Lead Backend Engineer | Amsterdam | HR-tech / AI

Bedrijfsprofiel

Our client is an Amsterdam-based HR-tech scale-up reinventing hiring. They started with assessments (personality & cognitive) and now offer a broader AI-driven selection platform: automated WhatsApp screenings, flexible selection flows, and ATS integrations.
Team size is ~20 people with 4 engineers today (growing).

Culture: entrepreneurial, office-first, high ownership, short lines, and milestones celebrated together. External funding has been raised; the focus is on building and scaling the product.

Job Description

You will join as the technical lead for the backend. The work is hands-on in Python with responsibility for APIs, integrations, workflows, and the core architecture to handle rapid growth. You’ll collaborate closely with the CTO and frontend engineers, keep the product cohesive, and mentor teammates by example.

Your work includes:

• Designing and scaling backend services and APIs in Python
• Building integrations with ATS and assessment partners
• Strengthening reliability, performance and test quality as usage grows
• Mentoring engineers and raising engineering standards
• Applying AI in practice (using existing LLMs, adding value in our layers)

Job Requirements

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience
• Strong Python expertise (Go/Rust/Elixir experience is a plus)
• Proven track record building & scaling APIs/systems in start-up/scale-up settings
• Communicates clearly; enjoys coaching others and working side-by-side in the office
• Based in the Netherlands; available 4 days/week on-site in Amsterdam
• Dutch is not required

Terms of Employment

• €80,000 – €90,000 annual salary
• SAR options (~€5k) after 1 year (tax-friendly equity-like plan)
• Office-first culture in central Amsterdam
• Small, ambitious team with real ownership and direct impact

Interested?
Email: c.bons@haystackpeople.nl or call +31 6 83027953