Lead Backend Engineer (m/f/d) - Building Scalable AI Systems at dnl

Join us at dnl and take the lead in shaping the backend of a truly developer-focused platform. We’re building Germany's leading AI-powered tools that analyse financial and non-financial reports.

Using state-of-the-art machine learning technologies, we extract key figures from annual financial statements - fully automatically and transparently.

As a Lead Backend Engineer , you’ll play a pivotal role in defining architecture, guiding engineering standards, and mentoring a talented team to deliver high-performance systems.

Tasks

Short-term: Technical Mastery & Impact (0–3 months)

• Dive deep into our stack and quickly contribute production-quality code that’s clean, performant, and reliable.
• Lead by example—drive code quality, testing rigor, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Frontend, Data Science and Product teams to integrate ML models into our features.

Mid-term: Ownership, Mentorship & Architecture (3–6 months)

• Take ownership of core backend systems and guide their evolution as we scale.
• Mentor engineers through code reviews, technical pairings, and structured knowledge-sharing.
• Champion best practices in security, performance, and scalability.
• Design and maintain RESTful APIs and real-time communication systems using WebSockets.
• Partner with leadership to translate product vision into technical strategy.

Long-term: Vision, Strategy & Team Leadership (6–12 months)

• Define and evolve backend architecture and system design in alignment with product goals.
• Establish engineering excellence through standards, documentation, and processes.
• Build and grow the backend team, help with hiring, onboarding, and career development.
• Collaborate closely with other leads to ensure architectural coherence across the platform.
• Advocate for innovation and efficiency across our engineering organization.

Requirements

Education & Experience : A degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, and at least 7+ years of professional backend experience (or equivalent proven expertise). You have a track record of leading initiatives , making architectural decisions, and mentoring other developers.

Frameworks : Deep experience building scalable microservices using FastAPI , Flask , or similar frameworks. You’re confident designing complex systems, writing thorough pytest test suites, and ensuring code quality through reviews and automation.

Technical Skills : Proficient in CI/CD pipelines and cloud deployments , ideally on Azure with Kubernetes . You’ve architected and operated event-driven systems and distributed services at scale. Bonus points for experience integrating machine learning models or building data-intensive applications.

Leadership : Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. You thrive in collaborative environments , enjoy mentoring teammates , and excel at aligning technical direction with product and business goals.

Benefits

Above-Average Compensation : We offer a competitive salary well above market average, reflecting the impact and expertise we value.

Monthly Perks (Germany-based) : If you're employed in Germany, you’ll receive a €50 monthly voucher usable at over 50 popular stores—covering everything from groceries to lifestyle.

Innovative Work Culture : A collaborative startup environment with flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas.

Great People : Work alongside an international team of passionate and driven professionals.

Time Off : 30 vacation days per year to recharge and explore.

Remote Flexibility : Work from anywhere within the EU—whenever it suits you.

Flexible Hours : Adapt your schedule to your personal rhythm and lifestyle.

Top Equipment : We'll provide you with the latest hardware to do your best work.

We are looking forward to your application and getting to know you! :)