About kala
Helping US-based startups and SMBs build stronger teams by finding no more, no less than the right people remotely for tech, product, and digital/marketing roles worldwide.
About our client
Our client is building software that modernizes one of the most complex and outdated parts of global trade: importing goods into the United States, and is working with both the private sector as well as the Department of Homeland Security to redefine how $4 Trillion of physical goods enter US commerce over the next decade.
Today, importers and customs brokers must navigate tariffs, changing regulations, multiple government agencies, and large amounts of manual work. Their platform helps automate this process using software and AI, reducing research time, improving compliance, and helping companies move goods faster with fewer errors.
The team has already built a well-funded foundation with an experienced group of engineers, a working product, and growing customer traction. They are focused on fundamentally changing how experts through untrained small- and medium-sized businesses interact with the Federal Government to encourage more commerce, while under unprecedented levels of scrutiny.
👀About the role
We’re hiring a Senior Backend and AI Engineer to help build and scale a global trade compliance platform powered by AI. You’ll play a key role in designing backend architecture, shipping production-grade features, and integrating AI capabilities into real-world workflows.
This is a hands-on engineering role with strong ownership, where you’ll work closely with a small, high-performing team building a product used across a $4T global trade market.
👉 Responsibilities
- Architect and build scalable backend systems and APIs using Python and Django
- Design and manage cloud infrastructure (AWS: EC2, ECS, Lambda, RDS)
- Develop async processing systems and distributed task queues (Celery)
- Build and integrate AI-powered features (LLMs, LangChain, RAG pipelines)
- Lead technical decisions and contribute to system architecture
- Mentor junior engineers and review code
- Stay up to date with backend, infrastructure, and AI trends
👉 Requirements
- 5+ years of experience in software engineering (backend-focused) with strong background in Python and Django
- Track record of building and integrating AI features (LLMs, LangChain, RAG)
- Strong hands-on work with AWS and cloud infrastructure
- Solid understanding of async processing (Celery or similar)
- Experience deploying and scaling AI/ML models in production
- Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines
- Comfortable operating in startup or fast-paced environments
- Experience with security compliance (enterprise or government projects) or US Government security clearance would be a plus.
Due to the nature of the projects and work with U.S. government agencies, candidates must be U.S. citizens or eligible to meet federal compliance requirements.
🌍 Work setup
New York preferred (Onsite). Remote within the US possible with frequent visits to the NYC office and Washington DC.
🍿About the process
- Intro call with the kala team 💜 (30 min) – Overview of the company and role, and a chance to learn more about your background and expectations.
- First interview with the Engineering Lead (30 min, remote) – Deeper conversation about your experience, the company, and role.
- Second interview with the CEO/ Founder (30 min, remote) – Get into the vision, expectations and projection of the company
- Final round with the team (60 min, remote) – Final discussions, clarifications, last details.
- Offer 🤝
💜Compensation & Benefits
Salary between $140K and $190K, plus equity, and the opportunity to join an early-stage startup where your work will have real impact on the product and the industry. W-2 employment, PTO, 100% healthcare reimbursement, and offices in NYC.
*This is an onsite role based in New York City. Candidates outside NYC may work in a hybrid arrangement with up to two pre-scheduled office visits per week, with travel expenses covered.
🤚 Why Join
This is an opportunity to help modernize one of the most complex and outdated industries in global trade. You will lead hiring during a critical phase of growth and help shape the team that is building the future of trade compliance. They are fundamentally transforming how companies navigate global trade. The founders are respected experts in the space, and the company is well-funded and rapidly expanding across both the private and public sectors nationwide.