Founding Backend Engineer

Founding Backend Engineer – Architecting Scalable Systems for a Gen-Z-Focused Platform

About the Role :

Hi At your core, you are a builder, driven by the thrill of creating cutting-edge tech solutions that solve real-world problems. You’re not just a backend and AI engineer; you’re a founding and leading member of the Muses platform, ready to roll up your sleeves and build scalable systems that will connect thousands of college students and brands.

You love brainstorming with others, understanding user needs, and developing elegant, impactful solutions. You love clean code, efficient processes, and solving complex problems. But more than anything, you understand the importance of building systems that are adaptable, fast, and ready to scale as Muses grows.

Welcome to Muses—let’s create something unforgettable.

Company Description

Muses Consulting Studio is the premier marketplace for student services, facilitating partnerships between student groups and companies. Our past expertise ranges from content creation, marketing- campaigns, campus ambassadorship, and product development to data engineering, software development, user testing, market research, and analytics.

Muses has a history of successful collaborations with industry leaders such as Amazon Studios, Warner Brothers, McDonalds, and Doordash , as well as numerous innovative startups.

We are on the hunt for someone who understands what makes the youth, the Muses of the future, and the clients that can partner with them, tick. Think of somebody caffeinated and wide-eyed who is ready to work VERY hard .

Job Overview

We are seeking a Founding Full-Stack Engineer who will own the technical strategy, design, and development of Muses' platform, taking it from its initial concept to a fully operational and scalable tech product. Your primary responsibility is to build an intuitive job marketplace where brands can post roles for individual students or entire student organizations. The platform will feature an AI-driven recommendation system, allowing brands to input their campaign requirements via an interactive chat box, which will intelligently suggest campaign strategies. Similarly, students will be able to use the system to find gig opportunities tailored to their skills and preferences.

You will create a seamless user experience for both brands and students, ensuring the platform is efficient, scalable, and adaptable as we expand. This is your chance to create a platform that will empower student communities and help brands connect with the next generation.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Development :

• Objective: Build a two-sided job marketplace that provides a seamless experience for brands and students alike.
• Core Platform Development: Lead the development of a job marketplace where brands can post gig roles for individual students (e.g., brand ambassadors, content creators) and entire student organizations (e.g., event coordinators, technical project teams).
• Student-Facing Features: Develop intuitive features that streamline the application process, allowing students to easily find and apply for roles. Ensure that students have real-time visibility into job listings, their application status, and other relevant opportunities.
• Brand-Facing Features: Ensure brands can quickly and easily post roles, track applicants, and monitor campaign performance. Build systems that allow for both one-time and long-term campaign management.

2. AI-Powered Recommendation System :

• Objective: Implement a cutting-edge AI recommendation system that tailors campaigns for brands and opportunities for students.
• Brand-Side AI: Design and implement an AI-driven chat box that allows brands to input campaign requirements. The AI should intelligently suggest campaign strategies based on the brand's objectives, budget, and target audience.
• Student-Side AI: Build a student-facing AI that recommends gig opportunities based on the student's skills, past experience, and preferences. Continuously refine the recommendation algorithms to ensure the best matches between students and brands.
• Iterative Improvement: Use performance data and feedback to optimize the AI system, ensuring high relevance and engagement for both brands and students.

3. Product Vision & Strategy :

• Objective: Align the platform's technical architecture with the overall business goals, delivering impactful and scalable solutions.
• Collaborative Product Development: Work closely with the CEO to define and prioritize technical features and ensure alignment with business goals.
• Roadmap Creation: Develop and manage a clear technical roadmap, with milestones focusing on delivering an MVP that validates core functionalities.
• Agile Development: Use an agile development methodology to iteratively refine the product, incorporating user feedback and market demands to ensure the platform evolves rapidly.

4. Full-Stack Ownership :

• Objective: Develop a fully integrated system that includes both front-end and back-end architecture.
• Front-End Development: Utilize modern frameworks such as React to create a responsive and intuitive user interface for both brands and students.
• Back-End Development: Implement the back-end using Python and Flask, ensuring that the platform is robust, secure, and scalable.
• System Integration: Ensure seamless integration between various components, including user interfaces, the AI recommendation system, and job-matching functionality. Guarantee a high-quality experience for both desktop and mobile users.

5. Data & Analytics :

• Objective: Build data systems to monitor, analyze, and enhance platform performance.
• Key Metrics Tracking: Design and implement analytics systems to track key platform metrics such as brand-student match rates, user engagement, and campaign performance.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Use these insights to continually improve the AI recommendation system, optimize user experience, and enhance the platform's efficiency.
• Dashboards: Develop dashboards that provide real-time insights to brands, allowing them to track campaign performance and application flow.

6. Partnerships & Integrations :

• Objective: Build a platform that can integrate with external tools and systems to enhance functionality.
• Third-Party Integrations: Lead the integration of the platform with relevant third-party services, such as Handshake, Fiverr, student verification systems, payment gateways, and communication tools.
• API Architecture: Build out an API architecture that allows for seamless integration with other platforms, extending the platform's reach and capabilities.

7. Security & Compliance :

• Objective: Ensure the platform is secure and compliant with relevant regulations.
• Data Security: Implement robust security protocols to protect sensitive student and brand data.
• Compliance Management: Ensure full compliance with GDPR, COPPA, FERPA, and other relevant regulations, safeguarding both brand and student data privacy.

Qualifications

• Experience : 2-5 years of experience as a backend engineer, software developer, or full-stack developer. Experience building systems in an early-stage startup is a plus.
• Technical Expertise :
• Strong proficiency in backend programming languages such as Python, Node.js, or Go .
• Experience with frameworks like Django, Express, or FastAPI .
• Proficiency in database technologies (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB ).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure .
• APIs and Microservices : Experience designing and building scalable APIs and microservices .
• Scalability and Performance : Ability to architect systems that scale and optimize for high performance.
• Problem-Solving Skills : Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Startup Mentality : A proactive attitude, with the ability to balance speed and technical debt in an agile environment.

Note : This role requires availability primarily during EST/PST hours (7:00 PM - 5:00 AM IST) . Please apply only if you can commit to these hours.

Location : Remote

Language : English

Experience Level : Extremely Proficient