Backend Engineer, (Python)
Torentify## About the Role
Cradle is looking for **Backend Software Engineers** to help build a software platform for **AI-guided protein discovery and optimization**. Cradle's platform enables biologists to design and optimize proteins faster and at scale, supporting clients across biopharma, biotech, agri-tech, food-tech, and academia.
As a Backend Engineer, you will design and develop a **service-oriented, decoupled web application** that exposes advanced machine learning models to scientific end users. You will work closely with biologists, machine learning experts, and scientists, learning their domains while solving complex technical challenges involving biological data, machine learning models, APIs, and cloud-based backend systems.
## Key Responsibilities
- Design and develop a service-oriented, decoupled web application for scientific end users.
- Architect how application data is manipulated, stored, and represented.
- Design efficient approaches for storing and representing protein sequences and associated metadata.
- Design data architectures for machine learning model predictions and related information.
- Architect APIs used to interact with machine learning models.
- Consider API versioning and how access to machine learning models evolves over time.
- Collaborate with biologists, machine learning experts, and scientists.
- Develop an understanding of biological, scientific, and machine learning domains to solve technical challenges effectively.
## Required Qualifications
The source job description presents the following as skills Cradle is looking for, without explicitly designating individual items as mandatory. The following are therefore preserved as **required/core qualifications** only where the wording indicates a core capability:
- Ability to learn quickly and absorb new concepts required by a problem, including programming languages, machine learning algorithms, or biological concepts.
- Action-oriented approach and satisfaction from getting things done.
- Experience developing backend systems in a modern cloud environment.
- Knowledge of the **Python programming language and its ecosystem**.
- Familiarity with database system architecture and data warehouses.
- Ability to work effectively in teams.
- Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach.
## Preferred Qualifications
- Additional experience or familiarity with machine learning concepts.
- Familiarity with biological concepts and scientific domains.
- Experience working with protein sequences, biological data, or related scientific applications.
_The source job description does not explicitly label these qualifications as preferred, so they are not treated as mandatory requirements._
## Skills & Competencies
- Backend software engineering
- Python
- Cloud-based backend development
- Service-oriented application architecture
- Decoupled web application development
- API architecture and development
- API versioning
- Database architecture
- Data warehouses
- Data modeling and data representation
- Machine learning systems
- Scientific and biological software
- Problem-solving
- Fast learning and adaptability
- Action orientation
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Communication
- Cross-functional collaboration with biologists, scientists, and machine learning experts
## Education & Experience
**Education**
- No specific degree or educational credential is required in the source job description.
**Experience**
- Experience developing backend systems in a modern cloud environment.
- The source job description does not specify a required number of years of experience.
## Work Arrangement & Schedule
- **Location:** Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- **Work arrangement:** Remote
- **Employment type:** Not specified in the source job description
- **Weekly hours:** Not specified in the source job description
- **Schedule flexibility:** Not specified in the source job description
- **Weekend requirements:** Not specified in the source job description
- Cradle has offices in Amsterdam, Boston, and Zurich, alongside remote colleagues.
## Compensation & Benefits
- **Salary:** EUR 120–180
- Very competitive salary
- Generous equity stake in the company
- Wide range of benefits
- Career progression opportunities
- Multiple years of company runway supported by funding
## Compliance / Additional Information
### Inclusive Hiring
Cradle evaluates candidates based on merit regardless of sex, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, or other aspects of identity. Cradle maintains zero tolerance for discrimination and encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
### AI-Assisted Applicant Review
Cradle uses an applicant tracking system with basic AI-assisted features that may generate scores or rankings based on how applications match the job description. These outputs are **not used to make or meaningfully influence hiring decisions**. All candidates are evaluated through a thorough, human-led review by the recruiting team.
### Recruitment Scam Notice
Cradle states that it only communicates through **@cradle.bio** email addresses, makes job offers only after candidates have met the company in person at its Zurich or Amsterdam office, and never asks candidates to pay anything during the interview process.