Senior Software Engineer, Backend

Homeward•Austin, TX

52d•$150,000•Remote

About The Position

We're seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to help us build a simpler, more customer-centric home buying and selling experience in partnership with real estate agents. In addition to strong backend fundamentals, the ideal candidate will bring hands-on experience deploying AI and automation solutions - from embedding intelligent features into production systems to designing robust, human-in-the-loop workflows that leverage modern AI tools. As a fast-moving startup, we're constantly balancing technical debt and good design. We value engineers who can make pragmatic tradeoffs, ship quickly, and iterate toward great solutions rather than waiting for perfection. Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Requirements

8+ years of non-internship, professional backend development experience
Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
Deep understanding of web development and backend best practices
Strong grasp of the Software Development Lifecycle and agile methodologies
Proficiency with Python and one or more frameworks like Django, Flask, or FastAPI
Expertise with common backend technologies and patterns (REST APIs, async task management, data modeling, etc.)
Hands-on experience integrating AI and automation tools into production systems, as described in the responsibilities above
Ability to rapidly prototype and adjust in response to customer feedback
Working knowledge of version control and CI/CD tools
"Startup energy" - scrappy, flexible, and motivated to ship impactful features
A "build, test, learn" mindset with a bias toward quick, calculated action and a focus on measurable business outcomes
Strong product sense, able to translate ambiguous goals into iterative technical milestones
Strong organizational skills and discipline in both following and appropriately challenging conventions
Comfort balancing speed vs. design, knowing when to ship quickly and when to refactor
A high bar when it comes to quality - even if we can't always reach it, you know what "great" looks like

Nice To Haves

Experience with workflow automation systems (e.g., Airflow, Temporal)
Familiarity with low- and no-code solutions such as n8n or Zapier
Experience designing data and orchestration layers for AI-driven workflows
Hands-on experience with the infrastructure required to deploy AI-driven workflows, e.g., orchestration tools such as LangChain/LangGraph or LlamaIndex, or vector DBs such as Pinecone, Weaviate, or pgvector

Responsibilities

Design, develop, debug, and modify backend components in an agile environment
Write automated unit and integration tests to support our CI/CD pipelines
Participate in code reviews to ensure overall code quality and flexibility
Prototype creative solutions quickly by developing MVPs and working with peers to shape our technical strategy
Integrate AI capabilities into new or existing applications, e.g.:
Deploy RAG-based solutions for internal knowledge sharing
Use commercially available models via APIs to automate operational workflows
Build pipelines that combine LLM-based decisions with human review or escalation paths
Design data and orchestration layers to support the above
Collaborate effectively with distributed, cross-functional teams (engineering, product, operations, etc.)
Troubleshoot and resolve business or technical issues - following through on details and driving issues to closure
Continuously improve our software development processes and team practices
Participate in agile planning and user story creation

Benefits

Compensation: 150K Base Salary + Annual Bonus
Remote-first environment (our headquarters are in Austin, TX)
Exciting stock option grant for every full-time employee
401(k) employer contribution match
Health and wellness benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
Twenty days of vacation, five sick days, twelve company holidays, and two floating holidays each year
Generous paid parental leave of up to 14 weeks

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