Cenna · 2 weeks ago
Founding Backend Engineer
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
7+ years expCenna is building an agentic services platform from the ground up, and they are seeking a Founding Backend Engineer to own the backend architecture from concept to production. The role involves architecting and building core backend infrastructure, optimizing databases, and implementing performance strategies.
Computer Software
Responsibilities
Architect and build core backend infrastructure using Python and FastAPI
Design and optimize PostgreSQL databases for production workloads at scale
Build complex workflow orchestration systems for agentic services and automation
Implement caching strategies with Redis for high-performance data access
Build monitoring, logging, and alerting systems with tools like Prometheus and Grafana
Create and maintain CI/CD pipelines for rapid, reliable deployments
Containerize services with Docker and orchestrate with Kubernetes
Work independently with minimal direction in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment
Establish engineering standards, security practices, and technical culture
Own systems end-to-end from design through deployment, scaling, and incident response
Qualification
Required
7+ years building production backend systems from concept to scaled deployment
Expert-level Python with significant FastAPI experience in production
Deep PostgreSQL proficiency: complex queries, optimization, schema design, performance tuning
Production experience with Redis for caching, session management, and real-time data
Hands-on experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure)
Proven track record implementing CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation
Experience with monitoring/observability tools and maintaining system reliability
Thrives with autonomy, minimal direction, and ambiguous early-stage problems
Strong system design, security, and operational excellence instincts
Preferred
Backend infrastructure for AI/ML applications or agentic systems
Experience building workflow products or workflow orchestration platforms
Managing headless browsers (Playwright, Puppeteer) at scale in production
Experience with Neo4j or other graph databases for complex relationship modeling
Track record scaling systems from hundreds to millions of requests
Previous startup experience shipping rapidly and iterating based on feedback
Company
Cenna
Stealth Mode
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase