Phia

Technology

SeniorBackendEngineer

$150–260k New York, New York, United States FULL TIME
Market Sentiment
HIGH DEMAND

Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Senior candidates.

The Brief

“Senior Backend Engineer at Phia. Skills: Backend systems, Distributed systems, APIs. Design scalable backend services. Build scalable backend services”

Industry & Context.

Technology

What They're Looking For.

Must Have

3+ years of experience, Experience with APIs, Experience with databases, Experience with distributed systems, Proficiency in at least one backend language, Proficiency in modern backend frameworks, Experience designing systems for scale, Experience designing systems for performance, Experience designing systems for reliability, Ownership mindset, Ability to work in fast-moving environments, Clear communicator, Collaborates well across functions

What You'll Do.

Design scalable backend services

Build scalable backend services

Design shared platform components

Build shared platform components

Own system architecture

Partner with product teams

Partner with ML teams

Support data-driven workflows

Support model-driven workflows

Improve observability

Improve operational best practices

Drive technical decisions

Contribute to platform strategy

How You'll Work.

Team & Collaboration

Partner with product; Partner with ML; Collaborate across functions

Communication Scope

Clear communicator

Full Job Description

OVERVIEW As a Senior Backend Engineer, you’ll design, build, and scale core backend systems that power high-traffic consumer products and internal platforms. You’ll own foundational services and APIs, work on high-throughput distributed systems, and partner closely with product, ML, and engineering teams to deliver reliable, low-latency experiences at scale. ABOUT PHIA Phia has raised $43M from Notable Capital, Khosla Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins, with backing from founders and operators like Vlad Tenev (Robinhood), Mellody Hobson (Ariel Investments), Naomi Gleit (Meta), and Mati Staniszewski (ElevenLabs), plus a roster of cultural leaders, to build the AI alignment layer for commerce. In just over a year, Phia's consumer shopping agent has surpassed 1.5 million users and partnered with 9,600+ retail brands across contemporary, resale, and luxury, representing billions in annual gross merchandise volume. We scan more than 350 million products to help shoppers find the right pieces at the best price, cutting return rates by 50%, and we're on pace for nine-figure sales growth this year.   In an era where AI vertical agents are reshaping every industry, commerce is on the verge of a complete transformation. Phia is reinventing shopping from a fragmented, impersonal experience into one that feels intelligent, trusted, and built around each user's intent. This foundation of trust is our wedge to become the end-to-end shopping destination for the next generation of buyers.   Phia is a lean, high-ownership team building at startup speed. If you want to ship at high velocity and solve complex problems in consumer AI and commerce, this is the place to do it. WHAT YOU OWN - Design and build scalable backend services, APIs, and shared platform components - Own system architecture, performance, and reliability for core backend systems - Partner with product and ML teams to support data- and model-driven workflows - Improve observability, monitoring, and operational best practi

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