Software Engineer - Back End

📋 Description

• • Distyl AI is at the forefront of revolutionizing enterprise operations for Fortune 500 companies by developing production-grade AI systems. Leveraging a powerful strategic partnership with OpenAI, proprietary software accelerators, and extensive enterprise AI expertise, we are committed to delivering tangible AI solutions with rapid time-to-value, often within a single quarter. Our innovative products have already made a significant impact across diverse industries, including insurance, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and non-profit sectors. As a Software Engineer - Back End, you will play a pivotal role in empowering these companies to identify, build, and fully realize the value of their Generative AI investments, often for the first time.
• • Our approach is deeply customer-centric, starting with a thorough understanding of the customer's challenges and working backward to engineer effective solutions. We hold ourselves accountable for creating both substantial financial impact and measurably improving the daily experiences of end-users. Distyl is guided by a leadership team with proven track records from industry giants like Palantir and Apple. We are proudly backed by leading venture capital firms including Lightspeed, Khosla, Coatue, and Dell Technologies Capital, as well as prominent individuals such as Nat Friedman (Former CEO of GitHub) and Brad Gerstner (Founder and CEO of Altimeter), and benefit from the guidance of board members from over a dozen Fortune 500 companies.
• • In this role, you will be instrumental in designing, building, and optimizing Distillery, our cutting-edge AI-native platform. This platform is the engine that powers real-world enterprise AI systems, addressing complex workflows for a wide array of Fortune 500 clients. Your responsibilities will span the development of highly scalable AI infrastructure, the unwavering assurance of system reliability and performance, and close collaboration with a diverse team of engineers, AI researchers, and business leaders to tackle some of the most intricate challenges in AI deployment.
• • **Build and Scale AI-Native Infrastructure:** You will be responsible for developing and continuously refining a sophisticated platform where AI models are not only built but also optimized and operated within AI-powered workflows. A key aspect of this will be defining and implementing how AI automation seamlessly integrates with and enhances traditional enterprise infrastructure, bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI and established business processes.
• • **Develop Cloud-Native Microservices and Scalable AI Systems:** Design, build, and deploy secure, high-performance backend services. These services will be deployed across major cloud environments such as AWS, GCP, and Azure, as well as on-premise Kubernetes clusters. You will leverage modern technologies including Python, FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, and Alembic, coupled with advanced DevOps practices, to create robust, scalable, and reliable AI infrastructure that can handle the demands of enterprise-level AI applications.
• • **Optimize System Performance and Reliability:** Ensure the highest levels of availability, security, and observability for our AI-native workflows. This involves implementing and adhering to best practices in Machine Learning Operations (ML Ops), distributed computing principles, and scalable service orchestration to maintain system integrity and efficiency under heavy load.
• • **Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams:** Forge strong partnerships with Forward-Deployed Engineers (FDEs), AI Researchers, and subject matter experts (SMEs) from various business domains. Your collaboration will be crucial in translating complex, real-world operational needs into tangible platform capabilities. You will also serve as a champion for robust software engineering and DevOps methodologies, consistently advocating for high coding standards, maintainable codebases, and scalable architectural designs across the engineering team.
• • **Contribute to Platform Evolution:** Actively participate in the architectural discussions and decision-making processes that shape the future of our AI-native platform. Identify opportunities for innovation and improvement, and contribute to the development of new features and functionalities that enhance the platform's capabilities and value proposition for our clients.
• • **Troubleshoot and Debug Complex Issues:** Investigate and resolve intricate technical challenges that may arise within the backend systems and AI workflows. This requires a systematic approach to problem-solving, deep analytical skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure to ensure minimal disruption to client operations.
• • **Mentor and Guide Junior Engineers:** As you grow within the team, you will have opportunities to mentor and share your expertise with more junior engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within the engineering department.
• • **Stay Abreast of Emerging Technologies:** Continuously research and evaluate new technologies, tools, and methodologies in the backend development and AI spaces to ensure Distyl remains at the cutting edge of innovation and maintains a competitive advantage.