At a Glance
- Tasks: Build innovative backend systems and AI features using Python and FastAPI.
- Company: Join a pioneering team at OxSci, redefining research quality with AI.
- Benefits: Equity options, competitive pay, and generous AI token budget.
- Other info: Fast personal growth and a chance to work directly with founders.
- Why this job: Shape the future of scientific trust and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Strong Python skills and experience with backend frameworks like FastAPI.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About us
Science runs on trust, but the machinery meant to produce that trust is failing. Peer review is slow, opaque, inconsistent, and increasingly gamed. And a flood of AI-generated research is about to overwhelm a system that was already straining. No one is the credible, independent arbiter of research quality. We think there should be one.
OxSci is building a credit rating agency for science: a certification layer that combines AI with expert peer review, so researchers, institutions, and AI developers can assess research quality quickly and at scale. We're early, focused, and well-resourced. The standards we set now (what "quality" even means, and how expert judgment and AI combine to produce a defensible rating) will define the company.
About the founders
OxSci was founded by Shumiao Ouyang, Associate Professor of Finance at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and Fellow in Management at Wadham College. His research spans fintech, digital payments, and AI; he holds a PhD in Economics from Princeton and degrees from Peking and Tsinghua Universities. He started OxSci out of a conviction that the systems for judging scientific quality are overdue for reinvention, and you'd be building it with him directly.
The technical side is led by OxSci's cofounder, a senior tech lead from one of the world's largest technology companies, with deep experience building and operating systems at global scale. This role works hand in hand with the cofounder day to day — you'd shape the platform's architecture and engineering culture together, from the ground up.
What you'll do
- Build the backend for our core product services and AI-powered features, using Python / FastAPI to ship stable, scalable systems.
- Design and implement model calls, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), context engineering, tool calling, and workflow orchestration across use cases spanning academic-content understanding, workflow assistance, output generation, and quality improvement.
- Productionize the platform's AI feature modules — building task execution, state management, access control, logging/tracing, and failure-recovery capabilities.
- Work with the product, frontend, and platform teams to take new features from validation to production, continuously improving quality, latency, stability, and cost.
- Contribute to the design of data structures, knowledge-base interfaces, evaluation mechanisms, and service governance to keep the overall system maintainable.
What we're looking for
- A solid backend foundation, strong Python skills, and hands-on project experience with FastAPI or a similar framework.
- Strong service-design, API-design, and debugging skills — able to drive complex feature modules to stable delivery.
- Familiarity with the fundamentals of LLM application development; experience with RAG, tool calling, context engineering, or workflow orchestration is a plus.
- Experience building content-processing platforms, knowledge-base systems, complex business platforms, or AI-application backends is a plus.
What we offer
- Founding seat with meaningful equity and a direct line to the founders.
- The rare chance to define a standard the field doesn't yet have.
- Genuinely competitive pay; equity discussed openly.
- Generous AI/LLM token budget for your daily work.
- Fast personal growth, with broad ownership and scope from day one.
How to apply
Location: Hybrid (London or Oxford)
Visa: we can sponsor work visas for the right candidates in the near future.
To apply: send your CV to recruit.uk@oxsci.ai, and include something you've built — an app, a website, or any project you'd love to talk about.
Backend / AI Application Engineer employer: OxSci
OxSci is an innovative employer at the forefront of redefining research quality through AI and expert peer review. With a founding team that includes esteemed academics and industry leaders, employees benefit from a collaborative work culture that fosters rapid personal growth and offers meaningful equity in a mission-driven environment. Located in vibrant London or Oxford, OxSci provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of scientific integrity while enjoying competitive pay and generous resources for AI development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Backend / AI Application Engineer
✨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 OxSci 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 OxSci.
✨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 OxSci.
✨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 OxSci 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 Backend / AI Application Engineer
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 OxSci.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at OxSci 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 OxSci
✨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 OxSci 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.
