Software Engineer - Backend
Seattle, WA
Engineering /
Full-time /
On-site
About Avante
Avante is located in Seattle, WA, with an in-office culture requiring 4 days per week on-site. We're on a mission to transform how self-funded employers manage their benefits and HR operations. Our AI-powered SaaS platform helps employers shift from reactive firefighting to strategic planning, while providing employees with the guidance they need to truly understand and maximize their benefits.
Employee benefits represent the second-largest expense for most businesses, yet the landscape is fragmented, complex, and difficult to navigate. Avante unifies fragmented benefits data and provides AI-driven insights that help employers control costs while delivering an exceptional employee experience.
The Role: Build Something Meaningful
We're seeking a skilled Backend Engineer with strong expertise in server-side development and systems integration. As part of a small, collaborative team, you'll be a driving force behind our platform's backend services. You'll focus on building robust, scalable systems that power our AI-driven benefits platform, with opportunities to work across the full technology stack as business needs evolve.
What You'll Do
- Build and maintain backend services within our TypeScript monorepo, focusing on server-side functionality and API development
- Develop and expand our external API to enable seamless integrations with customer systems
- Integrate our product with HRIS platforms, ticket management systems, and other third-party services
- Design and optimize database schemas, write complex SQL queries, and ensure data integrity across our systems
- Work on our background job system and build new background jobs that handle sensitive benefits data at scale
- Work side-by-side with product, design, and engineering teammates to deliver solutions that help both employers and employees get more value from their benefits
- Make pragmatic technical decisions that balance immediate business needs with long-term system scalability and maintainability
- Build for production with a focus on testability, monitoring, and observability from day one
What We're Looking For
- Strong software engineering fundamentals with a proven track record of backend problem-solving
- Experience with TypeScript and modern JavaScript development practices in server-side environments
- Proficiency with backend development patterns, API design, and system architecture
- Strong database skills including SQL query optimization, schema design, and data modeling
- Experience with system integrations and working with third-party APIs
- Comfort navigating ambiguity and rapidly changing requirements
- Ability to make technical decisions that balance business needs with system performance and code quality
- Strong communication skills and empathy for teammates and customers
- Interest in leveraging AI to enhance user experiences
- Openness to using AI tools to supercharge your own productivity
Nice to Have
- Experience with Adonis or similar modern typescript server frameworks
- Experience with postgresql
- Experience building on Azure with infrastructure-as-code like Terraform
- Familiarity with data engineering concepts, ETL pipelines, or Snowflake
- Prior experience with HRIS integrations or benefits/healthcare systems
- Experience implementing security practices for sensitive data and compliance requirements
- Knowledge of containerization and Kubernetes
- Prior experience applying generative AI in backend systems
- Background in medical, healthcare, benefits, or related fields
- Prior startup experience
Our Tech Stack
- TypeScript monorepo powered by node.js
- React & Next.js for front-end applications
- Postgres and DuckDB for persistence
- DBT and python for data engineering pipelines
- Snowflake for data warehousing
- Kubernetes for deployment
- Azure cloud infrastructure
- LLM API integrations (like OpenAI) for AI functionality (we're applying AI, not building it)
$120,000 - $160,000 a year
Benefits include: stock options, medical/dental/vision and 401k.
Our Company Values
At Avante, our culture is defined by four core values:
Beat Yesterday: We're relentlessly committed to improvement, challenging ourselves to exceed our previous best and redefine what's possible. Every day is a fresh opportunity to innovate, grow, and push boundaries.
Embrace Type 2 Fun: We acknowledge that startup life is challenging, but deeply rewarding. We approach difficult moments with resilience, positivity, and empathy for our teammates, finding meaning and even joy in the climb.
Act Like an Owner: We take initiative beyond job descriptions, solving problems rather than just pointing them out. We navigate ambiguity by focusing on broader business goals and hold ourselves accountable with kindness and candor. Our commitment extends beyond shipping code—we own outcomes.
Stay Hungry, Stay Curious: We reject "that's how it's always been done" thinking in favor of radical innovation. We approach our mission with humility and endless curiosity, believing we can create meaningful impact. We ask the questions others are only thinking.
Interview Process
1. Initial screen with our recruiters
2. Phone screen with our head of engineering
3. On-Site Interview Loop
a. Technical interview focused on real-world problem solving (no whiteboard algorithms!)
b. Team behavioral interview to explore your approach to teamwork and challenges
c. Final loop with our head of engineering
4. Final conversation with our CEO
If you're excited about solving meaningful problems in a fast-paced environment where your work directly impacts customers' lives, we'd love to hear from you!
