Software Development Lead

[Applicants: Over 200 applicants | Industry: Staffing and Recruiting and Energy Technology | Type: Full-time | Level: Mid-Senior level] Software Development Lead | Building the AI-Native Future of Critical InfrastructurePreferred locations: Chicago, Austin, Nashville (Open to Remote)I’m partnered with an early-stage AI startup building agentic systems for the energy and utility sector; developing real, production-grade AI that powers predictive operations and real-time optimization at scale.They’re replacing decades-old legacy systems with secure, intelligent, cloud-native platforms and are looking for a Software Development Lead who wants to build real-world systems that actually power society, not just dashboards.This is a hands-on leadership role for a builder who’s excited to bring AI into production at scale and lead a small, high-impact engineering team.What You’ll Be DoingLead and scale a high-impact engineering team while partnering closely with product and leadershipDesign and build APIs, services, and distributed systems that form the backbone of a next-generation AI platformIntegrate models, embeddings, and agent services into secure, enterprise-grade backend systemsTransform legacy workflows into scalable, cloud-native architecturesShip meaningful features in weeks, not quarters, without sacrificing reliability or securityBuild systems that meet the bar for regulated, mission-critical environmentsWhat They’re Looking For10+ years of backend engineering experience in SaaS or enterprise environments3+ years leading engineering teamsStrong system design and distributed architecture skillsComfort working with AI APIs and productionizing model outputsOwnership mindset with a track record of building and leading from the frontTech EnvironmentBackend: Python, Golang, or JavaFrontend: ReactCloud: AWS, Azure, or GCPData and Systems: SQL/NoSQL, message queues, distributed servicesAI: API-driven models, embeddings, and agent frameworksWhy This RoleCompetitive compensation and meaningful equityDirect impact in a mission-critical industrySmall, high-caliber team with real ownership and autonomyFull benefits, remote flexibility, and 401k matchFront-row seat to the AI transformation of critical infrastructure