Senior Application Engineer

OuterBox

1d • Remote

About The Position

The Senior Application Engineer designs and builds resilient software for complex internal applications, with a focus on API development, data services, and cloud-based infrastructure. You bring strong programming fundamentals - data structures, system design, and sound tradeoffs - and apply that thinking across languages rather than being anchored to any one stack. You will integrate AI capabilities into our product suite and - critically - wield AI development tooling (Claude Code, Cursor, AI-enabled CLI, and agentic coding tools) and AI DevOps practices to build, iterate, govern, and scale those applications with greater speed and quality, designing around AI's strengths and failure modes. Day-to-day work spans a modern JavaScript frontend, a server-side language such as PHP or Python, and AWS infrastructure, but adaptability and engineering judgment matter more than time spent in any specific framework.

This is a remote work opportunity with limited travel obligations, which requires demonstrating a level of dedication and commitment to being self-driven and accountable.

Requirements

• 4+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a track record of shipping and maintaining production systems. Demonstrated exemplary performance may supersede the experience requirement.
• Strong foundation in computer science fundamentals — data structures, algorithms, time/space complexity, and object-oriented and functional design patterns — with the ability to apply them across languages. Comfortable picking up new languages and frameworks as needed; current stack exposure to a modern JS framework (Vue/React) and a server-side language (PHP, Python, or Node) is helpful but not required. Laravel familiarity is a plus.
• Experience integrating third-party APIs (including generative AI providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google) into production, with a clear understanding of rate limits, retries, idempotency, schema design, and failure modes.
• Demonstrated proficiency with AI-powered development tools such as Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or equivalent CLI and agentic coding tools — as a regular part of a professional engineering workflow.
• Familiarity with AI DevOps practices: using AI tooling across the SDLC for code review, automated testing, deployment pipelines, and application monitoring.
• Solid experience with SQL for data manipulation and analysis. Familiarity with data tools like Pandas is a plus.
• Proven ability to build, deploy, and manage applications in cloud environments, specifically AWS.
• Experience designing and implementing well-structured APIs for data integration across systems, with fluency in at least one paradigm (REST, GraphQL, gRPC, or event-driven/messaging) and an understanding of when each is appropriate.
• Experience working with structured data and running extract, load, and transform (ETL) processes.
• Strong debugging and systems-thinking skills: able to isolate issues across layers (client, service, data, infra) and reason about non-deterministic behavior, including in AI-integrated systems.
• Effective communication with the ability to break down technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Must be located in the USA.
• We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Nice To Haves

• Current stack exposure to a modern JS framework (Vue/React) and a server-side language (PHP, Python, or Node) is helpful but not required.
• Laravel familiarity is a plus.
• Familiarity with data tools like Pandas is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate in designing and building resilient, AI-integrated software for complex internal applications, with emphasis on API development, data services, and cloud infrastructure. You will work hands-on with code and architecture to ensure systems align with user needs, company objectives, and the growing role of AI within our product suite.
• Build and maintain AI-powered features within internal applications, integrating APIs from providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Scope, implement, and harden LLM-connected capabilities with an emphasis on reliability, performance, and practical utility - from integration design through testing and production deployment.
• Write and manage application code, scripts, and automations using JavaScript, Python, and PHP. Design and maintain serverless Cloud Functions on AWS, with emphasis on performance, reliability, and clean integration with AI-driven workflows.
• Perform data management using MySQL and PostgreSQL. Ensure the scalability, reliability, and security of all database systems supporting both traditional and AI-enhanced application layers.
• Identify and resolve complex technical issues — including those specific to AI integration, model behavior, and API reliability — both independently and collaboratively, ensuring smooth operation across all systems and components.
• Maintain clear, precise documentation of code, AI workflows, system behaviors, and processes. Keep records up to date and ensure all technical documentation is accessible for team members and stakeholders.
• Wield AI effectively across the full development lifecycle - using tools like Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and AI-enabled CLI utilities to accelerate coding, code review, debugging, and testing. Champion AI DevOps practices for how the team builds, iterates, governs, and scales applications: automated pipelines, AI-assisted testing, deployment tooling, and performance monitoring. Evaluate emerging AI development tools, establish team standards for responsible use across the SDLC, and drive continuous improvement in how AI amplifies engineering output.
• Lead the implementation phase by overseeing code quality, performing reviews, and ensuring solutions follow best practices - including those specific to AI-integrated systems. Optimize application performance in cloud environments, focusing on efficient use of AWS services, SQS handling, and automated testing.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to the development team, including on AI integration approaches, development tooling, and application architecture. Offer project consultation and support to uphold and advance our engineering gold standards.
• Additional duties, as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• PTO that is genuinely encouraged
• Affordable, low-deductible health insurance plans
• Supplemental benefits, including employer-paid life insurance, short & long term disability insurance
• 401k with company match
• Remote work flexibility
• Supportive, transparent, and accessible leadership that welcomes ideas, insights & feedback
• Professional/individual development stipend

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed