Senior Backend Engineer [TypeScript] (Prisma ORM)

At Prisma, we are building the data layer for modern applications. If you are fascinated by the leading-edge architecture and technology used in today's data-intensive, highly scalable software systems, with distributed graph data on a massive scale, but you want the energy, challenges, and freedom that come with working in a small startup, then a job at Prisma might be for you.

With funding from top-tier investors Amplify Partners and Kleiner Perkins, we are a small distributed team working on making the advanced data infrastructure developed at large tech companies accessible to all application developers around the world. Our hard work is paying off, with adoption and implementation of Prisma by some of the most successful and interesting companies out there today, and the fun is just beginning!

At Prisma, we're redefining how developers work with databases. If you're fascinated by the cutting-edge data infrastructure powering companies like Twitter, Airbnb, and Facebook, but want the agility, ownership, and impact of a fast-moving startup, then Prisma is the place for you.

Backed by top-tier Silicon Valley investors like Amplify Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and IVP, our small, distributed team is making advanced database technology accessible to developers everywhere. Our open-source tools are trusted by over 400,000 developers each month, with a thriving community on Discord and GitHub, where we've earned 43,000+ GitHub Stars.

At the heart of our commercial offerings is Prisma Postgres, our flagship product designed to supercharge PostgreSQL with modern developer workflows, performance optimizations, and seamless scaling. Alongside it, Prisma Accelerate, and Studio, provide a world-class toolkit for building with data.

By combining the power of open-source with cutting-edge commercial solutions, we're shaping the future of databases, one developer at a time.

What would a Senior TypeScript Engineer at Prisma do?

You will join a team of skilled TypeScript engineers tackling challenges across the stack to deliver a market-leading ORM. A typical day at Prisma might include:

• Expanding the Prisma Client to support advanced database capabilities.
• Drive the process from technical design through implementation.
• Continuously refine and harden the codebase to ensure stability, maintainability, and ease of contribution.
• Building new libraries and tools that serve as foundational components, both for our internal teams and for the developer community.
• Elevating the developer experience (DX) by shaping intuitive, high-quality tools that make database access a delight.
• Advancing TypeScript adoption by exploring and applying the latest language features, ensuring Prisma stays at the forefront of modern development.

What does the candidate profile look like?

We believe that the right person will meet quite a few of the criteria below. If you don't fit the description perfectly, we'd still love to hear from you. Many of these can be learnt on the job:

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Senior Software Engineer (or equivalent senior-level role) with a proven track record of delivering production-grade systems.
• Strong database proficiency: Hands-on experience with high-scale, data-intensive systems.
• Skilled at query optimization, diagnosing performance bottlenecks, and managing indexes.
• Direct experience tuning databases for reliability and speed in demanding environments.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal; able to express complex technical concepts with clarity.
• A mindset of continuous learning and feedback: proactively seek input, adapt quickly, and embrace collaboration.
• Team-oriented approach: value pairing, mentoring, and proactively supporting peers.
• Passion for building outstanding developer experience through sustainable, well-tested tools and infrastructure that empower developers and improve workflows.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Contributions to open source projects (as maintainer or active contributor).
• Experience with systems-level programming languages (e.g., C, C++, Go, Zig, or others) and an interest in low-level performance optimization.
• Experience with edge computing platforms (e.g., Vercel Edge, Cloudflare Workers).
• Exposure to or curiosity about WebAssembly (WASM) and its applications in backend systems.

What’s it like to work at Prisma?

You are likely to be a great fit for the team if you:

• ...have an ownership mindset. As part of a small team, you'll have an outsize impact on decisions and the way things are executed.
• ...stay nimble. As a growing startup, the team and strategy evolves quickly. Be ready to re-calibrate often and stay flexible.
• ...be kind and collaborative. Come in ready to share your ideas and listen to feedback.

What’s in it for you

• The opportunity to push the boundaries of DX and TypeScript within a fast-growing, early-stage startup with roots in Silicon Valley and Berlin.
• We provide a competitive base salary in line with industry standards for similar positions.
• As an early-stage startup we also provide competitive stock-option grants with a exercise window of up to 10 years.
• 24 days paid vacation per year.
• 4 mental health days per year.
• Fully paid parental leave up to 20 weeks.
• Generous tech budget to make sure you have all the hardware that you need.
• Ergonomic chair subsidy.
• Access to your local co-working space if you prefer to work from an external location to your home.
• (US) Health, Dental, Vision + 401k Matching.

Remote Work

We are a remote-first organisation with an office based in Berlin, Germany. Whether you would like to work remotely, or from the office in Berlin is up to you! We are open to discussing relocation assistance if you would like to join us in Berlin. To ensure effective collaboration we can currently only accept candidates within the timezone GMT -5 to GMT +3.

What is the process like?

Our recruitment process roughly follows the structure below:

• Introductory Call with your future manager.
• Take Home Assignment followed by a Technical Interview based on the solution you submitted.
• System Design Interview with a senior member of our engineering team.
• Interview with our Head of Engineering.
• Final Interview with our CEO.
• Offer

What do I do now?

If this sounds like an interesting opportunity, please apply via our website, and include your profile (or Resume), Github repos, or anything else that you think might give us a good sense of who you are. We will generally be in touch within 7 business days to let you know the outcome.

Prisma is an equal opportunity employer. We value and celebrate diversity and do not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to creating a fair and inclusive workplace where all individuals have the opportunity to contribute their skills and talents. Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.