Principal Backend Engineer (AI-Driven)

Job Title: Principal Backend Engineer

Experience: 7+ Years

Location: Panchkula (Onsite)

📍 Office will move to IT Park, Chandigarh from February

Work Mode: Onsite | 5 Days a Week

About the Role

We are looking for a Principal Backend Engineer to architect, scale, and lead the development of robust backend systems. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll drive technical decisions, mentor engineers, collaborate closely with clients and product teams, and help modernize platforms using scalable architectures and emerging technologies, including AI/ML where relevant.

Tech Stack

• Backend: PHP (Laravel / CodeIgniter), Node.js
• Databases: MySQL, MongoDB
• Architecture: Microservices / Modular Monolith
• Cloud (Good to Have): AWS / GCP

Key Responsibilities

Backend Architecture & Development

• Own and evolve backend architecture across PHP and Node.js services
• Design and review scalable, maintainable systems (microservices or modular monoliths)
• Manage and optimize integrations across MySQL and MongoDB (data modeling, indexing, performance tuning)

Technical Leadership

• Lead system design discussions, architecture reviews, and code quality initiatives
• Establish backend development standards, best practices, and documentation
• Mentor mid and senior engineers on design patterns, testing strategies, and CI/CD pipelines
• Drive decisions around refactoring legacy systems and platform modernization

Client & Stakeholder Communication

• Act as the technical SPOC for backend architecture and integrations
• Translate business and product requirements into technical solutions
• Explain trade-offs, constraints, and backend workflows to non-technical stakeholders
• Present PoCs and technical approaches confidently to clients

AI & ML Integration (Strategic / Optional)

• Identify backend use cases for AI such as personalization, recommendations, fraud detection, or data enrichment
• Design backend APIs, services, or cron jobs that interact with AI/ML models
• Collaborate with data teams and stay updated on AI tools/APIs (e.g., OpenAI, LangChain)

Scalability, Security & Performance

• Ensure API security, role-based access control, and rate limiting
• Optimize system performance using caching, queues, and query optimization
• Plan and support horizontal/vertical scaling on cloud infrastructure

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ years of backend development experience in PHP and/or Node.js
• Strong expertise in database design (MySQL & MongoDB)
• Proven experience leading architecture decisions and mentoring engineers
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to clients and stakeholders
• Proactive mindset toward scalability, performance, and system resilience
• Bonus: Experience or curiosity around AI APIs and real-world AI integration

Why Join uEngage?

• Work on high-impact systems used by thousands of users
• Collaborate with product, design, data, and client teams
• High ownership and freedom to architect and innovate
• Competitive compensation and a collaborative work culture

Mandatory Skills - 4 years in Nodejs, JavaScript, Express.js, MongoDB, Data Structures, Algorithms

"Expertise in Node.js Web frameworks like Meteor, Express, and Kraken.JS

Expertise in building highly scalable web services using Node.js, Create REST API with the help of Node middleware

Deep understanding of REST and API design

Experience designing APIs for consistency, simplicity, and extensibility.

Expertise with JavaScript testing frameworks like Jasmine, Quit, Mocha, Sinnon and Chai.

Expertise with building tools like Web pack, gulp, and grunt.

Integration of various application components

Experience in various phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) such as requirements

analysis, design, and implementation in an agile environment, etc.

• Actively participate in all the Scrum Ceremonies
• Build efficient, testable, and reusable PHP modules / applications
• Document the functionality developed.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and make constructive suggestions for change.
• Provide deliverables with high quality by the committed timeline

• Must have good experience in Symfony Framework otherwise in ZendFramework / Laravel.
• Candidate must have Strong command in Mysql, Mongodb etc.
• Ability to apply OOP concepts during development.
• Must have Hands-on experience in AWS Services
• Must have Hands-on experience in code versioning tools, such as Git.
• Exposure and experience working in Agile methodology.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and love technical challenges.

• 3-5 Years of experience in Backend Development.
• Must have experience in Python (FLASK framework).
• Have a Deep understanding of how RESTful APIs work.
• Familiar with various design and architectural patterns that can work at scale.
• Sound knowledge of NoSQL/SQL Databases (Mongo DB preferred).
• Strong experience with at-Cloud technology, preferably AWS or GCP, or Azure.
• Core experience in developing complex backend systems.
• Communicating complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Passionate about application scalability, availability, reliability, and security.