Software Engineer - Staff Backend Lead (Open to Contract)

At Azuki, you will have an opportunity to develop decentralized IPs and build innovative products that change how fans engage and experience anime. We’re building the right team to navigate and pioneer a multimedia brand for the future.

Our mission is to build the future of anime by harnessing the power of community and cutting edge technology. We are seeking an exceptional Staff Backend Lead to join us in our journey within an incredibly fast-paced space. You will be working alongside a passionate team that is heavily experienced in big tech, mobile gaming, web3, and startups.

As a Staff Backend Lead at Azuki, you’ll play a critical role in building the secure, scalable, and high-performance backend systems that power our products. You’ll work closely with product, design, iOS, and animation teammates to deliver our mobile app v0 by the end of 2025. This is a hands-on role, requiring both high-level system architecture and direct implementation to bring Azuki’s vision to life.

• Passionate about architecting and delivering backend systems that enable delightful, entertainment-driven user experiences.

• Comfortable owning backend projects end-to-end, including integrations with payment rails, KYC providers, and stablecoin yield systems.

• Adept at balancing technical decisions with product considerations to deliver high-quality features quickly.

• Experienced in designing secure, scalable, and compliant systems in fintech, crypto, or other high-security domains.

• Autonomous, resourceful, and proactive in unblocking challenges to maintain project velocity.

• Product Engineering: Build a highly-optimized, low-fee, low-friction onboarding and offboarding experience, including KYC integration and payment flows.

• Integration with Financial Services: Engineer robust integrations for stablecoin issuance, custody, and yield generation mechanisms with partners like Paxos.

• System Architecture: Design, build, and maintain backend services with a focus on security, scalability, and regulatory compliance.

• Cross-Functional Execution: Collaborate across the stack as needed, occasionally touching the frontend or iOS network layer to ensure endpoints are working as intended.

Current backend stack:

• Supabase (Postgres)

• NextJS (with Vercel, optimized for dev speed)

• Ably (websockets)

• Redis

• ≥ 5 years of experience in backend engineering, with at least 2 years in a senior or staff-level role.

• Demonstrated experience shipping products in fintech, crypto, or other high-security industries.

• Proficiency in building scalable, distributed systems with modern tooling.

• Experience integrating financial APIs, payment processors, or web3 protocols.

• Strong understanding of security, compliance, and performance optimization best practices.

• Experience developing with little to no supervision and a bias towards action.

Our job titles may span more than one career level. Starting base pay for this role is between $170,000 to $220,000. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: work experience, business needs, market demands, and transferable skills. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

• Meaningful equity at an early-stage and high-growth startup (and potential upside from token incentives)

• 100% employer paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

• Unlimited PTO

• 401(k) plan with employer match

• Wellness stipend

• Free DoorDash orders (up to $500 per month)

• Commuter benefits

• Play a key role in shaping the future of anime and reimagining the next generation of entertainment.

• Work with an ambitious team of fun, creative, and forward-thinking builders.

• Stay at the bleeding edge of web3 technology – experimentation is in our DNA.

Chiru Labs (Azuki) is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.

MORE ABOUT AZUKI

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