Senior Backend / Data Engineer (Scale-up)

About Source.ag

At Source.ag, we build software that helps the world’s leading greenhouse growers make better decisions every day. Our products combine data, models, and real-world constraints to optimize how food is grown at scale.

This is not a typical SaaS problem. We work with messy, biological, and operational systems where decisions have real consequences. As we scale, the complexity of our systems and our organization increases quickly — and that is exactly the challenge this role is about.

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Backend / Data Engineer to help us simplify, stabilize, and evolve our systems as the company grows.

This is an individual contributor role focused on high-level technical impact rather than people management or repetitive feature production. It is a role for engineers who value ownership, sound judgment, and the ability to act effectively even when information is incomplete. You will work on business-critical systems that other teams depend on, taking responsibility for how those systems behave in production.

You will likely thrive in this role if you enjoy:

• Working in scale-up environments where systems and processes are still evolving.

• Taking full ownership of problems, from first principles to production.

• Simplifying architectures that have grown too complex.

• Taking initiative without waiting for perfect alignment or explicit permission.

You may find this role challenging if you prefer:

• Strictly defined scopes and long planning cycles.

• Static systems with a low rate of change.

• Waiting for total consensus before moving forward.

What You’ll Work On

Depending on your strengths and interests, your work may include:

• Designing, building, and operating backend services and data-heavy systems.

• Improving the reliability, performance, and cost-efficiency of existing platforms.

• Simplifying service boundaries, data flows, and infrastructure choices.

• Supporting product teams by making core systems easier and safer to use.

• Identifying potential scaling bottlenecks and resolving them proactively.

• Taking personal responsibility for the systems you develop and maintain.

Our stack today includes Golang, Python, Databricks / Delta Lake, PostgreSQL, and AWS — but we prioritize your judgment and problem-solving skills over experience with any specific tool.

After the first 6–12 months, success in this role looks like:

• Core systems are simpler, more predictable, and easier to change than when you arrived.

• Teams operate with more autonomy because the underlying systems are more reliable and better understood.

• Fewer production issues occur due to unclear ownership or hidden coupling.

• Architecture, data flow, and infrastructure decisions become more efficient over time.

• You have established deep trust to act on important problems independently.

We prioritize how you operate over formal titles, though you should have the experience to recognize scale-up challenges before they arise. While high-level technical proficiency is a baseline requirement, what distinguishes a successful candidate in this role is their judgment.

You will likely be a strong fit if you:

• Have 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.

• Have significant experience building and operating production backend and/or data-intensive systems.

• Have spent at least 5 years in startup or scale-up environments where rapid growth created significant technical pressure.

• Are comfortable making informed decisions even with incomplete information.

• Value delivering results and iterative learning over excessive debate and rigid process.

Our Tech Stack:

• Backend: Golang, Python

• Frontend: TypeScript, React, Next.js

• Communication: gRPC, GraphQL, REST, AWS EventBridge/SNS/SQS

• Data: Databricks, Delta Lake, S3, PostgreSQL (RDS), TimescaleDB, MongoDB Atlas

• Infrastructure: AWS (ECS, Lambda), Docker, Vercel

• Monitoring: Datadog

What We Offer in Return for Your Expertise:

• Hybrid Work Environment: We collaborate in person at the office on Mondays and Thursdays

• Meals: Fully provided lunch on office days

• Financial Security: A pension contribution of 4.5%

• Well-being: Mental health support and guidance through OpenUp

• Equipment: MacBook Pro 16”

• Commuting: Travel allowance for your commute to the office

• Growth: An annual learning budget of €1,000

• Home Setup: A work-from-home budget of €550

• Connectivity: Monthly WiFi and phone plan reimbursement of €50

• Time Off: Flexible holiday policy; we encourage a minimum of 25 days per year to ensure rest and recovery

• Community: Quarterly company events including dinner and team-building activities

At Source, we highly value diversity of background and perspective. Research suggests that different people assess their own qualifications differently. We strongly encourage you to apply even if you feel you do not "tick every box"—we are looking for the right person, not just a perfect resume.