Senior Backend Engineer (.NET / AI Systems)

Pavago is connecting businesses with top talent, streamlining hiring processes, and providing comprehensive support for long-term success. We are seeking a senior, hands-on engineer who enjoys owning systems end-to-end to join our team in Nairobi. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in early-stage startup environments and is comfortable being the most experienced technical person on the team, balancing fast execution with long-term architectural thinking.

Responsibilities

Backend Architecture & Engineering

• Design, build, and maintain a .NET 8.0 / C# backend using Clean Architecture and DDD principles.
• Own the architecture and codebase across 14+ independently deployed microservices.
• Deliver new features, refactor existing systems, and resolve performance bottlenecks.

AI Systems & LLM Orchestration

• Design and operate production-grade AI pipelines across multiple LLM providers.
• Optimize prompts and workflows for batch processing, personalization, and segmentation at scale.
• Manage rate limits, failover strategies, and cost optimization across AI providers.

Databases & Data Infrastructure

• Manage MySQL, Redis, and MongoDB in production environments.
• Oversee bulk writes, caching strategies, event streams, and analytics pipelines.
• Ensure data consistency and performance across distributed services.

Infrastructure, Reliability & Monitoring

• Own Linux-based infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and service deployments.
• Implement centralized logging, monitoring, alerting, and uptime tracking.
• Proactively identify and mitigate reliability and scalability risks.

API Integrations & System Resilience

• Manage 25+ third-party API integrations used in production.
• Design retry, fallback, and graceful degradation strategies.
• Ensure system stability when external providers fail or degrade.

Team Leadership & Engineering Standards

• Lead and mentor a small engineering team through code reviews and architectural guidance.
• Set and enforce engineering standards, workflows, and best practices.
• Collaborate closely with the founder on product direction and technical strategy.

Requirements

What Makes You a Perfect Fit:

• You are a senior, hands-on engineer who enjoys owning systems end-to-end.
• You are comfortable being the most experienced technical person on the team.
• You balance fast execution with long-term architectural thinking.
• You take ownership of reliability, performance, and technical outcomes.
• You thrive in early-stage startup environments.

Required Experience & Skills:

• Deep expertise in .NET 8.0, C#, ASP.NET Core, and Entity Framework Core.
• Experience with distributed systems and independently deployed services.
• Strong production experience with MySQL, Redis, and MongoDB.
• Hands-on DevOps experience with Linux servers and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience managing large numbers of third-party API integrations.
• Proven experience building and operating AI/LLM systems at scale.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools and workflows.
• Strong understanding of monitoring, observability, and incident prevention.
• Experience leading small engineering teams.
• Strong English communication skills.
• Educational Qualification: BA/BSc/HND.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply online by visiting the following link: Pavago on apply.workable.com.