At a Glance
- Tasks: Own and build core systems for turning production alerts into actionable insights.
- Company: Join Tracer, an innovative startup revolutionising AI for production data pipelines.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity ownership, 30 days leave, and team socials.
- Other info: Exciting growth opportunities and a chance to shape the future of enterprise software.
- Why this job: Be part of a small, dynamic team making a real impact in AI technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software engineering with strong backend and distributed systems experience.
The predicted salary is between 150000 - 220000 € per year.
About Us
Tracer is an early-stage, venture-backed startup building autonomous AI agents for production data pipelines. We are backed by experienced operators and investors who believe AI for production systems will be one of the defining enterprise software categories of the next decade. Our team is small, senior, and highly execution-focused.
About the Role
Tracer is building agentic alert investigation for production data pipelines. We’re hiring a Founding Senior Backend Engineer in London to own and build the core systems that turn production alerts into grounded RCAs and fix suggestions for a small set of high-value alerts. This role combines backend systems with product engineering and customer problems, with the goal of turning real production pain into reliable, production-grade systems engineers trust and use.
You’ll Love Our Tech Stack
- Python + LangGraph (for multi-agentic alert investigation)
- Rust (because we like systems that are fast and correct)
- ClickHouse (high-volume event + investigation history at scale)
- AWS + Terraform (infrastructure that builds itself)
- Next.js + TypeScript (because front-end should be sexy too)
What You’ll Do
You’ll own the core systems that turn an alert into a defensible investigation and RCA. In practice, you will:
- Architect and build the core alert, investigation, root cause analysis (RCA) pipeline in Python
- Design and implement key systems including:
- Alert ingestion + normalization
- Context enrichment + correlation
- Problem framing outputs
- Hypothesis orchestration engine
- Investigation execution runtime
- Investigation artifacts + reporting
- Drive core architecture decisions and ensure the system is observable, auditable, and reliable from day one.
- Partner with founders to ship a small set of high-value alert types that work extremely well, then expand coverage deliberately.
- Build customer-ready integrations across the pipeline stack.
- Set a high bar for technical quality, speed, and pragmatism through example, reviews, and system design.
- Own production behavior of the system end-to-end: performance, failure modes, debuggability, and operational safety.
What We’re Looking For
- 5+ years (ideally 10+) professional software engineering experience.
- Proven track record of shipping real products at high velocity.
- Strong backend and distributed-systems foundations, ideally with experience in data platforms and production pipeline stacks and incident/observability tooling.
- Experience working at an early-stage startup and bonus points for having joined earlier.
- High ownership and sharp product instincts: you build what matters and cut what doesn’t.
Compensation & Benefits
Total Compensation Range: £150,000 – £220,000+ (salary and equity value). We structure compensation as follows:
- Competitive base salary
- Meaningful equity ownership with real upside
- Final package depends on experience, impact, and seniority
What’s included:
- Salary + equity (equity typically ~0.3% – 2%+)
- 30 days annual leave
- Employee health insurance
- Visa sponsorship
- Weekly team dinners and socials
- Regular team offsites and trips (our most recent was Kenya)
- The satisfaction of building a world-class AI-powered product with an exceptional team
Application Requirements (Read Carefully)
We are intentionally selective. Please answer all of the following in your application. Applications that do not include these will not be reviewed.
- Why do you consider yourself an exceptional engineer? (Be specific, we’re interested in evidence, not adjectives.)
- Why Tracer? What about this problem, product, or moment resonates with you?
- Links we should see: GitHub, Portfolio, blog posts, talks, or anything else that shows how you think and build.
Our Recruitment Process
- Introductory Call (15-30 mins): Call with our hiring manager to discuss your background, motivations, and learn more about Tracer
- Role Fit Interview (45 mins): Meet with your manager or a similar-level team member to review your working style, skills, and fit for the role
- Take-home & Competency Deep Dive (1 hour): Complete a practical exercise (e.g., case study, presentation, or technical problem-solving) to explore the role's responsibilities and expectations
- On-site meetup (Half Day): On-site interviews and team lunch at our headquarters to ask any questions and experience our office and culture firsthand
- Offer: Final decision and offer
Founding Senior Backend Engineer employer: Tracer Cloud Inc
At Tracer, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture in the heart of London. As a founding member of our small, senior team, you'll have the unique opportunity to shape the future of AI-driven production systems while enjoying competitive compensation, meaningful equity ownership, and a supportive environment that prioritises employee growth through regular team offsites and collaborative projects. Join us to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving field, surrounded by passionate professionals who are dedicated to excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Senior Backend Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at meetups. A personal connection can often get your foot in the door faster than a CV.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research Tracer and understand their tech stack. Be ready to discuss how your experience with Python, Rust, and distributed systems can help solve their challenges.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your projects! Whether it's a GitHub repo or a blog post, share your work that aligns with what Tracer is doing. It’s a great way to demonstrate your skills and passion.
✨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 serious about joining the team!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Senior Backend Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Engineering Superpowers:When answering why you consider yourself an exceptional engineer, be specific! Share concrete examples of your past projects and the impact they had. We want to see the real you, not just a list of buzzwords.
Connect with Our Mission:In your application, tell us why Tracer excites you. What about our mission to build autonomous AI agents resonates with you? Show us that you’re not just looking for any job, but that you genuinely care about what we’re doing.
Share Your Work:Don’t hold back on sharing links to your GitHub, portfolio, or any other work that showcases your skills. We love seeing how you think and build, so make sure to include anything that highlights your engineering journey.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Tracer Cloud Inc
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Python, Rust, and AWS. Be ready to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects and how they can apply to building reliable systems for production data pipelines.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare specific examples of how you've tackled complex engineering challenges in previous roles. Highlight your experience with incident management and observability tooling, as this will resonate well with the team’s focus on turning production pain into effective solutions.
✨Demonstrate Ownership and Impact
Be ready to discuss instances where you took ownership of a project or feature from inception to delivery. Emphasise your ability to prioritise what matters and cut out the noise, as this aligns with their need for high ownership and sharp product instincts.
✨Engage with Their Mission
Research Tracer's mission and the specific problems they are solving with AI in production systems. Prepare thoughtful questions that show your genuine interest in their work and how you can contribute to their goals, making it clear why you want to be part of their journey.
