Staff Backend Software Engineer (Community)

Join Papa Community as a Staff Backend Software Engineer and help build the technical foundation of our platform. As our second engineer, you'll have the opportunity to shape the system design, technology choices, and engineering practices that will define our community for years to come. You'll work directly with the GM, navigate complex healthcare integrations, and balance technical perfection with shipping velocity. This is a remote-first position with great benefits and the chance to make a real impact in healthcare.

• Contribuer à la conception et à la mise en œuvre de l'architecture technique de la communauté Papa, en prenant des décisions fondamentales sur la conception du système, les choix technologiques et les pratiques d'ingénierie.
• Travailler en étroite collaboration avec le directeur général de la communauté Papa pour façonner la stratégie produit, les décisions de construction ou d'achat, et les priorités commerciales.
• Assumer la responsabilité de la fiabilité et des performances du système, en veillant à la stabilité de la production, à la surveillance et à l'amélioration continue de notre plateforme.
• Startup adaptability - You're highly communicative across operational and clinical teams, move fast when needed, and understand when to ship quickly versus architect for scale
• Deep backend expertise - Expert-level proficiency in Ruby or Python, with deep knowledge of distributed systems, API design, and building scalable architectures. We build in Elixir, so hands-on Elixir experience matters - see qualifications below - but strong Ruby/Python fundamentals translate quickly
• High autonomy and ownership - You thrive in ambiguous environments, educate non-technical stakeholders, and own outcomes without needing detailed requirements or constant direction
• Continuous improvement mindset - You proactively identify areas for improvement in systems and processes without being asked, and drive initiatives to address them
• System design and reliability - You build resilient, well-tested systems with proper monitoring, rollout practices, and production stability for healthcare-critical workloads
• Product mindset - You think like a founder, balancing technical excellence with business outcomes, revenue, and patient impact. You see gaps as opportunities and help define what we build, not just how
• A bias toward velocity - You want to ship, see it working, and iterate. You feel the urgency of building something that patients and clinicians depend on
• Strategic technical leadership - You lead large, complex projects with clear business impact. You influence senior leaders on engineering strategy and make compelling recommendations on build vs. buy decisions and strategic technical investments
• A genuine appetite for ambiguity and ownership - You're energized by open questions and evolving standards. You don't wait to be handed a fully-scoped task - you enjoy taking ownership of the problem itself and figuring out the right way to solve it
• 9+ years of software development experience
• Expert-level proficiency in Ruby or Python
• 2+ years of hands-on, professional experience with Elixir
• Experience building and shipping high quality work and achieving high reliability
• Passionate about improving healthcare access and outcomes
• Experience improving quality through thoughtful code reviews, appropriate testing, proper rollout, and monitoring
• Experience working as one of the first engineers at an early-stage startup, or otherwise building without an established engineering org around you
• Deeper Elixir expertise, including Phoenix LiveView
• Experience with healthcare technology including data standards (FHIR, HL7, X12), EHR/vendor integrations, HIPAA-compliant systems for protected health information, and healthcare-specific APIs (clearinghouses, billing platforms)
• Not sure if you meet every requirement? Studies show that women and individuals from historically underrepresented communities are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every single qualification. At Papa Community, we are committed to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued, empowered, and supported. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply