Full-Time
Senior Backend Engineer
Posted on 10/28/2025
Firsthand
11-50 employees
AI agent platform for branded campaigns
Compensation Overview
$160k - $220k/yr
New York, NY, USA
In Person
Three days on-site per week required.
 Software Engineering (1) |
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- 5+ years of professional backend development experience with strong expertise in Python and modern web frameworks
- Production experience building high-throughput APIs and background task processing
- Strong database skills in query optimization, schema design, and experience with vector databases
- Production experience with multi-tenant SaaS architectures, including data isolation patterns, tenant-aware query design, and scalability considerations
- Hands-on experience with caching strategies and distributed task queues
- Experience with cloud platforms (Google Cloud Platform preferred) and containerized deployments
- Excellent problem-solving skills with experience debugging production issues and optimizing system performance
- Self-driven and collaborative with experience mentoring team members and driving technical decisions in a fast-paced startup environment
- Building scalable backend systems using Python and other technologies to support our AI-powered applications
- Designing and implementing multi-tenant architectures with strict data isolation, ensuring secure and performant access patterns across backend components
- Optimizing high-performance APIs that integrate with LLM workflows, vector search, and real-time AI processing pipelines
- Leading database architecture decisions, including schema design, query optimization, and migration strategies
- Mentoring junior engineers on best practices for async programming, database design, and production system reliability
Firsthand builds an AI agent platform for brands and publishers to protect, control, and deploy their data and content in direct conversational campaigns. It lets teams create and deploy intelligent AI agents that engage consumers with personalized conversations across messaging channels. This approach enables brands and publishers to run tailored, direct-to-consumer interactions while keeping tight control over their data and assets. Compared with typical ad-tech solutions, Firsthand emphasizes data/content governance and direct audience engagement through customized AI agents. The company’s goal is to empower brands and publishers to scale personalized communications with customers while preserving control of their content and data across all messaging channels.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Series A
Total Funding
$26M
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2023
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Raised $26M Series A in March 2025 led by Radical Ventures.
- Appointed Andrew Rutledge as CRO to accelerate revenue growth.
- NVIDIA endorses Brand Agents for retail customer journeys.
What critics are saying
- Character.ai's 200M users divert brands to scaled platforms now.
- Google AI Overviews slash traffic to Firsthand agent sites immediately.
- OpenAI custom GPTs undercut Firsthand's platform with free tools.
What makes Firsthand unique
- Lakebed™ ensures brands retain full IP control over data in AI agents.
- Brand Agents enable 1:1 personalized conversations anywhere online.
- Founders built DoubleClick, AppNexus, FreeWheel for ad-tech expertise.
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Benefits
Remote Work Options
Company Equity
Company News
Firsthand appoints Andrew Rutledge as chief revenue officer.
05-Mar-2025 | AI brand agent platform Firsthand nets $26m series A Firsthand raises $26M in Series A funding Led by Radical Ventures for AI agent platform
Firsthand raises $26M in Series A funding.
Firsthand unlocks AI as a new communication medium, enabling marketers and publishers to engage consumers directly by leveraging their expertise in real time, wherever consumers are
Firsthand has secured $26M in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered Brand Agent platform, which transforms consumer engagement by enabling real-time, personalized interactions. Led by Radical Ventures, the funding will support product expansion and team growth. Firsthand's platform allows brands to directly engage consumers, offering tailored experiences and insights, while maintaining control over data through its Lakebed™ system.