Backend Engineer in London

Backend Engineer in London

London Full-Time 36000 - 60000 Β£ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Join us to build groundbreaking backend systems and APIs for AI-driven databases.
  • Company: Exciting VC-backed AI startup revolutionising database reasoning.
  • Benefits: Founding level equity, competitive salary, and a chance to shape the future.
  • Why this job: Be part of a pioneering team tackling unsolved challenges in AI.
  • Qualifications: Experience with Python and another backend language; strong problem-solving skills.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture in central London with immense growth potential.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 Β£ per year.

About Native

Native is a VC backed AI startup building the world’s most accurate AI for database reasoning. This is an unsolved problem that once solved will change how every enterprise operates. We recently published our results, achieving rank 1 on the industry standard benchmark. Our research team is based in London. Everyone has high agency, is obsessed with the problem we are solving, embraces the intensity of a 6-day week and has the ambition to build something world changing. We are exceptional engineers and researchers taking a novel approach to accurate database reasoning.

About the role

  • This is a founding role, with opportunity to shape the architecture from day one.
  • Productionise research into robust backend services.
  • Design and build APIs used by internal systems and customers.
  • Work deeply with databases (SQL, complex schemas, real-world data).
  • Own scaling, performance, and reliability of backend systems.
  • Design for correctness, observability, and reproducibility.
  • Think through edge cases, failure modes, and system boundaries.
  • Help shape the backend architecture of the company from early days.

Required experience

  • Experience with Python in production systems, plus at least one additional backend language (e.g. Rust, Java, Go).
  • Experience building and running production backend systems.
  • Comfortable turning ambiguous research or ideas into real software.
  • Solid understanding of APIs, databases, and distributed systems.
  • Engineering taste: you care about clarity, correctness, and trade-offs.
  • High ownership mindset. You ship, you own, you improve.

Why join us

  • This is a rare chance to join a founding team operating at the frontier of AI, with the resources to win.
  • Impact: You will push the frontier of foundation models for an under-explored, massively valuable domain.
  • Team: We are a small, collaborative, world-class research team based in central London.
  • Founding level equity + competitive salary: We want you to share in the upside of what we are building. As part of the founding team, you will receive meaningful ownership alongside a salary that allows you to focus on building something great.
  • Direction: Chance to shape the direction of a new class of foundation model from day one.

Culture

At Native, we look for people with exceptional engineering ability, who want to win. Everyone loves building and is ambitious enough to want to change how the world operates for the better. We run towards hard problems. We are creative problem solvers, who keep going until we find the underlying principle of the problem, and build to solve that. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, are intrinsically motivated and want to have a huge impact, we are a great fit.

Backend Engineer in London employer: Native

Native is an exceptional employer for those looking to make a significant impact in the AI space, offering a unique opportunity to join a founding team in central London. With a culture that embraces creativity and ambition, employees enjoy high agency, competitive salaries, and equity options, all while working collaboratively on groundbreaking technology. The chance to shape the architecture of innovative backend systems from day one ensures that every team member can contribute meaningfully to the company's mission of transforming enterprise operations.
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Contact Detail:

Native Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🀫

We think this is how you could land Backend Engineer in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those at startups or in AI. Attend meetups, webinars, and tech events to make connections that could lead to job opportunities.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Build a portfolio of projects that highlight your backend engineering prowess. Share them on GitHub or your personal website to give potential employers a taste of what you can do.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical interviews by practicing coding challenges and system design problems. Use platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to sharpen your skills and get comfortable with common interview questions.

✨Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We love seeing passionate candidates who are eager to join our mission. Tailor your application to showcase how your experience aligns with our goals at Native.

We think you need these skills to ace Backend Engineer in London

Python
Backend Development
API Design
Database Management
SQL
Distributed Systems
Production Systems
Software Engineering
Problem Solving
System Architecture
Performance Optimisation
Reliability Engineering
Observability
Edge Case Analysis
High Ownership Mindset

Some tips for your application 🫑

Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and backend engineering shine through. We want to see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you’re genuinely excited about the challenges we’re tackling at Native.

Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your experience with Python and any other backend languages you know. We’re keen on seeing how your skills align with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing relevant projects or systems you've worked on.

Be Clear and Concise: We appreciate clarity in communication, so keep your application straightforward. Avoid jargon unless it’s necessary, and focus on conveying your ideas effectively. Remember, we’re looking for engineers who care about clarity and correctness!

Apply Through Our Website: To make sure your application gets the attention it deserves, apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to review your application and get you one step closer to joining our ambitious team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Native

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in Python and any other backend languages you’ve worked with, like Rust or Java. Be ready to discuss your experience with production systems and how you've tackled real-world challenges. Brush up on your knowledge of APIs and databases, as these will likely come up during the interview.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to share specific examples of how you've turned ambiguous ideas into solid software solutions. Think about times when you faced complex problems and how you approached them. This is a chance to demonstrate your creative problem-solving abilities, which is something they value highly.

✨Emphasise Ownership and Impact

Highlight your high ownership mindset by discussing projects where you took full responsibility from start to finish. They want to see that you’re not just a coder but someone who cares about the entire lifecycle of a project and its impact. Be ready to explain how you’ve improved systems and processes in your previous roles.

✨Align with Their Culture

Familiarise yourself with Native's mission and culture. They’re looking for ambitious individuals who thrive on tackling hard problems. During the interview, express your enthusiasm for building something world-changing and how your entrepreneurial spirit aligns with their goals. Show them you’re not just looking for a job, but a chance to make a difference.

Backend Engineer in London
Native
Location: London

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