Senior Backend Engineer: Machine Learning Infrastructure

Senior Backend Engineer: Machine Learning Infrastructure

Full-Time 72000 - 88000 £ / year (est.) Working from home possible
Constructor

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and build high-load backend services for machine learning infrastructure.
  • Company: Join Constructor, an innovative AI-first e-commerce platform transforming online shopping.
  • Benefits: Enjoy unlimited vacation, remote work, and a training budget to grow your skills.
  • Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic team while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in backend engineering, strong Python skills, and cloud experience required.

The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.

About Us

Launched in 2019, Constructor is an AI-first e-commerce search and discovery platform that helps shoppers find the right products at the right time and enables leading global e-commerce brands to drive meaningful revenue and conversion gains.

About The Role

The ML Infrastructure team builds and operates the shared backend services and platform capabilities that Constructor's ML and product teams rely on to develop, deploy, and run machine learning at scale - from model serving (including LLMs) to the specialized storages and data pipelines behind it. We are a service team by nature: our roadmap is shaped by the needs of product teams, and we succeed when they can move faster with less friction. We're looking for a Senior Backend Engineer who is comfortable with, and motivated by this dynamic, and who will take end-to-end ownership of core services.

In the near and mid-term, our focus areas include:

  • Making ML workloads easy to run, scale, and operate for every team
  • Providing self-service, configurable infrastructure components to ML and product teams
  • Owning and evolving core ML services and related pipelines with a high bar for reliability and performance

Challenges you will tackle:

  • Design, build, and operate high-load distributed backend services that power the company's ML infrastructure
  • Take end-to-end ownership of core ML services and related data pipelines: from design and implementation to deployment, observability, and continuous improvement
  • Partner with ML and product teams to understand their needs and turn them into reliable, reusable platform capabilities
  • Make and defend technical decisions: evaluate trade-offs, design first, and own the outcome
  • Be responsible for what you and your team do

Requirements:

  • 5+ years of professional experience in backend or platform engineering
  • Extensive Python knowledge (our primary language)
  • Hands-on experience developing on a public cloud (AWS, GCP, or Azure) or with self-managed Kubernetes - AWS is our primary platform, but we're not limited to it
  • Experience designing and building distributed, high-load services and APIs
  • Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and their trade-offs
  • Design-driven engineering mindset: we're a coding-assistant-friendly environment and expect you to use modern AI tools - but you lead with system design and a strong understanding of their applicability and trade-offs
  • Ownership and proactivity: you can't close your eyes to problems, but are ready to solve them and take responsibility for outcomes
  • You are friendly and willing to help your teammates & others

Nice to have:

  • Experience with Rust (or C/C++/Go) - a strong plus
  • Experience developing or contributing to ML platforms or ML infrastructure - a strong plus
  • Experience setting up and operating any vector database (Qdrant, Milvus, Weaviate, OpenSearch, pgvector, etc.) - a strong plus
  • Experience with model serving / inference infrastructure, including LLMs
  • Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform or similar)

Benefits:

  • Unlimited vacation time - we strongly encourage all of our employees take at least 3 weeks per year
  • Fully remote team - choose where you live
  • Work from home stipend! We want you to have the resources you need to set up your home office
  • Apple laptops provided for new employees
  • Training and development budget for every employee, refreshed each year
  • Maternity & Paternity leave for qualified employees
  • Work with smart people who will help you grow and make a meaningful impact
  • Base salary: $80k–$120k USD, depending on knowledge, skills, experience, and interview results
  • Stock options - offered in addition to the base salary
  • Regular team offsites to connect and collaborate

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Constructor

At Constructor.io we are committed to cultivating a work environment that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome individuals of all backgrounds and provide equal opportunities to all applicants regardless of their education, diversity of opinion, race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or affiliation in any other protected group. Studies have shown that women and people of color may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications listed. Our primary interest is in finding the best candidate for the job. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of our listed qualifications.

Senior Backend Engineer: Machine Learning Infrastructure employer: Constructor

Constructor is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of empathy, openness, and continuous improvement, making it an ideal place for Account Managers to thrive. With a fully remote work environment, generous home office stipends, and a commitment to employee growth through training budgets, Constructor empowers its team members to make meaningful contributions while enjoying a balanced work-life dynamic. Join a passionate group of technologists dedicated to transforming ecommerce experiences and be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every individual's unique perspective.

Constructor

Contact Details:

Constructor Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Backend Engineer: Machine Learning Infrastructure

Join Local Tech Meetups

Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Constructor or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!

Contribute to Open Source Projects

Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Constructor.

Tap into Online Developer Communities

Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Constructor.

Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles

Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Constructor that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Backend Engineer: Machine Learning Infrastructure

Python
Backend Engineering
Platform Engineering
Cloud Services (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Kubernetes
Distributed Systems
API Development

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.

Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Constructor.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Constructor and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!

Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!

How to prepare for a job interview at Constructor

Brush Up on Your Coding Skills

For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.

Know Your Tools and Frameworks

Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Constructor uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.

Showcase Your Projects

Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.

Prepare for Behavioural Questions

While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.