Senior AI Backend Engineer (Node.js / NestJS)

Choco is on a mission to enable the global food system to become sustainable by optimizing the way food is sold, ordered, distributed, and financed. Our AI-focused software connects distributors with their customers to operate waste-free and efficiently.  A problem of this magnitude requires a massive scale and only the best people will be able to solve it. Are you in?

Here’s what we’re up to: https://bit.ly/4fyXonB

We are seeking a Senior Backend Engineer ready to make a true impact.

At Choco, we went from 0 AI revenue to 100% AI revenue within 16 months. We took AI seriously, not for window dressing, but to help us achieve our vision faster and drive a significant part of our revenue. Only when AI drives a majority of revenue is it at the core of the company.

We have assembled an absolutely world-class AI team that you will be working with. We use cutting-edge technology and are an innovation driver in our industry and the broader European ecosystem.

You’ll need to be at the forefront of backend engineering, working closely with other engineers to design and implement robust AI-driven systems. Your focus will be on building scalable architectures and integrating AI functionalities while collaborating with your engineering team to ensure seamless operation and optimization of our products. Staying on top of industry advancements, you will constantly seek ways to improve, validate, and deploy robust backend systems that will enable complex AI models effectively. It’s essential to possess exceptional engineering skills, as you will be responsible for building scalable and reliable infrastructure that meets the rigorous demands of our AI initiatives. 

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-execution environment—someone who can learn quickly, adapt to new technologies, take ownership and deliver impactful solutions. You will collaborate with an amazing team, working alongside peers, engineers, and other experts to help us realize our ambitious vision. If you have a passion for AI, the drive to innovate, and the engineering skills to execute at the highest level, we want to hear from you.

Our current tech stack includes AWS serverless stack, Databricks + mlflow, Kubernetes, Kafka, PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, Elastic Cloud, Node.js, and TypeScript with frameworks like NestJS.

We also use the newest models from different vendors incl. OpenAI, as well as proprietary models.

What You’ll Be Doing:

We move fast. We commit to delivering user increments and advancing backend development weekly. Team members rotate between a variety of challenging problems. One week, you might design APIs and frameworks to support AI systems, demonstrating your conclusions in a defensible and reproducible way. Next week, you could integrate cutting-edge models, and in the third, you'll ship the first iteration of your work directly to our users.

• Lead end-to-end development of backend systems, including API design, deployment, optimization, and monitoring.

• Collaborate closely with the data science and AI teams to integrate sophisticated AI-driven solutions into our systems.

• Carry the team through support, coaching, feedback, tooling, documentation, establishing best practices, and knowledge sharing.

• Develop innovative solutions for complex business challenges, ensuring scalability and reliability.

• Contribute to improving the developer experience by building tools and frameworks that enable faster, more efficient development.

Your Responsibilities:

• User and business-centric: Understand and interpret complex business and customer challenges, translating them into actionable backend solutions.

• Design and Develop Backend Systems: Build robust backend architectures and APIs to support various applications and services, ensuring they can handle high volumes of requests and data.

• Optimize Performance: Analyze and enhance system performance by identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions that improve response times and resource efficiency.

• Data Management: Create and maintain efficient databases, ensuring data integrity, security, and availability for AI models and analytics.

• Collaboration: Work closely with front-end developers, data scientists, product managers, and stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver features that meet customer needs.

• Testing and Quality Assurance: Implement and maintain testing frameworks to ensure code quality and system reliability, performing regular code reviews and troubleshooting issues.

• Documentation: Write clear and concise technical documentation to facilitate knowledge sharing and onboarding for team members and future contributors.

• Keep Up with Emerging Technologies: Stay informed about industry trends and technologies, incorporating relevant advancements into our systems to enhance functionality and user experience.

• Iterative Development: Lead the backend development cycle using agile methodologies. Plan initiatives, manage user stories, and provide estimates for development tasks, adapting quickly to changes based on feedback.

• Mentorship: Provide guidance and support to less experienced developers, fostering a culture of learning and collaboration within the engineering team. 

What We’re Looking For:

• Technical Expertise: 5+ years of hands-on experience with backend technologies like Node.js, TypeScript, and frameworks like NestJS. Experience with event-driven systems and microservices architecture.

• Expertise with AI development: Hands-on experience with state-of-the-art AI models, particularly in the realm of backend development for applications using large language models (LLMs)

• Scalability and Reliability: Proven expertise in operating and monitoring software at scale, including experience with AWS serverless infrastructure (SNS, SQS, Lambda, AppSync) and containerized architectures (Kubernetes).

• Collaboration and Communication: Clear, effective communication skills, with the ability to work seamlessly with cross-functional teams, particularly data scientists and AI engineers.

• Startup Mindset: Experience in fast-paced environments, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, take ownership of projects, and - most importantly - get things done.

• Passion for Growth: Constantly experimenting with new technologies and sharing knowledge to elevate the team′s impact.

At Choco, we're experiencing rapid growth and leading the AI revolution in the food supply chain. Our industry-leading Choco AI solution has achieved strong product-market fit, demonstrating the impact of our approach. As a Machine Learning Engineer here, you'll work end-to-end, from conducting deep-dive analyses to building and deploying production-ready ML and AI systems. Join us in our mission to transform the industry through cutting-edge technology and relentless innovation.

Choco was founded in 2018 in Berlin. Now, we are a dedicated team of over 200 Chocorians across Europe and the US. We seek hungry and humble individuals who embrace hard work, put our team first, and are committed to building a lasting company. Our mission demands urgency and speed while maintaining a long-term vision.

In just five years, Choco has raised $328.5 million and achieved unicorn status in 2022, with a valuation of $1.2 billion. We're supported by some of the world’s best investors like Bessemer Venture Partners, Insight Partners, Coatue Management, and LeftLane Capital.

Choco is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to ensuring that our technology is available and accessible to everyone. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.