Senior Backend Engineer

About Happyrobot

HappyRobot is a platform to build and deploy AI workers that automate communication.

Our AI workers connect to any system or data source to handle phone calls, email, messages…

We target the logistics industry which relies heavily on communication to book, check on, & pay for freight. Primarily working with freight brokers, 3PLs, freight forwarders, shippers, warehouses, & other supply chain enterprises and tech startups.

We raised a Series A round from a16z and YC and we’re growing very fast.

We're looking for rockstars with a relentless drive, unstoppable energy, and a true passion for building something great—ready to embrace the challenge, push limits, and thrive in a fast-paced, high-intensity environment.

About the Role

• You’ll keep thousands of concurrent AI agents talking on the phone with minimal latency.
• You’ll auto-scale AI deployments efficiently.
• You’ll architect a fault-tolerant multi-region infrastructure.
• You’ll help automate testing procedures.
• You like AI. You really like AI.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable, reliable, and secure infrastructure.
• Write code to automate operational tasks, build internal tools and improve system resilience.
• Troubleshoot and optimize system performance, latency, and availability.
• Collaborate with development teams to implement best practices for reliability and observability.
• Manage incidents, post-mortems, and continuous improvements in production environments.

Must Have

• Strong coding skills with Go.
• Deep understanding of backend systems, APIs, and databases.
• Kubernetes experience.
• Passion for AI-driven technologies
• Founder Mindset: Hard work + independence + Ownership

Why join us?

• Opportunity to work at a high-growth AI startup, backed by top investors.
• Fast Growth - Backed by a16z and YC, on track for double-digit ARR.
• Ownership & Autonomy - Take full ownership of projects and ship fast.
• Top-Tier Compensation - Competitive salary + equity in a high-growth startup.
• Comprehensive Benefits - Healthcare, dental, vision coverage.
• Work With the Best - Join a world-class team of engineers and builders.

Our Operating Principles

Extreme Ownership

We take full responsibility for our work, outcomes, and team success. No excuses, no blame-shifting — if something needs fixing, we own it and make it better. This means stepping up, even when it’s not “your job.” If a ball is dropped, we pick it up. If a customer is unhappy, we fix it. If a process is broken, we redesign it. We don’t wait for someone else to solve it — we lead with accountability and expect the same from those around us.

Craftsmanship

Putting care and intention into every task, striving for excellence, and taking deep ownership of the quality and outcome of your work. Craftsmanship means never settling for “just fine.” We sweat the details because details compound. Whether it’s a product feature, an internal doc, or a sales call — we treat it as a reflection of our standards. We aim to deliver jaw-dropping customer experiences by being curious, meticulous, and proud of what we build — even when nobody’s watching.

We are “majos”

Be friendly & have fun with your coworkers. Always be genuine & honest, but kind. “Majo” is our way of saying: be a good human. Be approachable, helpful, and warm. We’re building something ambitious, and it’s easier (and more fun) when we enjoy the ride together. We give feedback with kindness, challenge each other with respect, and celebrate wins together without ego.

Urgency with Focus

Create the highest impact in the shortest amount of time. Move fast, but in the right direction. We operate with speed because time is our most limited resource. But speed without focus is chaos. We prioritize ruthlessly, act decisively, and stay aligned. We aim for high leverage: the biggest results from the simplest, smartest actions. We’re running a high-speed marathon — not a sprint with no strategy.

Talent Density and Meritocracy

Hire only people who can raise the average; ‘exceptional performance is the passing grade.’ Ability trumps seniority. We believe the best teams are built on talent density — every hire should raise the bar. We reward contribution, not titles or tenure. We give ownership to those who earn it, and we all hold each other to a high standard. A-players want to work with other A-players — that’s how we win.

First-Principles Thinking

Strip a problem to physics-level facts, ignore industry dogma, rebuild the solution from scratch. We don’t copy-paste solutions. We go back to basics, ask why things are the way they are, and rebuild from the ground up if needed. This mindset pushes us to innovate, challenge stale assumptions, and move faster than incumbents. It’s how we build what others think is impossible.