Backend Engineer - YC Startup in SF

About Pump.co

Cloud spend is a whopping $500 billion/yr, the biggest growing expense category for any tech company - tackling these costs requires continuous effort and time from DevOps teams.

Pump is a building the fastest way to save ~60% on cloud spend. Our AI-powered platform not only fully automates savings but we also leverage the power of group buying for even greater discounts. Our mission is to use AI to transform the status quo of cloud cost optimization.

We are backed by Y Combinator and our founding team consists of seasoned entrepreneurs with prior exits. We have a transparent, collaborative and a fast-paced culture that prioritizes winning with a flat organizational structure.

About the role

Skills:

Skills: Python, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes (nice to have), LLM/AI (bonus)

As a Backend Engineer, you’ll contribute directly to the core of our product and infrastructure. This role is ideal for someone looking to grow within a strong engineering team while delivering meaningful work that touches real customers.

You’ll collaborate closely with engineers, designers, and founders—working across the stack to build, improve, and scale our platform.

Responsibilities:

Design, build, and maintain backend services that power the Pump platform

Work with the team to define and scope new product features

Contribute to a strong engineering culture by participating in code reviews and continuous improvement

Help extend our internal tools, dev workflows, and CI/CD pipelines

Ensure system reliability, performance, and maintainability

Collaborate across functions to solve real customer problems with intuitive engineering solutions

Qualifications:

3–6 years of professional backend engineering experience

Proficiency in Python and familiarity with FastAPI or similar frameworks

Experience with SQL databases—we use PostgreSQL

Comfort working in a cloud environment (AWS preferred)

Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes (nice to have)

Excitement about early-stage startups and the ability to thrive in fast-moving environments

Clear communication and collaborative instincts

Bonus Points For

Experience with cloud billing/cost tooling

Interest in or exposure to LLMs or AI integrations

Familiarity with NoSQL databases like DynamoDB

Benefits

Competitive salary and equity as an early member of our engineering team

Full benefits package, including premium healthcare coverage and unlimited PTO

Annual professional development stipend to support continuous learning

3–4 company-sponsored team retreats per year

Work alongside a high-caliber team that values collaboration, innovation, and transparency

Minimum Requirements and Compensation

Must be a U.S. Citizen or Visa holder (no sponsorships available)

Minimum of 4 years of professional experience

Base salary: USD $120,000–$200,000 per year

Equity: Eligible for our highly valuable equity program