Job description
Role Overview
This is a Senior Software Engineer role with a Technical Leadership / Platform specialization, focused on system design, reliability, and long-term platform evolution. You will help the team understand how our systems should behave under load, during failures, and as they scale, ensuring the platform foundation remains healthy over time. The role involves a significant architectural focus (30-50%) while remaining fully hands-on: you take ownership of the most complex or high-risk backend work, and act as the technical representative for API/SDK integrations with third-party vendors and clients, during and after the integration.
Key ResponsibilitiesDesign and evolve core platform services, focusing on reliability, data integrity, and clear service boundaries aligned with business requirementsIdentify architectural risks, scalability limits, and weak points before they become production issues; recognize when existing tools (queues, storage, frameworks) reach their limits and propose pragmatic, incremental improvement or migration pathsOwn the technical relationship with partners as the primary technical point of contact: lead solution reviews, troubleshooting, and roadmap alignment; document technical decisions and integration details; ensure partners understand expectations, timelines, and constraintsDesign and improve reliability mechanisms: retries and backoff, timeouts and idempotency, handling of partial failures, degraded and fallback modesDrive improvements in observability (metrics, logs, tracing, operational visibility) and participate in production incident analysisContribute during the Discovery stage of projects: build PoCs, validate ideas, analyze third-party vendor APIs and proposed integration flowsImplement the most complex and high-risk backend components using TypeScript and Node.js, owning correctness under partial failure scenariosRaise the overall technical maturity of the team, including senior engineers: thoughtful code reviews, decomposition of large or ambiguous problems, knowledge sharing through pairing and documentationRequired Qualifications6+ years of professional backend development experienceDeep hands-on experience building and operating crypto infrastructure: custody, wallets, exchange, payment, or settlement systems. You have designed and run production systems that move real funds. Integrating a crypto API into an existing product, or building UI on top of one, does not meet this barStrong backend expertise in TypeScript and Node.jsDeep experience in distributed system design: microservices architecture, service boundaries and data models, REST APIs and API contracts, queues and asynchronous communicationHands-on production experience: incident response, debugging, API failures, data issuesExperience owning services end-to-end, from design to production supportExcellent knowledge of SQL (PostgreSQL) and understanding of other storage typesStrong reliability mindset and experience with failure scenarios; experience improving observability and investigating production incidentsProficient daily use of AI coding tools (e.g. Claude Code, Copilot), with the ability to review AI-generated code quickly and criticallyAbility to mentor engineers, including senior-level, and to evaluate trade-offs and propose practical solutionsHigh agency: you treat problems in your scope as yours by default, act before being asked, and escalate with a proposed plan when a decision is above your levelExcellent communication skills, with the ability to bridge technical and business conversations; strong written and verbal EnglishPreferred ExperienceExperience leading architecture work across timezones in a distributed teamExperience in regulated financial environments (licensing, audits, compliance-driven engineering requirements)Experience with queues and event-driven systems (Kafka, RabbitMQ, SQS, etc.)Redis or other in-memory data storesFamiliarity with Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS (user-level understanding)Experience shaping team practices around AI-assisted developmentReporting StructureReports to the Engineering Manager. This role does not include direct people management, only technical influence.
Why This RoleOwn the technical foundation of a crypto payment platform being built now: architecture decisions you make will define the platform for yearsFull technical ownership of the highest-risk, highest-impact work in the company, with direct influence on how the whole engineering organization buildsAI-first engineering culture where your leverage multiplies through the teamLocationRemote. USA, Argentina, or Brazil. The role works US business hours (Eastern Time). A minimum of 4 hours of daily overlap with Central European working hours is a requirement.
Compensation and BenefitsAs an independent contractor, you'll enjoy the flexibility to determine how and when you deliver your work, while partnering closely with our team to meet agreed milestones and business objectives. Compensation and engagement terms will be outlined in your contractor agreement.
Additional Benefits
Company issued laptopTechnology AccessoriesAnnual In-Person Full-Team Meetup
Prepare your application
Use the description above to assess your fit for Cyclops. This checklist is guidance from Resumize, rather than additional requirements from the employer. Imported listings can be shortened or change after collection, so confirm the complete description and current availability before sending an application.
Match requirements to evidence
Identify the responsibilities and skills the employer explicitly names. For each important requirement, choose one example from your work, education, training, or projects. Explain what you did, how you did it, and what changed as a result. Include a measurable outcome when you can support it. If you lack a requirement, describe related experience accurately instead of adding an unfamiliar skill to your resume.
Put the most relevant examples near the top of your resume. Keep job titles, dates, qualifications, and contact details consistent across your application materials. Use the employer’s terminology when it describes your experience accurately; a copied list of keywords does not explain your contribution. A short, specific bullet is easier to review than a paragraph that mixes several unrelated duties.
Check the working arrangement
Confirm the location, schedule, employment type, and any eligibility requirements on the employer’s site. A remote label does not establish worldwide eligibility or flexible hours. If compensation, benefits, equipment, travel, or contract duration are missing from this listing, write down your questions for the recruiter. Do not assume details from another opening at the same company apply to this role.
Review before submitting
Follow the employer’s requested file format and application instructions. Open your exported resume and check that its text is selectable, its sections read in order, and its links work. Proofread names, dates, and contact information. Share confidential work samples only when you have permission, and use an anonymized example when necessary.
Submit through a trusted employer or recruiting destination. If the original listing has disappeared, search the employer’s careers page for the title rather than assuming the vacancy remains open. Save the application date, job reference, and the version of your resume you sent. Those details help you prepare for a later conversation and avoid submitting conflicting information through several job boards.
Review your resume for writing and readability feedback, or browse other openings if this opportunity is unavailable.