[BetterPic] Founding Backend Engineer (Python/FastAPI)
We're looking for a
Founding Backend Engineer
About the job
BetterGroup (the team behind BetterPic and BetterStudio) is a profitable AI startup scaling fast, millions in revenue, millions of requests, and increasing GPU workloads across multiple products. On BetterPic, our AI makes professional headshots accessible to anyone, fast, affordable, and 4K studio-quality. Now we’re expanding into B2B, building high-impact workflows for teams and partners. On BetterStudio we’re solving photoshoots for fashion ecommerce.
We’re looking for a Founding Backend Engineer to own and scale the backend systems that power our core platforms in BetterPic. If you love building stable, fast, production-grade APIs with autonomy and purpose, read on.
Team Perks

Equity Opportunities
Senior profiles receive stock options, aligning your success with ours.

Inclusive Culture
Join a diverse team that values every voice and perspective.

Unlimited Vacations
Choose when and how long to take time off, with trust in your responsibility.

Remote-First
Enjoy the flexibility of working from anywhere in the world.

Growth Opportunities
Clear paths for career advancement and professional development.

Innovative Work
Be at the forefront of AI technology in professional imaging. We're solving a problem that has never been solved before.
Meet your Team
All headshots generated using Betterpic ❤️

Ricardo Ghekiere
CEO & Co-Founder
Brussels, Belgium

Thibaut Hennau
Chief Marketing Offer
Lisbon, Portugal

Fred Linfjard
Chief Product Officer
Malmo, Stockholm

Apoorv Sharma
Head of Performance
Delhi, India

Fedor Korol
Founding AI Engineer
Podgorica, Montenegro

Dean Leite
Head of Content & Paid Social
Lisbon, Portugal

Miriam Alonso
Head of Customer Success
Larnaca , Cyprus

Hertok Kawang
Customer Success Specialist
Bali, Indonesia

Carla Rondon
Customer Success Specialist
Maracay, Venezuela

Oliver Kattan
Head of Design
Dubai, UAE

Miguel Rasero
CTO & Co-Founder
Larnaca , Cyprus
About you
What You’ll Work On
Your Impact:
Maintain, extend, and optimize our current Node.js backend while participating in a strategic migration to FastAPI
Architect and build Python-based microservices using FastAPI, SQLAlchemy Core, and modern Python tooling
Design migration strategies to transition features from Node.js to Python with zero downtime
Build fast, secure APIs powering dashboards, integrations, and automation tools in both ecosystems
Lead the establishment of Python best practices while maintaining Node.js services during transition
Tech Challenges You’ll Tackle:
Migrating Node.js services to FastAPI while maintaining API compatibility
Building secure and performant public APIs (auth, rate limiting, usage tracking) in Python
Implementing SQLAlchemy Core patterns for multi-tenant and team-based access
Working with production safe database migrations
Designing resilient async systems using Python's async/await and background tasks
Building scalable RBAC and permission systems
Working with AWS services (S3, SES, Cloudfront) in a polyglot environment
Optimizing performance for high-concurrency workloads in both Node.js and Python
Implementing advanced caching strategies with Redis across different runtimes
Ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) during migration
Daily Responsibilities
Maintain critical Node.js backend features while gradually migrating to FastAPI
Extend and enhance existing FastAPI services with new features
Design and implement migration plans for specific services and endpoints
Coordinate API specs and versioning strategies across both platforms
Ensure seamless interoperability between Node.js and Python services
Proactively monitor performance, logs, and stability across both stacks
Help establish Python backend best practices, testing strategies, and deployment pipelines
What You Need
Must-Have:
4+ years experience with Python web frameworks (FastAPI, Flask, or Django) (ideally 8+ total dev experience)
2+ years backend experience with Node.js highly valued
Proficiency with PostgreSQL, REST APIs, OpenAPI, and database migrations
Experience with both Express.js and Python async frameworks
Familiarity with SQLAlchemy (Core preferred) and Python async patterns
Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and distributed systems
Track record of successfully migrating or refactoring production systems
Good communicator, async-first mindset, comfortable in startup pace
Ability to reason about system design, scale, and maintainability across languages
Bonus Points:
Experience with FastAPI specifically and Pydantic for data validation
Familiarity with Python tooling: uv, ruff, pytest, mypy
Built RBAC systems or multi-tenant apps in both Node.js and Python
Experience with gradual migration strategies and feature flags
Familiar with rate limiting, auth strategies, and API usage metering
Used AWS in production (EC2, S3, SES, etc.)
You've shipped B2B tools, internal platforms, or SaaS dashboards
Our Stack
Backend: Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL, AWS
Frontend: Nuxt 3, Vue 3, TypeScript, TailwindCSS
Infra: AWS (S3, SES, Cloudfront), Render, Cloudflare, Supabase
Tools: GitHub, Prettier, Slack, Asana
Migration Target
Backend: FastAPI, SQLAlchemy Core, PostgreSQL, Redis, AWS
Python Tooling: uv (package management), ruff (linting/formatting), pytest
Maintaining: Gradual transition with both stacks running in parallel
Application Process
1. Fill out this form
2. [Take Home] Coding Challenge (1-3 hours)
2.1. Small development challenge
2.2. Brief [5 minutes max] Loom video explaining functionality, implementation and design decisions
3. Interview with the VP Eng and/or CTO (30 minutes)
4. Interview with the rest of the management team (30 minutes)
5. Offer from BetterPic
Final Notes
This is not a “just-maintain-things” backend gig. You’ll be building what powers the B2B engine of a profitable, high-growth AI company.
We encourage AI usage in your workflow, but real ownership, communication, and decision-making are what set you apart.
Let’s build something lasting.
Ready to build what’s never been built?