Lead API Developer

Trust In SODA
New York, NY
Staff Engineer / API Lead — Mission-Driven AI Startup (New York City)

Want to own the core APIs powering an AI product used by millions around the world? A fast-growing language learning startup (name currently under wraps 🤫) is gearing up for a pivotal 2025 and needs a Staff Engineer / API Lead to architect, build, and scale the heart of their platform.

If you're the kind of engineer who loves big technical challenges, thrives in high-output environments, and wants your work to have real human impact - this is the place.

What You’ll Do
  • Own the design and evolution of the company’s core APIs , from architecture to implementation
  • Build scalable, reliable backend services that power real-time, AI-driven learning experiences
  • Lead technical direction across teams; set standards, review designs, mentor engineers
  • Drive platform performance, observability, cost optimisation, and cloud infrastructure decisions
  • Collaborate directly with product and engineering leadership to shape the roadmap
  • Stay hands-on: writing high-impact code, improving systems, and solving tough technical problems
Why This Role Is Unique
  • You will literally own the backbone of the platform—the APIs that everything else relies on
  • Join during a defining hyper-growth phase where technical decisions have huge leverage
  • High autonomy, high trust, and the chance to influence engineering culture from the ground up
  • Direct collaboration with founders and engineering leadership
  • Mission-first environment focused on unlocking learning for kids everywhere
What You Bring
  • 7–10 years of backend or distributed systems experience, ideally at scale
  • Deep expertise with AWS , including services, architecture patterns, and cost-aware design
  • Strong experience with Kubernetes , containers, and modern cloud infrastructure
  • Proven experience designing and scaling APIs (REST, GraphQL, gRPC—any production-grade interface)
  • Strong coding skills in Python, Go , or similar backend languages
  • Experience influencing or leading technical direction across teams
  • Startup-ready mindset: ownership, speed, and a bias for high-impact execution
  • Bonus: Familiarity or interest in Rust for systems-level or performance-sensitive components
Who You Are
  • A strategic thinker who still loves writing code
  • Someone who enjoys architecting complex systems and making them elegant
  • A force multiplier—your impact makes the whole team faster and better
  • Comfortable in fast-paced, ambiguity-heavy environments
  • Drawn to mission-driven work where the results matter
Location & Eligibility
  • Hyrbid in New York City (this role requires close collaboration with the founding and engineering teams)
  • Full US work authorization required (no sponsorship)
If you want to build core systems, shape engineering standards, and see your work translate into life-changing tools for kids learning languages—this is the opportunity.
Posted 2026-02-24

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