Backend Engineer, AI Platform — Equity + London Office

Backend Engineer, AI Platform — Equity + London Office

Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Encord

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Join a dynamic team to develop and enhance our AI platform.
  • Company: Encord, a fast-growing AI data layer company with a collaborative culture.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, 25 days leave, and learning budget.
  • Other info: Enjoy a vibrant office culture with regular team events and growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in AI while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: Experience in backend development and a passion for building impactful products.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

About us

Encord is the universal data layer for AI that helps 300+ AI teams train and run models on the right data. Our platform indexes, curates, annotates, and evaluates data across the full AI lifecycle, from development through production. Trusted by Woven by Toyota, AXA, UiPath, Zipline, and more.

We're an ambitious team of 100+ working at the frontier of AI and have raised $60M in Series C funding from Wellington Management, CRV, Next47 and Y Combinator.

The role

We're looking for an outstanding engineer to push our platform to the next level. You'll join us at a crucial stage of accelerated development for the company, product and team. As part of a small, highly collaborative group, you'll drive our product and team to new heights.

Encord is growing rapidly, with our product as the key driver of that growth. A year ago, we were a team of 25; now, we’re 60 and continuing to accelerate.

What you'll do

  • Be a part of the small team that has built a product that our customers love and consistently rate as the best in the market.
  • Have a direct and tangible impact on customers and, in turn, noticeably affect the trajectory of the company.
  • Work autonomously and take end-to-end ownership of your projects. From product, design and architectural decisions, all the way to deployment, monitoring and measuring impact on users. You will work across the stack, covering everything from deployment to styling. We expect each other to take initiative, be proactive in problem-solving, and continuously seek improvements.
  • Tackle complex domains and immense scale with simple solutions.

Who we're looking for

  • You've seen and built a lot. You have personally developed and maintained multiple systems from scratch, and you know what trade-offs are involved in building reliable, performant software at speed.
  • You want your work to have a tangible outcome for people. You're not satisfied with building products that do not see the light of day.
  • You are a builder. You enjoy all aspects of building not only software but a complete product, and are comfortable moving across the stack when necessary.
  • You enjoy problem-solving and thinking from first principles, and are always ready to pick up new skills and build quickly.
  • You're happy to tackle problems without a predefined, clear definition or obvious solution, and are excited to have autonomy to make decisions as you go.
  • You understand that being a member of a high-performing team requires two things. You contribute your best work and help others contribute their best. You'll always lend a helping hand when needed and level up those around you.

Experience requirements

  • Strong experience building large-scale backend infrastructure applications.
  • Deep fluency in at least one high-level language (we use Python and TypeScript, but we care more about depth than the specific language).
  • Experience improving quality through code reviews, testing, rollout, and monitoring.
  • Experience with prompt engineering, agent orchestration, and the ability to integrate AI tools to optimise workflows and drive measurable impact.
  • Experience in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or Physical AI is a plus.

Tech stack

We are technology-agnostic at Encord and are not looking for experience across all of these — as long as you're open to learning, please apply.

  • Backend: Python
  • Frontend: TypeScript and React
  • Deployment: Kubernetes
  • Infrastructure: GCP
  • Machine learning: PyTorch, CUDA, Ray

Why Encord

  • Competitive salary, commission, and meaningful equity in a high-growth startup.
  • Strong in-person culture — most of the team works from our London office 4+ days/week.
  • 25 days annual leave + UK public holidays.
  • Annual learning & development budget.
  • Travel for customer visits, events, and conferences across the UK and Europe.
  • Company lunches twice a week.
  • Monthly socials & bi-annual team offsites.

Backend Engineer, AI Platform — Equity + London Office employer: Encord

Encord is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of London where innovation thrives. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and personal growth, employees enjoy competitive salaries, meaningful equity, and generous annual leave, alongside opportunities for professional development and engaging team activities. Join us to make a tangible impact in the AI space while being part of a rapidly growing team that values initiative and creativity.

Encord

Contact Details:

Encord Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Backend Engineer, AI Platform — Equity + London Office

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Encord on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing a role. Personal connections can make a huge difference!

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with projects that highlight your backend engineering prowess, make sure to share it during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving abilities.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and system design knowledge. Practice common algorithms and data structures, and be ready to discuss your past projects in detail. We want to see how you think and approach challenges!

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Encord!

We think you need these skills to ace Backend Engineer, AI Platform — Equity + London Office

Backend Infrastructure Development
Python
TypeScript
React
Kubernetes
GCP
Machine Learning (PyTorch, CUDA, Ray)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion for AI:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI shine through! We want to see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you genuinely care about building impactful products in this exciting field.

Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in backend development and any projects you've worked on that align with our tech stack. We love seeing how your skills can directly contribute to our mission at Encord!

Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on what makes you a great fit for the role. Remember, we’re looking for builders who can communicate effectively!

Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!

How to prepare for a job interview at Encord

Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you’re familiar with the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Python and TypeScript. Brush up on your knowledge of Kubernetes and GCP as well. Being able to discuss how you've used these technologies in past projects will show that you're not just a good fit, but also genuinely interested in the role.

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare examples of complex problems you've tackled in previous roles. Encord values autonomy and initiative, so be ready to explain your thought process and how you arrived at your solutions. This will demonstrate your ability to think critically and work independently.

Highlight Your Collaborative Spirit

Since Encord is a small, highly collaborative team, it’s important to convey your teamwork skills. Share experiences where you’ve helped others or contributed to a team’s success. This will show that you understand the importance of collaboration in a high-performing environment.

Prepare Questions About Their Growth

Encord is rapidly growing, so come prepared with questions about their future plans and how you can contribute to that growth. This shows your enthusiasm for the company and your desire to be part of their journey, making you stand out as a candidate who is invested in their success.