Backend Engineer (API, SQL)

About The CompanyStellic is a rapidly growing startup dedicated to transforming the higher education landscape by empowering students with clarity, confidence, and purpose throughout their educational journey. Backed by leading social impact investors, Stellic collaborates with top-tier institutions such as Cornell, Columbia, UVA, and Ohio State, supporting over one million students across seven countries. Our mission is to create a seamless, student-centric platform that enhances decision-making, tracks academic progress, and builds personalized education and career pathways. As we scale our operations globally, we remain committed to innovation, excellence, and making a lasting impact on higher education.About The RoleWe are seeking a highly skilled Lead Backend Engineer specializing in Integrations to join our dynamic team. In this pivotal role, you will work closely with founders, product managers, and engineering teams to design and implement scalable, mission-critical backend architectures. Your primary focus will be on upgrading our data pipelines, building robust data orchestration systems, and enhancing our API and integration capabilities. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead technical initiatives that directly impact millions of students worldwide, driving innovation and ensuring the reliability and efficiency of our platform. You will also mentor junior engineers, elevate engineering standards, and contribute to our long-term technical vision.Qualifications5+ years of experience in API, integrations, backend, or data engineering at scaleMinimum of 3+ years of specialized experience in data engineeringProven track record building and managing APIs, data integrations, and orchestration pipelinesDeep knowledge of data processing frameworks such as DuckDB, Polars, Pandas, Kafka, SparkStrong understanding of data infrastructure, governance, and complianceExperience working with iPaaS solutions like FiveTran, Talend, AirbyteProficiency in high-level languages such as Python and frameworks like Dagster, AirflowExpertise in SQL database design and optimization, preferably PostgreSQLExperience with cloud deployment, especially AWS, and hyperscalersStrong understanding of API design, documentation, and versioningExperience with asynchronous programming, message queues, and event-driven architecturesExcellent problem-solving, communication, and mentoring skillsOwnership mindset with the ability to lead complex projects autonomouslyResponsibilitiesCollaborate with founders and product teams to understand platform capabilities and prioritiesDrive alignment on engineering and product roadmap prioritiesDesign and lead the development of scalable backend architectures for enterprise applicationsBuild and maintain reliable data orchestration pipelines for large-scale data processingOptimize database schemas and queries to handle terabytes of data efficientlyMentor and up-level engineering team members by promoting best practices, design patterns, and code qualityImplement robust testing strategies and ensure high software quality standardsManage and improve API and data integration frameworks to support evolving product needsEnsure compliance with data governance and security standards across all systemsStay current with emerging technologies and incorporate them into the platform as appropriateBenefitsCompetitive base salary ranging from $220,000 to $260,000 plus equityGenerous stock options in a Series A stage startupComprehensive health insurance coverage, with Stellic covering 99% of premiums for employees and 75% for dependents401(k) retirement plan and commuter benefitsAnnual international retreats in beautiful locationsFlexible, outcome-based work culture that values ownership and innovationOpportunity to work at the forefront of educational technology and SaaS innovationCollaborative environment with thought leaders dedicated to higher education impactEqual OpportunityStellic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage qualified applicants from any race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or other characteristics to apply.