Senior Backend Engineer
straia · San Francisco ·
- Work mode
- Hybrid
- Seniority
- Senior
- Category
- Backend
- Experience
- 6+ years
- Visa sponsorship
- Yes
- Company size
- 11-50
- Salary
- USD 200,000 – 225,000 / year
straia · San Francisco ·
About Straia
At Straia, we’re building the AI-native intelligence layer for colleges and universities.
Today, colleges run on dozens of disconnected systems, forcing staff to spend hundreds of hours reconciling data, compiling reports, and tracking down insights. Straia changes that. We unify institutional data and layer on AI agents that answer questions, generate insights/visualizations, and automate repetitive workflows, transforming how colleges operate.
Over time, Straia will evolve into the core intelligence layer for institutional operations, where every function, from student advising to admissions to budgeting and resource planning, is supported by collaborative AI agents that understand each institution’s unique data landscape.
We recently raised our pre-seed from a16z Speedrun, Reach Capital, and JFF Ventures, and are now hiring a Senior Backend Engineer to help build the technical backbone of how institutions interact with their data.
The Role
As a Senior Engineer at Straia, you’ll work directly with a small team including directly with our CEO (Ryan) and CTO (Nikki) to design, build, and scale the core infrastructure of our platform.
This is a 0 → 1 opportunity to shape not just the product, but the engineering culture, architecture, and trajectory of the company. You’ll ship fast, make key technical decisions, and help define how AI can power the next generation of enterprise data intelligence.
We’re specifically looking for someone who consistently raises the bar. The kind of engineer whose default speed and judgment increase the velocity of everyone around them. If you thrive when expectations are high and the pace is fast, you’ll feel right at home 🙂
What You'll Do
Build the core platform — architect and implement services spanning data ingestion, query orchestration, and agentic AI workflows
Ship end-to-end features across our React + Node.js + Postgres stack, integrating directly with LLMs like GPT, Gemini, and Claude
Scale infrastructure on GCP for performance, reliability, and data security
Collaborate with users (university data teams and administrators) to translate real problems into elegant, powerful solutions
Lay the foundation for Straia’s engineering culture, best practices, and technical roadmap
Prototype fast, iterate faster — your work will directly shape how education leaders experience AI in their daily decision-making
Who You Are
6-8 years of experience building and shipping full-stack applications, with a strong emphasis on backend systems (Node.js, TypeScript, Postgres)
Deeply technical, with a track record of building scalable, high-quality software
Startup-minded — you thrive in ambiguity, love building from scratch, and see constraints as creative fuel
Mission-driven — excited to improve education through technology that makes institutions smarter, faster, and more equitable
Collaborative and high-agency — you take initiative, value clear communication, and have the instincts of an owner, not an employee
AI-curious or experienced — exposure to LLMs, vector databases, or prompt engineering is a plus
Our Stack
Frontend: React + Vite
Backend: Node.js + Express, orchestrating data and AI agent workflows
Data Layer: Postgres + Caching for fast queries
LLM Integration: GPT, Gemini, Claude via API
Cloud & Infra: Hosted on GCP
Why Join Straia
Be one of the first engineers at a venture-backed AI company redefining institutional intelligence in higher ed
Shape the core architecture and engineering culture from day one
Work directly with top-tier investors and advisors from a16z, Reach, and JFF Ventures
Join a small, fast-moving team that works incredibly hard, ships fast, and still makes time for good food, laughs, and adventures — we take our work seriously, but not ourselves 🙂
Build meaningful technology that directly impacts student success and equity across colleges nationwide
Competitive salary + meaningful equity — your work will be foundational to Straia’s success
What We Offer
Compensation: $200K–$225K + equity
Location: San Francisco (in office 4 days a week)
Benefits: Health (platinum insurance), dental, and vision