Pika
Senior/Staff Software Engineer, Backend
Remote role where the employee must remain based in a particular country.
United States only
Employer listed it 3 months ago · Found 5h ago
Been open since 3 months ago. Long-running listings are sometimes left up after the role is filled.
Salary
Not stated
Location
United States only
Timezone
Not stated
Contract
Full-time
Experience
Lead
Category
Software
This employer didn't state pay. Jobs like this usually pay around $200k–$275k a year, a typical range taken from 597 lead-level software roles on Nomaders that do state pay. It's a guide, not an offer.
Remote flexibility
Work from home
This is a remote role, but the employee must be based in United States. It is work from home rather than work from anywhere.
What the employer says
- Source listing states candidate location: "US remote"
- Job description states: "based in Palo Alto"
What Nomaders makes of it
- Payroll and tax are likely handled in that country only
The quotes above are the employer's own words; the reading is ours. Always check the original listing and employment terms before working from another country.
About the role
About Pika
At Pika, we’re building the next generation of AI creative tools to empower human creativity. Our mission is to make video creation seamless, intuitive, and accessible to everyone, leveraging the power of advanced AI. We believe that AI should amplify creative expression—enabling everyone to create, collaborate, and communicate across media. Our team includes engineers, artists, and product thinkers, all passionate about building tools that unlock new creative possibilities.
Pika has raised significant funding and is backed by leading investors, with a collaborative culture based in Palo Alto, CA. We prefer hybrid in-office, sharing ideas and launching products together.
About the Role
We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer, Backend, to lead and scale the backend infrastructure powering Pika’s user-facing products. In this high-impact role, you’ll own the design and delivery of robust, scalable backend systems, APIs, and infrastructure that support real-time collaboration, AI-powered workflows, and seamless product experiences.
You’ll work closely with engineering, product, and design teams to deliver features that are reliable, performant, and secure. Your leadership in architectural decisions and backend best practices will shape the technical foundation of Pika for millions of users, helping to define both the immediate experience and the long-term direction of our core backend platforms.
What You’ll Do
Architect and develop scalable, high-performing backend systems and APIs powering all Pika products and services
Build, maintain, and enhance distributed systems and cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP), ensuring high availability and reliability
Take ownership of backend features and platforms from ideation through launch and ongoing iteration
Develop systems to support low-latency, real-time collaboration and messaging at scale
Design and optimize backend features that power creative, AI-driven product capabilities
Lead technical discussions, review code, drive backend architecture proposals, and mentor engineers to elevate standards across the team
What We’re Looking For
5+ years of backend software engineering experience, with at least 2+ years in senior backend roles
Deep expertise in building distributed systems, RESTful and real-time APIs, and cloud-native infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Kubernetes, etc.)
Strong system design skills for reliable, scalable backend services for high-traffic applications
Track record of launching impactful backend features that balance technical quality with business needs
Proven ability to independently lead complex projects, troubleshoot problems, and deliver impactful solutions
Excellent written and verbal communication, able to thrive in cross-functional teams
Nice to Have
Experience with real-time collaboration platforms, creative tools, or media-rich applications
Familiarity with integrating generative AI or agent-based systems
Experience at high-growth startups or in rapidly evolving settings
Requirements
The employer hasn't listed requirements separately, they're described in the role summary above and on the original listing.
Benefits
- ·Competitive salary in the AI industry
- ·Equity in a rapidly growing startup shaping the future of AI and creativity
- ·Comprehensive health benefits, monthly stipends, and company retreats
- ·Supportive, collaborative office culture—we’re all building and launching together
How to apply
- 1Check the flexibility label above, work from home, matches where you plan to live and work.
- 2Tailor your CV to the role at Pika, mentioning your remote working experience.
- 3Apply directly on the employer's careers page using the button below. Nomaders never handles your application.
Found 6h ago. Last checked today. Always confirm the details on the original posting, salary and location can change after publication.
Listing sourced from Company boards.
Similar roles
Other open software roles with comparable remote rules.
Free to apply, no account needed.
Typically $200k to $275k per year · You'll be taken to the employer's careers page.