Founding Backend Engineer

Founding Backend Engineer at Straia

At Straia, we're building the AI-native intelligence layer for colleges and universities.

Today, colleges run on dozens of disconnected systems, forcing staff to spend hundreds of hours manually reconciling data, compiling reports, and tracking down insights. Straia changes that. We unify institutional data and layer on AI agents that answer questions, generate insights/visualizations, and automate repetitive workflows, transforming how colleges operate.

Over time, Straia will evolve into the core intelligence layer for institutional operations, where every function, from student advising to admissions to budgeting and resource planning, is supported by collaborative AI agents that understand each institution's unique data landscape.

We recently raised our pre-seed from a16z, Reach Capital, and JFF Ventures, and are now hiring a founding backend engineer to help build the technical backbone of how institutions interact with their data.

The Role

As a Founding Engineer at Straia, you'll work directly with a small team including directly with our CEO (Ryan), CTO (Alan) and CPO (Nikki) to design, build, and scale the core infrastructure of our platform.

This is a 0 → 1 opportunity to shape not just the product, but the engineering culture, architecture, and trajectory of the company. You'll ship fast, make key technical decisions, and help define how AI can power the next generation of enterprise data intelligence.

We're specifically looking for someone who consistently raises the bar. The kind of engineer whose default speed and judgment increase the velocity of everyone around them. If you thrive when expectations are high and the pace is fast, you'll feel right at home.

What You'll Do

• Build the core platform — architect and implement services spanning data ingestion, query orchestration, and agentic AI workflows
• Ship end-to-end features across our React + Node.js + Postgres stack, integrating directly with LLMs like GPT, Gemini, and Claude
• Scale infrastructure on GCP for performance, reliability, and data security
• Collaborate with users (university data teams and administrators) to translate real problems into elegant, powerful solutions
• Lay the foundation for Straia's engineering culture, best practices, and technical roadmap
• Prototype fast, iterate faster — your work will directly shape how education leaders experience AI in their daily decision-making

Who You Are

• 3–7 years of experience building and shipping full-stack applications, with a strong emphasis on backend systems (Node.js, TypeScript, Postgres)
• Deeply technical, with a track record of building scalable, high-quality software
• Startup-minded — you thrive in ambiguity, love building from scratch, and see constraints as creative fuel
• Mission-driven — excited to improve education through technology that makes institutions smarter, faster, and more equitable
• Collaborative and high-agency — you take initiative, value clear communication, and have the instincts of an owner, not an employee
• AI-curious or experienced — exposure to LLMs, vector databases, or prompt engineering is a plus

Our Stack

• Frontend: React + Vite
• Backend: Node.js + Express, orchestrating data and AI agent workflows
• Data Layer: Postgres + DuckDB for fast queries
• LLM Integration: GPT, Gemini, Claude via API
• Cloud & Infra: Hosted on GCP

Why Join Straia

• Be one of the first engineers at a venture-backed AI company redefining institutional intelligence in higher ed
• Shape the core architecture and engineering culture from day one
• Work directly with top-tier investors and advisors from a16z, Reach, and JFF Ventures
• Join a small, fast-moving team that works incredibly hard, ships fast, and still makes time for good food, laughs, and adventures — we take our work seriously, but not ourselves
• Build meaningful technology that directly impacts student success and equity across colleges nationwide

What We Offer

• Compensation: $160K–$225K + equity
• Location: San Francisco (in office 4 days a week)
• Benefits: Health (platinum insurance), dental, and vision