Lead Backend Engineer

This is a job that Jill, our AI Recruiter, is recruiting for on behalf of one of our customers. She will pick the best candidates from Jack's network. The next step is to speak to Jack. Job Title Lead Backend Engineer Salary Not Disclosed + Equity Company Description LightWork AI is a London-based AI startup building the operating system for property management, led by a founding team with experience from Revolut and Entrepreneur First. Job Description As the most senior backend hire, you will architect the mission-critical systems powering Felicity, an AI assistant automating 80–90% of property management workflows. You’ll lead the design of scalable Node.js/TypeScript services, integrate advanced LLMs, and shape the engineering culture of a fast-growing team currently scaling toward its 2026 revenue goals. Location London, UK Why this role is remarkable Join as the first Lead Backend Engineer, working directly with a Head of Engineering who scaled previous teams from zero to 140+ people through a $35M Series B.Influence the technical architecture of a platform automating a massive industry where property teams currently waste 75% of their time on repetitive manual administration.Earn meaningful early-stage equity in a company backed by industry experts and veteran founders aiming to build the category-defining AI platform for property operations. What You Will Do Architect and build scalable backend systems and APIs using Node.js and TypeScript within a microservice and event-driven architecture.Integrate backend services with LLMs and AI models to automate complex real-time operational workflows and communication for property managers.Mentor backend engineers and establish high-quality engineering standards, including code reviews, observability frameworks, and modern development practices from the ground up. The ideal candidate 7+ years of professional backend experience with deep expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, and relational databases like PostgreSQL.Proven track record of leading technical projects and designing distributed systems, preferably within high-growth startup or early-stage environments.Strong architectural mindset with experience in event-driven systems, message queues, and deploying production-grade services on modern cloud infrastructure. Who are Jack & Jill? Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support. And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate. How does this work? Jack's an AI agent for job searching and career coaching. He works for you.Jill is the AI recruiter working for the company. She recruits from Jack's network.If it's a match and the company wants to meet you, they'll make the intro. In the meantime, if you'd like, Jack will send you excellent alternatives. We never post fake jobs This isn't a trick. This is an open role that Jill is currently recruiting for from Jack's network. Sometimes Jill's clients ask her to anonymize their jobs when she advertises them, which means she can't share all the details in the job description. We appreciate this can make them look a bit suspect, but there isn't much we can do about it. Give Jack a spin! You could land this role. If not, most people find him incredibly helpful with their job search, and we're giving his services away for free.