Lead Backend Engineer (Systems Architecture / High-Scale)
Role summary
GeniusLaw, a legal-tech company, seeks a Lead Backend Engineer to architect and scale its platform. This remote-first role offers high ownership and impact, focusing on building robust systems for case management, document automation, payments, and AI workflows. The ideal candidate will have strong backend expertise, experience in scalable systems design, API development, database optimization, and asynchronous task processing. You will define technical direction, lead the engineering function, and collaborate with leadership on product and technical decisions in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
GeniusLaw – Lead Developer (Systems / Backend Architecture)
Well-capitalized legal-tech company seeks an exceptional developer to help architect and scale a platform redefining how legal services are delivered. We are specifically interested in candidates who have operated at a high level—whether at top-tier tech companies, advanced research environments, or equivalent—and are looking for an opportunity with greater ownership, speed, and impact.
If you are used to moving quickly, solving hard problems, and building systems that last—but are currently looking for something more meaningful than incremental work inside a large organization—this role is designed for you.
About Us
GeniusLaw operates across 38 states, partnering with law firms to deliver end-to-end client servicing. Our platform combines case management, document automation, payments, and AI-driven workflows into a unified system. We are live, growing, and processing real volume. The next phase is scale.
The Role
You will take ownership of core systems and help define the technical direction of the company.
- Architect and scale backend infrastructure (Python and supporting services where appropriate)
- Design systems for high-volume workflows and document automation
- Build APIs powering intake, payments, and AI-driven processes
- Work directly with leadership on product and technical decisions
- Lead and shape the engineering function as we grow
What We're Looking For
- Experience building complex, scalable systems end-to-end
- Background from high-performance environments (e.g., top-tier tech companies, research programs, or equivalent)
- Strong backend expertise and system design capability
- Ability to execute quickly without sacrificing long-term architecture
- Clear, direct communicator
Technical Priorities
- API design & documentation – Building clean contracts for intake, payments, and document automation integrations
- Database architecture & optimization – High-volume workflows, case state tracking, audit trails, query performance at scale
- Async task processing & queuing – Reliable background systems for document generation, AI agent invocations, payments reconciliation
Advanced degrees (BS/MS/PhD) are valued. Exceptional builders without formal credentials are equally welcome.
Why This Role
- High ownership: You will shape core systems, not maintain them
- Real-world complexity: Legal + financial + AI workflows at scale
- Speed: Decisions happen quickly, and your work ships
- Leverage: Small team, outsized impact
Compensation
- Base salary
- Meaningful equity participation
Logistics
- Remote-first (U.S. preferred)
- Built for autonomy and output
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $50,000.00 - $300,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Describe the most complex system you have personally architected or owned in production. What did you build, and what scale did it handle?
- Tell us about a time you built something significantly faster than expected without creating long-term problems. What tradeoffs did you make?
- What approaches have you used for handling high-volume backend workloads (e.g., async processing, queues, database performance)? Be specific.
- Why are you interested in a smaller, high-ownership role instead of a larger, more structured company?
Work Location: Remote