Tech Lead / Senior Staff Software Engineer (Modeling, APIs)

About the role

Octopai, a fast-growing data intelligence company acquired by Cloudera, offers automated data lineage, cataloging and discovery. As its platform grows, it needs an experienced Tech Lead to guide the architecture and development of the core modeling and API layer. You will own the design and evolution of metadata modeling, domain structures and API infrastructure, combining hands-on engineering with deep technical leadership.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the backend engineering team in designing, developing and delivering the modeling and API infrastructure.
• Own the architecture of the metadata model, including data assets, transformations, lineage, governance and operational metadata.
• Define technical direction and best practices for API versioning, extensibility and enterprise-grade integrations.
• Collaborate with Product and leadership to turn platform requirements into scalable solutions.
• Mentor engineers and promote TDD, CI/CD, peer reviews and clean architecture.
• Ensure API security, performance and reliability across hybrid (SaaS and on-premise) deployments.
• Drive SDKs, documentation standards and partner-facing integration frameworks.
• Partner with infrastructure and DevOps teams so APIs are deployable, observable and maintainable.
• Represent the Modeling & APIs domain in cross-team architectural forums.

Required profile

• 12+ years of backend engineering experience, with at least 2+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience leading API-first platforms, domain modeling systems or core backend infrastructure.
• Strong programming in C# (.NET) and Java, and familiarity with modern backend design patterns.
• Hands-on experience with RESTful APIs, distributed services and scalable backend architectures.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, metadata systems, graph-based relationships or domain-driven design.
• Strong communication skills and ability to mentor engineers and influence stakeholders.

Required skills

• SQL and NoSQL databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, ArangoDB or similar)
• Messaging and streaming systems (Kafka, Redis, etc.)
• API lifecycle management: versioning, backward compatibility, governance, developer experience
• Nice to have: data lineage and metadata platforms, graph databases, OpenAPI, API gateways, ElasticSearch/Solr, open-source contributions

What we offer

• Hybrid work arrangement
• Generous PTO policy and Unplugged Days
• Mental and physical wellness programs
• Phone and internet reimbursement
• Career development access, comprehensive benefits and paid volunteer time

The role is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.