Backend Engineer

Who We Are

Citizen Health was founded on the belief — shaped by firsthand lived experiences navigating healthcare — that having the right advocate is the single most important factor in achieving better care and outcomes. By uniquely combining data, AI, and community, Citizen is building a personalized AI advocate powered by patients' complete medical histories and data from thousands of other patients to generate personalized insights for clinical decisions and day-to-day challenges. Starting in rare and complex conditions, patients share their data in exchange for value, enabling biopharma and researchers with seamless access to patients and regulatory-grade data, shaving years off drug development for much-needed treatments.

Citizen is founded by experienced entrepreneurs with multiple successes under their belts and is funded by top-tier investors including 8VC, Transformation Capital, and Headline Ventures, among others. We are a mission-driven team excited to be building the future of consumer healthcare.

The Role

We're looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to design and build scalable backend systems that drive our patient-focused platform. You'll help develop the core infrastructure that enables seamless data integration, analysis, and AI-powered insights.

In this role, you’ll work with healthcare standards like FHIR and cutting-edge AI technologies to build solutions that support rare disease research and improve patient care. Your contributions will help transform complex health data into actionable insights and ensure smooth data exchange across patients, providers, and researchers.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement high-performance, scalable backend solutions using modern technologies, Develop and maintain RESTful APIs and microservices

• Develop backend services and processing pipelines that handle large volumes of healthcare data efficiently

• Integrate and optimize AI components, including Large Language Models (LLMs), to power intelligent features and insights

• Collaborate with frontend, data, and AI teams to deliver seamless, data-rich user experiences

• Implement observability for services and data pipelines to enable effective diagnostics and surface performance insights through monitoring, logging, alerting, and autoscaling.

• Stay up to date with backend best practices, emerging AI tools, and trends in healthcare interoperability and AI

• Collaborate to foster team growth through shared learning and advancement in backend and AI development practices

Who You Are

You are a passionate builder and problem solver who thrives in dynamic, fast-moving environments. You value collaboration but are comfortable taking ownership and working independently. You approach complex problems with creativity and empathy, always keeping the needs of patients and users front and center. You enjoy working at the intersection of technology and healthcare and are excited about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Must-Have Skills

• 5+ years of experience in backend development, with experience building scalable, distributed systems

• Strong proficiency in one or more modern programming languages (e.g., Python, Node.js, Java)

• Solid understanding of RESTful API design and microservices architectures

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)

• Strong experience in system design, backend services, data processing, and analytics

• Solid understanding of backend observability (monitoring, logging, alerting, autoscaling)

• Hands-on experience with relational and NoSQL databases

• Strong debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills

Preferred Skills

• Experience with message queues, data streaming platforms, and vector databases

• Experience using LLMs to build real-world applications, leveraging tools like LangChain, LlamaIndex, and prompt engineering techniques

• Experience with RAG systems and AI-driven similarity search

• Familiarity with FHIR and healthcare interoperability standards

• Passion for creating robust, scalable, AI-driven systems that impact healthcare

Why Join Us?

At Citizen Health, you will be part of an ambitious mission to build innovative AI-driven solutions that redefine the consumer healthcare experience and improve outcomes for millions. We value curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, and we believe in empowering every team member to have an impact. Here, you’ll find:

• The chance to work on pioneering AI technologies and solve complex problems that push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare

• The freedom to lead your projects and shape the company’s direction in a mission-driven environment where your work makes a real impact

• A fast-paced, high-growth setting that brings expanding opportunities and clear paths for career progression

• A supportive culture of learning, experimentation, and innovation, where new ideas are encouraged and explored

• A commitment to empathy and diversity, recognizing that our greatest strengths come from our varied perspectives and experiences

• Regular team activities and knowledge sharing, all within a culture that prioritizes well-being and connection

Additional Perks

• Competitive salary + equity package

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

• Unlimited paid time off, including a generous parental leave

• Flexible hybrid work environment

Base Pay Range: $180,000 - $220,000. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and location.

Don't meet every qualification? No worries! We believe that passion, curiosity, and the right mindset are just as important as a checklist of skills. If you’re excited about what we’re building, we encourage you to apply.

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Citizen Health is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Everyone deserves an equal chance to contribute and grow here — regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.