Founding Backend Engineer (Python, AI, GCP)

About Us We are an early-stage, stealth-mode startup building a large-scale data transparency platform. Our mission is to aggregate, organize, and present public-sector data to empower communities with verified information. We are now building the core team to launch our prototype and redefine how people interact with public data. The Role As our Founding Backend Engineer, you will be the primary architect of our entire data infrastructure. You will be responsible for building the system that automatically ingests, processes, and stores vast amounts of public information. This is a hands-on role for a self-starter who is excited to build a complex system from the ground up, moving from a single-region pilot to a national-scale platform. Key Responsibilities Design, build, and maintain robust data ingestion pipelines (ETL/ELT) using Python to collect and process data from diverse public sources (e.g., APIs, public websites, data feeds). Architect and manage a scalable data warehouse using Google BigQuery, optimizing for query performance and large-scale aggregation. Deploy and manage all backend services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), using services like Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, and Google App Engine. Develop and deploy AI/ML models for tasks such as data classification, text summarization, and entity extraction from public documents. Build backend APIs to deliver this data to our front-end applications and partners. Collaborate directly with the founder(s) on technical strategy, product roadmap, and key architectural decisions. Qualifications (Required) Proven experience as a Backend Engineer with strong proficiency in Python. Extensive, hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Deep expertise in Google BigQuery, including data modeling, schema design, and query optimization. Practical experience developing or deploying AI/Machine Learning solutions. Experience building and scaling data ingestion pipelines. Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and thrive in an ambiguous, early-stage startup environment. Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract Pay: $48,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year Benefits: Flexible schedule Professional development assistance Work Location: In person