Backend Engineer

ABOUT THE ROLE This is a core infrastructure role at a pre-seed energy technology company building the foundational layer for next-generation electricity retail in Europe. You will work on a modular billing engine, low-level energy-market communication protocols, and a full accounting ledger, systems that power dynamic electricity plans for hardware providers and energy OEMs. The work is high-stakes, technical, and directly shapes the platform's reliability and scale. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Design systems that manage and reduce complexity across core infrastructure. - Scale backend services to support growing platform demands reliably. - Ship production code consistently with a strong bias for action. - Continuously raise the quality bar for architecture, code, and engineering practices. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - At least 3 years of experience building and shipping reliable backend infrastructure in production environments. - Proficiency in TypeScript and Node.js, with a strong grasp of asynchronous programming patterns. - Experience with PostgreSQL and ORM-based data access (experience with Drizzle is a plus). - Hands-on experience with Next.js backend services, including API routes or server components. - Familiarity with distributed systems concepts and designing scalable, maintainable core services. - Experience integrating Stripe payments and billing flows. - Strong computer science fundamentals through a formal degree or equivalent practical experience. - Demonstrable evidence of technical exceptionality, such as standout open source work, elite competition results, research contributions, or founding experience. - Broad application-building background rather than a profile narrowly focused on a single specialized niche. - Fluency in German at C1 level or above (non-negotiable). - Comfort operating as a hands-on individual contributor in a fast-paced, early-stage environment. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Salary range: 80,000 to 120,000 EUR annually. - Visa sponsorship is available. LOCATION On-site in Berlin, Germany, five days per week. Remote work is not available for this role.