Staff Platform Systems Engineer

TL;DR

Staff Platform Systems Engineer (AI/Data): Designing and evolving foundational data systems, computation layers, and semantic models for a scalable nutrition platform with an accent on data integrity, AI integration, and platform-wide reliability. Focus on architecting distributed systems, guiding schema evolution, performance optimization, and establishing extensible patterns that enable multiple teams.

Location: Remote (United States)

Company

Well-funded startup building an AI-powered personalized nutrition platform powered by the world’s best food and nutrition database.

What you will do

• Own architecture for core data systems including Postgres, lakehouse layers, computation pipelines, and semantic models.
• Lead solution design for high-complexity data-intensive initiatives and deliver production-ready implementations.
• Define data contracts, abstractions, and platform standards enabling multiple teams to build independently.
• Diagnose and resolve issues across data ingestion, storage, computation, and consumption layers.
• Guide schema evolution, performance optimization, data correctness, reliability, and security.
• Mentor senior engineers, shape engineering culture, and partner with product, CTO, AI/ML teams on roadmap.

Requirements

• BSCS or equivalent engineering degree
• 12+ years of strong professional development experience
• Demonstrated ownership of large-scale data platforms or systems
• Deep expertise with Postgres, data modeling, schema design, query optimization, data-intensive systems
• Experience designing and evolving distributed systems and computation pipelines
• Track record of technical leadership, mentoring, and cross-team influence as individual contributor
• Broad systems thinking with depth in data, computation, platform architecture
• Experience supporting AI/ML systems through data design, quality, infrastructure
• Startup mindset: adaptability, urgency, pragmatism

Culture & Benefits

• Work directly with founder and CTO in fast-moving, mission-driven environment.
• Shape architecture, culture, and long-term integrity of category-defining company.
• Competitive compensation and benefits with rapid growth opportunities.
• AI-native company expecting effective AI usage from all engineers.
• Equal opportunity employer with accommodations for disabilities.