Staff Backend Engineer (Python)

Who are we looking for We are looking for a Staff Backend Engineer to join a high-impact Infrastructure team working on a real-time, distributed voice AI system. This is not a typical backend role interacting with a UI. The system handles real-time audio streams, integrates with multiple third-party services, and runs in a cloud-native Kubernetes environment, with a Python-based backend at its core. The role offers strong ownership, complex technical challenges, and the opportunity to shape core infrastructure in a fast-growing, high-impact product. Responsibilities Own and develop core components of a real-time distributed backend system (Python / Rust),Lead large-scale initiatives end-to-end with minimal guidance,Design and implement scalable, reliable backend architecture,Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues in distributed environments,Improve system performance, reliability, and development velocity,Work with real-time data streams and audio processing pipelines,Collaborate across teams and contribute to technical decision-making and architecture. Requirements Previously a Staff or Principal/Senior Engineer at a startup company,8 + years of experience in Python development,Strong Python Asyncio experience,Strong software design skills,Significant experience with at least one strongly typed language (Rust, C++, Go, Swift, Java, etc.),Deep understanding of Networking Protocols and Operating Systems,Deep knowledge of Python Profiling,Experience in delivering and troubleshooting a production-grade cloud-based distributed system,Experience in building and troubleshooting a real-time low-level system (e.g. kernel, drivers, RTOS),Kubernetes and Helm experience,Experience with different observability stacks,Strong LLM prompting skills, with the ability to work without them,Experience with gRPC and its troubleshooting,Being a contributor or maintainer of an open-source package. Nice to Have Bachelor’s degree in Software Development or equivalent,Knowledge of WebRTC, SIP, RTP, HLS, RTMP, STUN/TURN,Experience with Rust and Python integrations (PyO3),Background in audio processing systems,Excellent written and verbal communication skills.