Senior Software Engineer

Description

Role

Summary:

The Sr. Staff Software Engineer will be part of the new Product Engineering team tasked with designing and building the next generation of Agentic AI-powered products for Smart Equip. Acting as the Technical Lead and Primary Architect, you will be a hands‑on leader responsible for the team’s overall delivery. You will lead a small squad by decomposing complex product requirements into actionable tasks, providing deep technical mentorship, and guiding the architectural direction while remaining deeply embedded in the codebase.

• Technical Execution:
  Lead technical delivery by translating high‑level product roadmaps into actionable development cycles. Partner with Product Owners to define scope and ensure high‑quality output through rigorous code reviews and technical mentorship.
• Transactional Microservices:
  Architect and develop high‑concurrency backend services in Python (FastAPI/Django) to handle core business logic, including shopping carts, order processing, and complex transactional workflows.
• Tool Engineering for Agents :
  Design and implement "Agent-Ready" APIs using Pydantic for strict type enforcement and OpenAPI/MCP for autonomous service discovery, allowing agents to execute business actions (like placing an order) with 100% reliability.
• Integration Frameworks:
  Build and maintain secure, scalable integration layers (OAuth2, Webhooks) to connect the Smart Equip platform with diverse customer ERP and procurement systems.
• Observation‑Friendly APIs:
  Implement advanced error‑handling and "hinting" within API responses to allow autonomous agents to self‑diagnose and correct invalid requests during complex multi‑step tasks.
• AI‑Native SDLC:
  Actively utilize autonomous coding agents to plan, generate, and test backend code, maintaining high velocity while ensuring code quality through agent‑assisted peer reviews.
• Security & Auth:
  Own the implementation of secure authorization protocols (JWT,OpenID Connect) to ensure that both humans and AI agents operate within strict permission boundaries.
• Performance Optimization:
  Monitor and optimize API latency and database query performance (Postgre
  
  SQL/MS SQL) to support real‑time interaction for both web/mobile apps and high‑frequency agent calls.

• 10+ years of Software Engineering experience, with a proven history of leading technical squads, architecting, and building complex transactional backend systems.
• Expert mastery of Python (FastAPI, Django) and proficiency in modern Front‑end frameworks (Angular/Typescript).
• Deep mastery of RESTful API design, specialized in Tool‑Calling patterns and structured data exchange for LLMs.
• Strong SQL skills (Postgre
  
  SQL/MS SQL) and production experience with OAuth2/JWT for secure service‑to‑service communication.
• Experienced in working with cloud platforms (GCP, AWS) and deploying containerized services that are secure and scalable.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using coding agents to accelerate the SDLC and plan and code complex engineering tasks.

Ritchie Bros. is an equal opportunity employer and ensures nondiscrimination in all activities in accordance with all applicable laws. This position is open to all qualified applicants who are legally entitled to work in the country in which this job is located. Candidate selection is made by Talent Acquisition. Only electronic applications can be accepted.