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Work Schedule: EST | Flexible hours with US overlap

About

Pearl works with the top 1% of candidates from around the world and connects them with the best startups in the US and EU. Our clients have raised over $5B in aggregate and are backed by companies like OpenAI, a16z, and Founders Fund.

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About the Client

A Boston-based life sciences venture firm is building a genomic sequencing and consumer health data platform, and is looking for a Backend Engineer to architect and build the platform’s backend from scratch.

The platform is a new spinout that will bring genomic data, wearable data, lab results, and health records into one consumer product. It is at the pre-product stage, and an experienced frontend lead has just joined as the first technical hire.

About the Role

The Backend Engineer is the second technical hire and works directly with the frontend lead and the firm’s leadership. Day to day, the role covers API design, data pipelines for large genomic inputs, PostgreSQL data models, and AWS infrastructure. Scope is broad at first and narrows as the team grows. Success means sharing API contracts and data shapes with the frontend before build starts, and delivering pipelines that are reproducible and recoverable. The engagement starts as a contract through Pearl and converts to full-time employment once the company is fully established.

Core ResponsibilitiesBackend Services & APIs

• Design, build, and maintain RESTful APIs using Node.js, TypeScript, and Fastify.
• Define API contracts and data shapes with the frontend engineer before implementation.
• Implement authentication and authorization using AWS Cognito or an equivalent.
• Build backend services that handle large-scale data requests securely and reliably.

Data Pipelines

• Develop reproducible, recoverable pipelines for large, inconsistent genomic data inputs.
• Write parsing and transformation logic for third-party vendor outputs.
• Harden pipelines against failures so they recover without manual intervention.
• Optimize pipeline performance as data volume grows.

Database & Cloud Infrastructure

• Design PostgreSQL schemas and data models for genomic and health data.
• Architect AWS infrastructure using infrastructure-as-code (CDK or CloudFormation).
• Set up secure storage systems for sensitive healthcare data.
• Collaborate with the frontend engineer on deployment workflows.

Security & Data Governance

• Implement role-based access controls and data encryption for sensitive health data.
• Apply healthcare security and compliance requirements to architecture decisions.

RequirementsMust-Have

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience, including building backend systems from scratch at an early-stage startup
• Production experience with Node.js and TypeScript building RESTful APIs
• Built data pipelines that process large, inconsistent data inputs, with reproducibility and failure recovery
• PostgreSQL schema design and data modeling
• AWS deployment and infrastructure experience
• Implemented authentication and authorization systems (AWS Cognito, Auth0, or OAuth)
• English at C1+ CEFR level for daily work with the frontend lead and firm leadership

Nice-to-Have

• Bioinformatics or genomic data processing experience
• AWS CDK or CloudFormation infrastructure-as-code experience
• Fastify framework experience
• Healthcare or regulated-industry experience
• Full-stack familiarity with Next.js

Benefits

• Competitive Salary: Based on experience and skills

• Remote Work: Fully remote—work from anywhere
• Team Incentives: Recognition for maintaining 100% CRM hygiene and on-time reporting
• Generous PTO: In accordance with company policy
• Health Coverage for PH-based talents: HMO coverage after 3 months for full-time employees
• Direct Mentorship: Guidance from international industry experts
• Learning & Development: Ongoing access to resources for professional growth
• Global Networking: Connect with professionals worldwide

Our Recruitment Process

1. Application
2. Screening
3. Skills Assessment
4. Topgrading Interview
5. Client Interview
6. Job Offer
7. Client Onboarding

Ready to Join Us?

If you’re empathetic, organized, and passionate about improving patient experiences through operational excellence, this role is for you. Apply now to help make specialized healthcare more accessible to patients across the U.S.