Backend Engineer (App Delivery) in London

We live in a world that runs on physical industries like energy, logistics, manufacturing. These sectors are essential to our economy and daily lives, yet they are held back by inefficiencies, fragile legacy systems, and decades-old ways of working. This is not just a business problem; it is a societal one. When grids fail, supply chains stall, or factories falter, entire economies are disrupted.

These companies face unique, complex challenges that typical software was never designed to solve. Cogna was founded to change this. Our mission is to give critical industries their own AI-powered Software Factory: a way to build and deploy bespoke digital tools that solve pressing operational challenges.

Since our launch in May 2023, we’ve seen incredible customer traction and revenue growth. We’re backed by leading VCs, including Notion Capital and Hoxton Ventures, and we’re building a world-class team to take on one of the most important challenges of our time.

Tackling challenges at this scale takes people who are curious, adaptable, and motivated by impact. If our mission resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience doesn’t match every requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team that reflects the industries and societies we serve.

Overview

You will lead the implementation and delivery of backend services, integrations, and workflow logic that power our SaaS applications. Rather than reinventing the wheel, you will leverage our existing AI-Software Factory platform to build robust, scalable tools for our customers. We are pioneering a new way of working: you will use advanced AI workflows to accelerate routine development, allowing you to focus on high-value problem-solving, validating automated outputs, and solving complex integration challenges.

What you’ll do

• Build and own core backend features and critical API integrations (Python, FastAPI, SQL).
• Design and implement complex data pipelines and workflows using tools like Dagster and Temporal.
• Validate and harden accelerated workflows, ensuring generated code meets production standards.
• Implement resilient connectors for APIs, file systems, and enterprise platforms.
• Integrate new and existing capabilities into reliable, monitored production systems.
• Champion the use of AI-assisted tools to plan, scaffold, and refactor code efficiently.
• Collaborate with Solution Strategists and Platform teams to ship value to customers faster.

What we’re looking for

We don't expect everyone to have deep expertise in all these areas. We look for strength in backend engineering and a curiosity to learn the rest.

• Strong backend/API experience (Python or TypeScript); SQL and data modelling skills.
• Familiarity with (or keen interest in) agentic AI coding tools (e.g., Cursor/Codex/Claude Code) to plan, scaffold, refactor, and test.
• Proven integrations experience with APIs required. Experience integrating with other systems like SFTP, SharePoint, or webhooks; for example, is a plus.
• Workflow orchestration and data engineering experience (e.g. Temporal, Dagster) know-how.
• Familiarity with CI/CD, Docker, cloud (Azure/AWS/GCP).
• Interest in AI and raising team AI skills.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and share option plan
• 25 days annual leave, plus public holidays
• Excellent pension scheme, fixed at 7.5%
• Private healthcare, including family cover and pre-existing conditions
• Flexible hybrid working with 2 days per fortnight in our Farringdon office
• Regular social events and offsites
• Access to a gym and fitness classes in our office building