Backend Engineer (Java, API)

About the Company

Slang AI is at the forefront of revolutionizing customer engagement through innovative conversational AI solutions tailored for the restaurant industry. Our mission is to create seamless, human-like voice interactions that enhance customer experiences and streamline restaurant operations. With a team composed of industry veterans from renowned companies such as Spotify, Buzzfeed, The New York Times, and OpenTable, we are committed to building products that reach millions of users worldwide. Our culture emphasizes hospitality, ownership, continuous learning, and humility, fostering an environment where innovation and human-centered design thrive. As a company, we aim to save billions of minutes for businesses and consumers by 2030, transforming voice channels into the preferred mode of communication. Our work environment values collaboration, transparency, and a passion for redefining the future of hospitality technology.

About the Role

We are seeking a talented Software Engineer to join Slang's Engineering team. In this role, you will play a vital part in developing and maintaining our core products, including telephony infrastructure, AI-powered conversation features, and application functionality. Your primary focus will be on designing and implementing scalable backend services using Kotlin, ensuring robust, reliable, and efficient systems that support thousands of restaurant interactions daily. You will also have opportunities to contribute to frontend components in React and TypeScript, providing intuitive interfaces for restaurant staff and customers.

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, you will collaborate closely with product managers, conversation designers, and fellow engineers to deliver high-quality solutions. Your work will directly impact the hospitality industry by automating customer interactions, reducing wait times, and improving overall service quality. You will participate in agile ceremonies such as daily standups, bi-weekly planning, and weekly Show & Tell sessions, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. As you ramp up, mentoring junior engineers through code reviews and pair programming will be part of your growth pathway, helping you develop into a senior technical leader within the organization.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of professional software development experience, primarily in backend systems
• Strong proficiency in JVM languages, especially Kotlin, Java, or Scala
• Solid understanding of functional programming concepts
• Experience building and consuming RESTful or GraphQL APIs
• Familiarity with NoSQL databases and data modeling (Firestore preferred)
• Experience with containerization tools like Docker
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as Google Cloud Platform, AWS, or Azure
• Strong knowledge of software testing practices, including TDD and automated testing
• Excellent debugging, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
• Basic familiarity with React and TypeScript for occasional frontend work
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively in remote or hybrid settings
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for collaborative environments
• Willingness to participate in on-call rotations approximately every two months

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services primarily using Kotlin and JVM ecosystem
• Create and optimize GraphQL APIs to serve internal and external clients efficiently
• Develop integrations with Twilio for telephony capabilities and Dialogflow for conversational AI flows
• Build and maintain Firestore data models that optimize performance, cost, and maintainability
• Implement comprehensive observability, including logging, metrics, tracing, and alerting systems
• Write and maintain automated tests covering unit, integration, and end-to-end scenarios
• Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and incorporating team suggestions
• Document system architecture, API contracts, and technical decisions clearly and thoroughly
• Deploy containerized applications to Google Cloud Platform following best practices for scalability and resilience
• Contribute to frontend development in React/TypeScript as needed, ensuring UI responsiveness and accessibility
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine requirements and deliver features aligned with business goals
• Establish and uphold coding standards, architectural principles, and best practices within the team
• Assist in troubleshooting production issues and implementing solutions for system reliability
• Support knowledge sharing through technical documentation, Show & Tell sessions, and mentorship

Benefits

• Competitive compensation aligned with market standards
• Flexible remote or hybrid work environment
• Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement
• Exposure to cutting-edge AI and telephony technologies
• Collaborative and innovative company culture rooted in hospitality and human-centered design
• Participation in meaningful projects that directly impact the hospitality industry
• Work with a talented team from diverse backgrounds committed to continuous learning
• Health benefits, paid time off, and other standard employee perks (specific benefits may vary by location)