityCitation and attribution workflowsPlagiarism and AI-usage detectionIntegrations with educational platforms and tools Requirements 5+ years of experience in backend developmentStrong experience with Java and Spring Boot is a mustKnowledge of system scaling, REST APIs, GraphQL, microservices, and message brokers (Kafka, RabbitMQ).Experience with PythonStrong fundamentals in algorithms and system designExperience building or integrating AI-powered features (LLMs, APIs, or similarExperience building and scaling production systemsExperience debugging complex systemsStrong product mindset and attention to user experienceHands-on experience designing and operating WebSocket-based real-time systems at scaleExperience working within cross-team collaboration responsible for high-load production systems, including services serving 100,000+ users or operating at significant request-per-second scale. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire; we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role Nice to Have Experience working with LLMs or AI frameworks (OpenAI, Antropic), LangChain, Langraph, etc.Background in high-scale applicationsExperience mentoring or leading engineers Contract to Full-time Conversion: Contractor Phase Hourly rateContract duration - 6-12 monthPotential transition timeline Full-Time Conversion (Future Opportunity) Full-Time Benefits Upon successful transition to a full-time role, the position may include: Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, mental health)Paid time off and holidaysParental leave401(k) / retirement options (if applicable)Professional development supportAdditional stipends (wellness, home office, etc.) Please note: These benefits are available only upon full-time employment and are not applicable during the contractor phase.