Senior Backend Engineer (Python, AI, EdTech)

Location: Belgrade, Serbia Workplace: remote At Novakid, we’re building the world’s most engaging online English-learning platform for kids. With 80,000+ students and 2,500+ teachers across 15+ countries, we’ve proven the demand. Now we’re scaling up — and we want you to help us design and build the future of AI-driven education. We’re not just writing code. We’re creating a smart, personalized learning experience powered by modern AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.), robust backend systems, and a passionate team that believes in changing how children learn. Your role We’re looking for a Senior+ Backend Engineer who’s ready to step beyond coding and take technical leadership responsibilities within our core platform team. You’ll be shaping architecture, mentoring engineers, and making strategic technical decisions that will directly influence how millions of kids learn languages. This is a hybrid role that combines: Deep hands-on coding in Python & modern backend technologies. Architectural leadership, designing scalable, reliable systems. What you’ll do Lead the design and evolution of our backend architecture (microservices, event-driven systems, AWS serverless, data pipelines). Drive technical decisions and ensure best practices in code quality, security, and scalability. Mentor and support backend developers, reviewing code and helping them grow as engineers. Design and build robust APIs and data flows powering AI-driven language learning features. Partner with Product and Data Science teams to turn cutting-edge AI models into real-world educational experiences. Anticipate technical risks, propose solutions, and balance speed with long-term scalability. What you bring 5+ years of professional backend engineering experience (Python 3.8+ is a must) Proven track record in system design, architecture, and scaling distributed systems. Strong knowledge of PostgreSQL, Redis, FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, Celery. Hands-on experience with microservices & AWS serverless stack (Lambda, SQS/SNS, EventBridge, etc.). Solid understanding of software engineering best practices: code reviews, testing, CI/CD, observability, security. Experience mentoring developers or leading technical initiatives. Fluent English (we work across 15+ countries). Nice to have Background in startups or high-growth environments. Exposure to edtech or e-commerce platforms. Interest in data-intensive systems Why join us? Shape the future of AI-powered education for kids worldwide. 100% remote, flexible schedule (core hours GMT+3). A small, highly skilled team where your decisions have direct impact. A culture of ownership, trust, and learning — we want you to grow into a Tech Lead / Architect role. Unlimited paid time off. Competitive compensation, bonuses, and stock options — we succeed together.