Staff Backend Engineer, Internal Products

About the role

In this role, you will be responsible for the development and upkeep of internal tools that play a crucial role in model evaluation, regression testing, dataset discovery, and the curation of agentic context. As the inaugural engineer on this team, you will have the unique opportunity to influence and create vital internal resources that will benefit the entire organization. Your contributions will directly enhance the quality of TwelveLabs' multimodal foundation models and their associated products.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Streamline and integrate existing internal tools used for beta access, evaluation, regression testing, and dataset discovery into a cohesive and maintainable platform.
• Develop a secure access layer for managing petabyte-scale internal data across various cloud environments, ensuring appropriate access controls and compliance with PII regulations.
• Collect and analyze customer feedback and usage metrics from self-service products to guide the creation and evaluation of datasets.
• Improve and fortify the internal agent utilized by the product team for context curation, preparing it for broader organizational deployment while implementing necessary access controls.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define requirements and ensure that internal tools meet the needs of various stakeholders.
• Design and implement scalable backend systems that can accommodate the growing demands of the organization.
• Conduct thorough testing and debugging of internal tools to ensure reliability and performance.
• Document processes, architectures, and best practices to facilitate knowledge sharing and onboarding of future team members.

Requirements

• A solid foundation in backend engineering with significant experience in at least one programming language, such as Python or Go.
• Demonstrated capability in designing resilient data models, services, and APIs that meet organizational needs.
• Strong system design instincts, with the ability to devise solutions for complex and ambiguous challenges while justifying architectural choices.
• Proven track record of developing and launching new internal products from initial concept through to delivery and support.
• Comfortable taking on the role of the primary or sole engineer, laying the groundwork for future team expansion.
• Eagerness to take full ownership of a product, encompassing all stages from scoping and development to deployment and user support.
• Familiarity with handling large unstructured datasets and the challenges they present.
• Ability to create functional user interfaces when necessary, although the primary focus will be on backend development.

Nice to have

• Experience with data platforms, lakehouses, or data pipelines that span across object storage, data warehouses, and multiple cloud service providers.
• Background in working with multimodal unstructured data types, including video, audio, images, or text.
• Familiarity with building or integrating AI agents, MCP servers, retrieval systems, or evaluation tools.
• Knowledge of data governance practices, access control measures, and PII handling for production data.

Skills & tools

• Proficient in programming languages such as Python and Go.
• Experience with cloud services and data management tools.
• Familiarity with version control systems, particularly Git.
• Understanding of API design and microservices architecture.
• Knowledge of database technologies and data modeling techniques.

Practical notes

• TwelveLabs offers comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance to all employees.
• The company provides flexible paid time off, along with generous parental leave policies.
• Employees can enjoy a break during the holiday season, as the offices are closed for the weeks of Christmas and New Year.
• This position is based in San Francisco, with a hybrid work model that allows for a balance between remote work and in-office collaboration.
• The salary range for this position is competitive, reflecting the importance of the role and the expertise required.

Join us at TwelveLabs and be part of a dynamic team that is shaping the future of multimodal AI technology. Your contributions will be pivotal in enhancing our internal products and ensuring the success of our innovative solutions.