Principal Backend Engineer|Architect at LUDEX

Job description

Principal Backend Engineer | Architect Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid – 1 day/week in-office) Company: Ludex, Inc. About Ludex Ludex is a consumer-facing technology platform transforming the sports and trading card hobby through AI-driven scanning, data, and marketplace tools. We build products used by millions of collectors and enterprise sellers, and we move fast. If you thrive in a startup environment where ownership, velocity, and impact matter, you’ll feel at home here. Role Overview We are seeking a hands-on Principal Engineer to help design, build, and scale the backend systems that power Ludex’s consumer and Enterprise products. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who enjoys building high-performance, scalable applications, working close to the product, and operating with an entrepreneurial mindset. You will play a critical role in architecture decisions, performance optimization, and the evolution of our platform as we scale users, data volume, and revenue. This role requires a high level of ownership and autonomy. You will be responsible for making key backend architecture decisions and driving execution in a fast-moving startup environment. Key Responsibilities • Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services using Node.js, NestJS, and TypeScript • Build and optimize APIs that support consumer-facing products and enterprise workflows • Design, manage, and optimize PostgreSQL databases and data models for performance and reliability • Work with AWS infrastructure (e.g., EC2, RDS, S3, Lambda, CloudWatch, etc.) • Collaborate closely with frontend engineers, product, and other teams to deliver end-to-end features • Ensure high standards for code quality, efficiency, security, and performance • Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks across services and databases • Participate in architecture discussions and contribute to long-term technical strategy • Support deployments, monitoring, and system reliability in production environments • Thrive in a fast-paced startup environment , balancing speed with sound engineering judgment Required Qualifications • 7+ years of professional backend engineering experience • Strong proficiency with Node.js and TypeScript • Hands-on experience with NestJS or similar backend frameworks • Deep experience working with relational databases , particularly PostgreSQL • Proven experience building and scaling consumer-facing applications • Experience working with AWS in production environments • Strong understanding of API design, data modeling, and system architecture • Ability to write clean, efficient, maintainable, and well-tested code • Strong ability to independently evaluate technical approaches and make architecture decisions in a startup environment. • Proven experience owning backend systems end-to-end, including design, implementation, deployment, and ongoing evolution. • Comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-moving environments with evolving requirements • Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset Nice to Have • DevOps experience , including CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, or deployment automation • Experience with system monitoring, observability, and performance tuning • Experience supporting high-scale or data-intensive applications • Prior startup or high-growth company experience Work Environment • Hybrid role : must be able to work in-office in Chicago at least 1 day per week • Collaborative, hands-on engineering culture • Small team, high ownership, and real influence on product direction Why Ludex • Build products used by millions of passionate collectors • High-impact role with real ownership and visibility • Opportunity to shape architecture and engineering standards • Fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment without heavy bureaucracy

Requirements

Must-haves

Principal Backend Engineer | Architect
Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid – 1 day/week in-office)
Company: Ludex, Inc.
You will play a critical role in architecture decisions, performance optimization, and the evolution of our platform as we scale users, data volume, and revenue.
This role requires a high level of ownership and autonomy. You will be responsible for making key backend architecture decisions and driving execution in a fast-moving startup environment.
Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services using Node.js, NestJS, and TypeScript
Build and optimize APIs that support consumer-facing products and enterprise workflows
Design, manage, and optimize PostgreSQL databases and data models for performance and reliability
Work with AWS infrastructure (e.g., EC2, RDS, S3, Lambda, CloudWatch, etc.)
Collaborate closely with frontend engineers, product, and other teams to deliver end-to-end features
Ensure high standards for code quality, efficiency, security, and performance
Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks across services and databases

Nice-to-haves

DevOps experience , including CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, or deployment automation
Experience with system monitoring, observability, and performance tuning
Experience supporting high-scale or data-intensive applications
Prior startup or high-growth company experience
Work Environment
Hybrid role : must be able to work in-office in Chicago at least 1 day per week
Collaborative, hands-on engineering culture
Small team, high ownership, and real influence on product direction
Build products used by millions of passionate collectors
High-impact role with real ownership and visibility
Opportunity to shape architecture and engineering standards
Fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment without heavy bureaucracy

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

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Effort: medium