Software Engineer, Backend
Mirage
Job Summary
Mirage is the leading AI short-form video company, building full-stack foundation models and products used by over 20 million creators and businesses. As an early member of this rapidly growing NYC-based team, you'll have an outsized impact. This Backend Engineer role involves owning critical backend systems end-to-end, partnering with product, design, client, and AI teams to transform ambitious ideas into reliable, scalable production systems. It's ideal for engineers who enjoy complex technical problems while staying connected to product and user outcomes.
Must Have
- Design, build, and own backend systems end-to-end, including services, APIs, data pipelines, and infrastructure
- Solve complex technical challenges across distributed systems, scaling, concurrency, and performance
- Integrate and operate large generative AI models in production, deploying, serving, and scaling systems
- Instrument, experiment, and iterate in production to continuously improve system and product quality
- Design and operate core platform infrastructure, including integrations with third-party providers, storage systems, security, and internal APIs
Good to Have
- Worked extensively with LLMs, generative media models, and have a pulse on where the technology is going
- Grounded, collaborative, and willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win
- Been a startup founder or an early engineer at one
Perks & Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
- 401K with employer match
- Commuter Benefits
- Catered lunch multiple days per week
- Dinner stipend every night if you're working late
- Grubhub subscription
- Health & Wellness Perks (Talkspace, Kindbody, One Medical subscription, HealthAdvocate, Teladoc)
- Multiple team offsites per year with team events every month
- Generous PTO policy
Job Description
Software Engineer, Backend
Location
Union Square, New York City
Employment Type
Full time
Department
Engineering
Compensation
- $185K – $285K • Offers Equity
The successful candidate's starting compensation will be determined based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and market conditions. Please know that this pay range may be modified in the future.
Mirage is the leading AI short-form video company. We’re building full-stack foundation models and products that redefine video creation, production and editing. Over 20 million creators and businesses use Mirage’s products to reach their full creative and commercial potential.
We are a rapidly growing team of ambitious, experienced, and devoted engineers, researchers, designers, marketers, and operators based in NYC. As an early member of our team, you’ll have an opportunity to have an outsized impact on our products and our company's culture.
Our Products
Our Technology
Press Coverage
Our Investors
We’re very fortunate to have some the best investors and entrepreneurs backing us, including Index Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Uncommon Projects, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, Lenny Rachitsky, Antoine Martin, Julie Zhuo, Ben Rubin, Jaren Glover, SVAngel, 20VC, Ludlow Ventures, Chapter One, and more.
\*\* Please note that all of our roles will require you to be in-person at our NYC HQ (located in Union Square)
We do not work with third-party recruiting agencies, please do not contact us\*\*
About the role
Backend engineering at Mirage isn’t narrowly defined. We work across product, platform, and machine learning—building the systems, services, APIs, and ML pipelines that power all of our product surfaces.
You’ll own critical backend systems end-to-end, partnering closely with product, design, client, and AI teams to turn ambitious ideas into reliable, scalable production systems. This opportunity is ideal for engineers who enjoy solving complex technical problems while staying connected to product and user outcomes.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and own backend systems end-to-end, including services, APIs, data pipelines, and infrastructure that power our products
- Solve complex technical challenges across distributed systems, scaling, concurrency, and performance
- Integrate and operate large generative AI models in production—deploying, serving, and scaling systems that combine internal research and external capabilities to unlock new product experiences.
- Instrument, experiment, and iterate in production to continuously improve system and product quality
- Design and operate core platform infrastructure, including integrations with third-party providers, storage systems, security, and internal APIs
What Makes You a Great Fit
- 5+ years of professional industry experience
- A track record of shipping high‑impact systems and/or products in production
- Exceptional problem solving fundamentals and ability to learn
- Excellent engineering taste combined with a strong sense of practicality and time-management
- Able to operate effectively in an extremely fast-paced environment as well as scope and deliver projects end-to-end
Even better if...
- You have worked extensively with LLMs, generative media models, and have a pulse on where the technology is going
- You are grounded, collaborative, and willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win
- You have been a startup founder or an early engineer at one
Benefits:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
- 401K with employer match
- Commuter Benefits
- Catered lunch multiple days per week
- Dinner stipend every night if you're working late and want a bite!
- Grubhub subscription
- Health & Wellness Perks (Talkspace, Kindbody, One Medical subscription, HealthAdvocate, Teladoc)
- Multiple team offsites per year with team events every month
- Generous PTO policy
Captions provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Please note benefits apply to full time employees only.
Compensation Range: $185K - $285K
4 Skills Required For This Role
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