Principal Backend Developer
About the Role
We're hiring a Principal Backend Developer to join the Cadstrom Platform team and own the core service infrastructure powering our product end-to-end: the operator data review and entry systems that fuel our knowledge base, the services backing our AI analysis, and the orchestration layer that runs distributed simulation workloads for our deterministic validation engine. As a senior IC, you'll set the technical bar for the team's services, make the hard architecture calls, and stay hands-on shipping the work — AI-assisted development means writing the code yourself is usually the highest-leverage move, not the lowest. We move fast — the product is shipping, customers are live, and every week matters. This is a high-ownership role for an engineer who treats Cadstrom's outcome as their own. What are we doing? We are accelerating the world's hardware ingenuity by blending generative AI, ML, and novel deterministic approaches to electronics simulation and validation. We're providing our enthusiastic customers intelligent and automated access to the most advanced validation tools to eliminate respins – helping engineers of all levels deliver their designs faster, cheaper, and with less waste. Who are we? We are a small team of innovators who are passionate about fundamentally improving how electrical engineers deliver electronics with higher confidence. We are backed by Bison Ventures, Innovation Endeavors, and the Allen Institute for AI's Incubator. Our distinguished founders are responsible for creating the largest product development firm in the US, and building Azure Quantum (and more!) at Microsoft. We know you'll be in good company.
Key Responsibilities
Own the architecture and implementation of Cadstrom's core platform services — the operator data review and entry systems, the services backing our AI analysis, and the orchestration of distributed simulation workloads. Build and evolve our AWS infrastructure with infrastructure-as-code, balancing speed, cost, and reliability as we scale. Design and maintain our Postgres data model — schemas, indexing, query patterns, and migration strategy that let the team move fast without painting into corners. Set the technical bar for backend services across the team: service boundaries, API design, observability, deployment practices, and the operational realities of running production systems. Architect and operate distributed compute for our simulation workloads — job orchestration, scaling, reliability, and cost control for bursty long-running jobs. Ship. AI-assisted development has changed the math: the right move is often to write the code yourself rather than delegate. You're hands-on by default, and you mentor through the work itself — code reviews, architecture discussions, and the bar you set with your own commits. Partner cross-functionally with AI/ML, frontend, and electrical engineering domain experts to make sure the platform serves their needs without becoming a bottleneck. AI. Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools (Claude, Cursor, or equivalent) as a daily driver — with judgment about when to lean on them and when to override them. Required Qualifications 8+ years shipping backend systems in production, with at least 3 years operating at a Principal, Staff, or equivalent senior IC level. Deep TypeScript experience for production backend services — typing, packaging, services, and automated tests. Hands-on experience designing and operating Postgres at production scale — schemas, indexing, query optimization, and migrations. Strong experience managing AWS infrastructure with infrastructure-as-code (e.g. Terraform). Track record of making significant architecture decisions that influenced product direction and team velocity. Experience with distributed systems, orchestration, and operating long-running compute workloads. Excellent written and verbal communication — able to convey trade-offs and decisions clearly across engineers, peers, and leadership. Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related STEM field.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience shipping systems that back AI products — RAG, search, retrieval, or embedding infrastructure. Experience with Nest.js or equivalent TypeScript server frameworks. Experience operating distributed simulation, batch, or scientific computing workloads — Temporal, job queues, compute orchestration, autoscaling for bursty workloads. Familiarity with containers for service deployment. Familiarity with EDA tooling, electronics design, or other complex technical domains. Startup experience. Based in Montreal or the GTA. Personal Qualities High-ownership senior IC. You treat Cadstrom's outcome as your own and pick up the work that no one else owns yet. Hands-on by default. You stay close to the code and ship as your primary mode. With AI-assisted development, you reach for the keyboard rather than the org chart. Strong technical voice without ego. You have opinions backed by experience, and you update them when evidence demands it. Advocate for excellent engineering practices. You make sure past mistakes inform how we build going forward, and you have the experience to know when a principle is worth holding the line for — and when it's worth moving fast instead. Pragmatic over perfect. You ship the right amount of system for where the company is now, not where it might be in five years. Clear communicator. You convey trade-offs and decisions clearly, in writing and in person. Calm in ambiguity. Startups change fast; you can create clarity for the team when the picture is fuzzy. Embraces the ethos of "We, not I." Why you'll love working with us Early Stage Equity Package – We want owners, not employees. You'll receive meaningful early-stage equity in a high-growth company, because we want you to share in what we build. Impact – You'll have the chance to make a significant impact not only for our customers, but on how the industry as a whole approaches test and validation. Care – we believe strongly in caring for each other. We encourage our people to bring their whole selves to work, support each other, and ensure they are happy in and out of the workplace. Leading benefits - we invest deeply in the health and wellbeing of our team with leading startup benefits, 0% copay across the board, and a $2k/year HSA. World-Class Backers – Cadstrom is backed by world-class investors: Bison Ventures (Bill Gates), Innovation Endeavors (Eric Schmidt), and the Allen Institute for AI (Paul Allen). All are Welcome. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive environment. We are actively working to create an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all employees without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our founders and employees are critical to the success of our company. Apply To This Job