Senior Backend Software Engineer

About Us:
Collaborative autonomy is how self-tasking teams of machines will solve hard human problems, and HavocAI is an unquestioned leader in collaborative autonomy. We set the standard for autonomous surface vessels for a wide range of defense and commercial maritime missions. Success requires us to grow quickly, and we’re looking for teammates who are passionate about solving hard problems, about pushing the envelope, and about preventing conflict and saving lives. Ambition is welcome to apply within.

About the Role
HavocAI is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to drive the development of scalable, high-performance backend systems that power our autonomous platforms.
In this role, you will be a senior individual contributor, hands-on across both architecture and development. You will design and build highly concurrent, distributed systems in Go, help shape technical direction, and ensure our backend services are reliable, secure, and performant.
You will work closely with frontend, platform, autonomy, and embedded teams to deliver systems that operate reliably in real-world, mission-critical environments.
This role is ideal for someone who combines deep backend expertise with strong technical judgment and thrives in fast-paced, high-ownership environments.

What You’ll Do
Technical Ownership
Drive execution and technical excellence across backend projects

Set engineering standards, conduct code reviews, and guide architectural decisions

Contribute to the backend roadmap and delivery planning in partnership with product and engineering leadership

Foster a culture of ownership, quality, and continuous improvement

Backend Architecture & Development
Design, build, and maintain scalable, highly concurrent backend services in Go

Architect distributed systems that support high throughput, reliability, and real-time operations

Define service boundaries, APIs, and data models across systems

Build services that support autonomy workflows, platform capabilities, and real-world deployments

System Performance & Reliability
Optimize backend systems for performance, scalability, and resilience

Identify and resolve bottlenecks in distributed systems and concurrency-heavy workloads

Ensure systems meet high standards for uptime and operational reliability

Improve maintainability, observability, and production readiness across backend services

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with frontend, platform, autonomy, and embedded teams to integrate services across applications and devices

Support end-to-end system design from edge devices to cloud infrastructure

Contribute to system-level architecture across the stack

Translate product and technical requirements into reliable backend systems

Security & Best Practices
Enforce secure development practices across backend systems

Maintain high standards for code quality, testing, and documentation

Participate in design reviews and help improve backend engineering practices

Build systems with reliability, security, and maintainability in mind from the start

What We’re Looking For
6+ years of experience in backend engineering, distributed systems engineering, or related software engineering roles

Strong expertise in Go and building highly concurrent systems

Experience designing and operating distributed systems at scale

Strong API design and system architecture skills

Experience with Kubernetes and containerized environments

Deep understanding of performance optimization, data structures, networking, and system design

Ability to drive projects from concept through production

Strong communication, ownership, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Nice to Have
Experience in IoT, robotics, autonomy, or distributed hardware systems

Strong networking fundamentals and debugging experience

Experience with AWS or cloud-based infrastructure

Familiarity with embedded systems or hardware integration

Experience with observability, monitoring, and production operations

Experience working in defense technology, robotics, maritime, or mission-critical software environments

What Success Looks Like in 12 Months
Consistent, reliable delivery of high-quality backend systems

Scalable backend systems supporting real-world autonomous platform deployments

Clear architectural standards and well-defined service boundaries

Improved system performance, reliability, observability, and maintainability

Strong cross-team alignment across platform, autonomy, embedded, frontend, and product teams

Backend services that are secure, production-ready, and easy for other teams to build on

Benefits:
100% Employer paid Health, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families

Life Insurance (Employer Paid)

Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)

Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum

Equity Package

Work / Home Office Stipend

Global Entry

16 Week Paid Parental Leave

Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend

Our Values:
Innovation: We are driven to break new ground. Every day presents an opportunity to challenge the status quo, think boldly, and deliver advanced solutions that transform the future of defense technology.

Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in all our actions and partnerships.

Mission-Driven: We are focused on achieving impactful outcomes that align with our core mission—protecting lives through innovation.

Forward-Leaning: We continuously seek out new opportunities and remain at the forefront of technological advancements. We embrace change and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and creativity.

Ownership of All Tasks: At HavocAI, no problem is too complex or too trivial. We believe that greatness comes from tackling the hardest challenges, but also in handling the smallest, sometimes thankless, tasks with the same level of commitment and care.

Servant Leadership: We lead by serving others, whether it’s supporting our employees, partners, or the broader community. Empowering those around us is key to achieving long-term success and making a lasting impact.

HavocAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.