Backend Product Engineer
Summary
Own the backend services and data systems powering MasteryPrep's test-prep and learning platforms: build and maintain APIs on Google Cloud Platform using TypeScript or Python with PostgreSQL, Firestore, and Firebase, partner with an SRE on reliability, and work AI-first, using AI coding tools daily and integrating LLM APIs.
About the Role
MasteryPrep helps students succeed on the ACT, SAT, TSIA, WorkKeys, and other high-stakes assessments. Our test delivery and learning platforms serve schools and students who count on them working every day. We're looking for a Backend Product Engineer to own the data and backend systems that power those products and platforms.
This is an AI-first role. We build with AI-native development practices — using AI coding tools as a core part of the daily workflow and designing systems with AI capabilities in mind from the start, not bolted on later. You should be excited about that way of working, not just tolerant of it.
You'll be building products, and responsible for all of our data and backend systems, and you'll work closely with our Site Reliability Engineer to manage and develop the environment — keeping it reliable, secure, and ready to scale.
- Own the design, development, and maintenance of our backend services and data systems that power our products.
- Build and maintain APIs and services running on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Manage our data layer across PostgreSQL, Firestore, and Firebase — including schema design, data integrity, migrations, and performance.
- Practice AI-first development: use AI coding and development tools daily, and help shape how the team applies them.
- Design backend systems that support AI-powered product features (for example, integrating LLM APIs and building the data pipelines that feed them).
- Partner closely with our SRE to manage, monitor, and improve the environment — deployments, observability, incident response, and infrastructure decisions.
- Safeguard the data of the schools and students we serve through sound security and privacy practices.
- Write clear documentation and communicate technical decisions to both technical and non-technical teammates.
Our Tech Stack
- Cloud: Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
- Databases: PostgreSQL, Firestore
- Platform services: Firebase
- Language: TypeScript/Python
- Workflow: AI-native development — AI tooling is a first-class part of how we build
- 5+ years of professional backend development experience.
- Strong technical skills and solid experience building and running production APIs and services.
- Hands-on experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred) — schema design, queries, and performance tuning.
- Experience with a major cloud platform; GCP experience is a requirement, as is Firebase/Firestore.
- Genuine enthusiasm for AI-assisted development — you already use tools like Claude Code, Cursor, or Copilot and can speak to how they've changed the way you work.
- Experience integrating AI/LLM APIs into applications, or a strong desire to build that skill quickly.
- Comfort collaborating on infrastructure and reliability work — you don't need to be an SRE, but you should care about how your systems run in production.
- Clear communication and the ability to work well with teammates across engineering, product, and support.
Nice to Have
- Experience in education technology or with assessment/testing platforms.
- Familiarity with accessibility requirements (WCAG) and how they shape product decisions.
- Experience with data migrations between environments (for example, staging to production).
- Experience with observability tooling and incident response.
- $130,000 - $140,000 salary range
- Employee benefits eligibility (health, disability, AD&D, life insurance).
- Matching 401k
- Paid time off
- Generous paid holidays
- Ability to work fully remote
- Company supplied device/laptop