Senior Software Engineer - AI; Materia AI

Senior Software Engineer – AI (Materia AI)

We're building the next generation of AI-powered platforms for tax and accounting professionals, and we’re looking for a Senior Software Engineer who can architect high-performance backend systems that bring real-world AI capabilities to life. If you thrive in fast-moving environments, enjoy tackling complex distributed-systems challenges, and want your work to directly enable intelligent, production-grade features, this role is for you.

As a Senior Software Engineer – AI, you will design, implement, and optimize backend services that fuel AI-native experiences across our Materia-driven product ecosystem. You’ll be responsible for shaping the architecture, scalability, and reliability of systems that coordinate LLM interactions, serve high-traffic APIs, and manage large-scale content processing.

• Design and build backend services using Python, FastAPI, and Postgre
  
  SQL to support real-time AI interactions and large-scale data flows.
• Shape the architectural foundation of our AI platform by defining service boundaries, system interfaces, and scalable design patterns.
• Develop high-performance APIs and microservices that power AI agents, orchestration engines, and content pipelines, ensuring smooth operation under heavy load.
• Integrate backend systems with modern LLM providers (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) and implement reliable orchestration, routing, and execution safeguards.
• Productionize AI capabilities with robust error handling, guardrails, telemetry, and deep observability for performance and reliability.
• Lead core engineering decisions—driving architecture reviews, mentoring teammates, and promoting best practices in testing, resiliency, and maintainability.
• Strengthen CI/CD pipelines and Dev Ops automation to support fast, stable, cloud-native development workflows.
• Collaborate closely with ML engineers, product managers, and designers to turn early AI concepts into scalable backend solutions.
• Deliver backend systems that transform ambitious AI ideas into production-ready experiences used by thousands of professionals.

• Minimum 7+ years building backend systems, APIs, and microservices.
• Strong proficiency in Python, FastAPI, Postgre
  
  SQL, and AWS cloud services.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, architecture, and data modeling.
• Experience with AI-driven systems or agent-based architectures.
• Proven ability to deliver production-ready, highly reliable systems.
• Excellent debugging skills and strong cross-functional communication.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, iterative environments.

• Curiosity and enthusiasm for integrating AI technologies into real applications.
• Familiarity with embeddings, vector search, or RAG retrieval patterns.
• Strong opinions on testing, automation, and operational robustness.
• Experience with modern LLM APIs or orchestration frameworks.

• Hybrid Work Model: We’ve adopted a flexible hybrid working environment (2-3 days a week in the office depending on the role) for our office-based roles while delivering a seamless experience that is digitally and physically connected.

• Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: Flex My Way is a set of supportive workplace policies designed to help manage personal and professional responsibilities, whether caring for family, giving back to the community, or finding time to refresh and reset. This builds upon our flexible work arrangements, including work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year, empowering employees to achieve a better work-life balance.

• Career Development and Growth: By fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development, we prepare our talent to tackle tomorrow’s challenges and deliver real-world solutions. Our Grow My Way programming and skills-first approach ensures you have the tools and knowledge to grow, lead, and thrive in an AI-enabled future.

• Industry Competitive Benefits: We offer comprehensive benefit plans to include flexible vacation, two company-wide Mental Health Days off, access to the Headspace app, retirement savings, tuition reimbursement, employee incentive programs, and resources for…