Senior Backend Engineer – Node.js/TypeScript

## About the Company Makai Labs uses AI and data to solve real-world operational and strategic challenges at scale. The company works across enterprise automation, human-machine teaming, product design and development, and market intelligence. Makai builds technology designed to adapt to people rather than requiring people to constantly adapt to software. The company recognizes the importance of human judgment in technology and focuses on combining people and intelligent systems to create practical solutions. ## About the Role Makai is seeking a Senior Backend Software Engineer for a full-time remote position focused on backend application development. You will develop and maintain Node.js and TypeScript backend services while collaborating with cross-functional teams to design innovative solutions that improve user experiences and support business outcomes. The role offers significant ownership within small, senior engineering teams and requires strong experience building and operating production systems. ### Key Responsibilities * Develop new features across Node.js and TypeScript backend services. * Design and implement scalable backend solutions. * Optimize applications for speed, scalability, and reliability. * Evaluate the technical feasibility of UI/UX designs and support effective implementation. * Collaborate with frontend developers and product designers to improve usability. * Write clean, robust, well-structured, and documented code. * Maintain, enhance, and modernize existing applications. * Conduct performance testing and help ensure responsiveness and stability across platforms. * Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver business and product objectives. * Take ownership of systems and contribute across the technology stack when required. ### Required Qualifications * Strong professional experience with Node.js and TypeScript. * 7+ years of professional backend software engineering experience, including current hands-on experience building and operating production services. * Experience developing and operating software in regulated or compliance-heavy environments, such as healthcare, PHI, HIPAA, SOC 2, or HITRUST environments. * Understanding of access controls, audit logging, and disciplined data handling. * Ability to quickly learn new frameworks and technologies and reason about systems beyond a single technology stack. * Strong understanding of relational data modeling and ORM technologies. * Experience with structured request and schema validation. * Relevant experience with Docker. * Understanding of microservices architecture and related design patterns. * Strong software engineering fundamentals and ability to produce maintainable code. * Familiarity with modern authorization mechanisms. * Proven experience working effectively in a fully remote environment. ### Preferred Qualifications * Experience with Node.js frameworks such as NestJS, Express, or Fastify. * Cloud-native development experience with Azure. * Experience with containers and Kubernetes, particularly Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). * Experience with workflow orchestration using Temporal or comparable durable-execution platforms. * Experience designing multi-tenant SaaS architectures, including tenant isolation, row-level security, and attribute-based access control (ABAC). * Experience with legacy modernization or platform migration projects involving live production systems. ### Engineering Culture Makai operates with small, senior engineering teams and emphasizes meaningful ownership. Engineers are encouraged to understand platforms comprehensively rather than owning only isolated portions of a system. The company values: * Flexible, innovative, and creative thinking. * Collaboration and teamwork. * Self-sufficiency. * Initiative and an ownership mindset. * Strong work ethic. ### Work Arrangement * Full-time position. * Fully remote. * Remote collaboration aligned with the Eastern Time Zone. * Opportunities to work in person with local colleagues. ### Benefits * Generous paid time off. * Full health insurance premium reimbursement. * Opportunities for in-person collaboration with local colleagues. ## Equal Opportunity Makai Labs is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Makai supports sex and gender equality and provides qualified individuals with equitable opportunities to contribute, grow, and succeed.