Staff Software Engineer

Job description

WHY MOONSHOT AI? Imagine websites that rebuild themselves on autopilot to sell more, convert better, and grow faster. At Moonshot AI, we’re making that happen — merging generative AI, large-scale data pipelines, and experimentation into a self-evolving web. We’re a well-funded, very early-stage startup with a massive vision. Joining now means you’re not just an employee — you’re helping set the technical and cultural DNA of the company. If you’ve ever wanted the autonomy of a founder with the backing of top-tier investors, this is it. WHAT YOU’LL BUILD & LEAD As our Staff Software Engineer, you’ll be the technical backbone behind Moonshot’s evolution engine - designing scalable systems, guiding engineering strategy, and mentoring the builders around you. You’ll balance hands-on depth with architectural altitude, turning vision into technical reality. You will: - Work at the forefront of generative AI and agentic flows - build systems that let AI autonomously reason, experiment, and deploy real changes to the web. - Architect the next generation of Moonshot’s experiment engine - scalable, observable, fault-tolerant, built for millions of daily events. - Design and evolve our backend infrastructure across Python (Flask-RestX), serverless AWS, and data pipelines (ClickHouse, Postgres, Kinesis, Firehose, S3). - Drive technical strategy - define our engineering principles, evolve architecture across microservices, ingestion, and LLM-driven systems. - Mentor and multiply - uplevel senior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, pairing, and design docs. - Collaborate cross-functionally - work with AI, product, and data science to translate business needs into resilient systems. - Prototype and push boundaries - bring ideas from concept to production fast, balancing experimentation and rigor. - Raise the bar on performance, security, and reliability as we scale toward SOC 2 and enterprise clients. This isn’t a people-management role - it’s technical leadership at its purest form: deep design, high leverage, and full ownership. WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR - 8+ years of experience designing and shipping production systems at scale (bonus: 0→1 or startup environment). - Strong expertise in Python, AWS, and JavaScript - you’re comfortable owning both backend and frontend architecture. - Proven ability to design distributed systems (event-driven, microservices, or data-heavy architectures). - You’ve been a technical lead or staff engineer - mentoring peers, reviewing designs, and setting engineering standards. - Bias toward action and clarity - you simplify, document, and deliver. - Deep curiosity about AI and experimentation - you love systems that learn and adapt. - Bonus: experience with ClickHouse, LLMs in production, or ecommerce/analytics infrastructure. AT MOONSHOT, CULTURE ISN’T FLUFF — IT’S HOW WE WIN - Curiosity & Growth → We challenge assumptions, ask big questions, and push for mastery. - Low Ego → No ivory towers — everyone gets their hands dirty. - Ownership → You own outcomes, not just outputs. Shipping is step one; impact is the goal. - Trust → Radical transparency and accountability, even when it’s hard. - Agility → We move fast, test faster, and aren’t afraid to pivot. - This Is Your Company → Ideas fuel breakthroughs. We’re all builders here. - Enjoy the Ride → Startups are a rollercoaster — we create good vibes and celebrate wins together. WHAT WE OFFER - Competitive compensation - Meaningful equity — real ownership in Moonshot AI’s success. - Full health coverage (medical, dental, vision) for you + your family. - Unlimited PTO — we trust you to take the time you need. - Tax free commuter and parking benefits - Office-first culture (4 days/week) — Midtown Manhattan, in the middle of it all. - Work directly with the founding team — your impact is immediate, visible, and career-defining. - Free One Medical Membership - 401k