Senior Software Engineer, Backend

About Beacon AI

Beacon AI is developing AI pilot assistant technology to transform aviation, flight safety, operational efficiency, and pilot capabilities. We are on a mission to leverage the power of artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to revolutionize the aviation industry. Join us to be at the cutting edge of technological innovation for the second century of aviation.

Role Overview

We are seeking a skilled Backend Developer to lead our efforts in building and maintaining our backend services. This role focuses on designing, developing, and optimizing our serverless cloud systems, with a focus on reliability through testing and monitoring.  You will be working closely with other engineers, and product management. The ideal candidate will thrive in a product-driven workplace and has a strong desire to build something from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

• Backend Development: Design, develop, and maintain backend services and systems, ensuring high performance and responsiveness to requests from front-end components.

• API Development and Management: Design, implement, and maintain APIs for both internal and external data sources, ensuring they are secure, reliable, and scalable. This includes real-time data streaming from aircraft and support for web/iPad applications.

• Database Management: Develop and maintain database schemas, queries, and stored procedures to support application functionality and data integrity.

• Data Pipeline Construction: Develop and maintain pipelines that efficiently ingest and process data, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.

• Analytics Experimentation and Development: Build sophisticated analytical tools that can provide actionable insights and enhance decision-making processes.

• Advanced Troubleshooting: Provide expert-level troubleshooting and debugging for cloud applications, with a focus on uptime and reliability.

• Performance Optimization: Analyze and optimize system performance, ensuring high reliability and responsiveness for applications interfacing with time series data and multimedia streams.

What Will Make You Successful

• Proven Backend Expertise: 6+ years of experience designing and implementing robust APIs and distributed systems. 

• Deep Sense of Ownership: Demonstrates a profound commitment to end-to-end responsibility, from ideation through deployment and beyond, ensuring project success and user satisfaction.

• Comfort with Ambiguity: Thrives in uncertain and evolving environments, making sound decisions and progressing effectively without having every detail mapped out. Has the ability to iterate quickly and incorporate user feedback to guide development.

• Proven Experience with Cloud Technologies: Extensive knowledge of cloud services, especially AWS, for data storage, processing, and analytics.

• Strong Background in Data Engineering: Demonstrated ability to build and manage data pipelines and construct analytical tools using programming languages such as Python or Node.js.

• Expertise in Data Visualization: Skills in developing dashboards and widgets with tools like Tableau, Power BI, Amazon QuickSight, or custom solutions.

• Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong capability to analyze data trends and provide insights that can improve decision-making and operational processes. Exhibits initiative to identify blockers and generate solutions independently, ensuring continuous project momentum and team productivity.

• Team Leadership and Communication: Ability to lead projects and communicate effectively with a multidisciplinary team to implement and refine data solutions.

Bonus Points

• Experience: 4+ years of experience in serverless systems and/or microservice architecture.

• Experience with Big Data Technologies: Familiarity with Hadoop, Spark.

• Machine Learning Frameworks: Experience using ML-approaches to extract insights from live/historical data.

• Aviation Experience: Understanding the specific data needs and challenges in aviation or related fields.

• DevOps/DevSecOps: Background in automating and optimizing data workflows.

This is a hybrid role and requires working from our San Carlos, CA office at least three days a week, with the option to work remotely the remaining days.

Perks & Benefits for Full-Time Employees:

• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: Enjoy peace of mind with our generous health benefits, with 80% of costs covered by the company for the employee and 25% for their dependents.

• Paid Time Off: Recharge and relax with 3 weeks of paid vacation, in addition to 14 company-paid holidays each year.

• Connectivity Stipend: Stay connected with our cell phone benefit, ensuring you have the tools you need to excel in your role.

• Health and Wellness Allowance: Use this towards a gym membership or subscription to a meditation app, empowering you to prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Financial Planning: Prepare for the future with our 401(k) program. While we currently do not offer matching, we are committed to enhancing this benefit in the future.

For nearly all roles, the following may apply:

At this time, due to United States Department of State regulations, we are only able to hire U.S. Persons. A U.S. Person is a lawful permanent resident (U.S. citizen, legal immigrant with a 'Green Card', or a protected individual who has been granted permanent asylum or refugee status.) These aerospace restrictions mean that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Beacon AI provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, employer complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Employer expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.