Lead Backend Engineer

Sleip is entering a growth phase and is looking for a Lead Backend Engineer to take technical ownership of the Backend architecture and cloud infrastructure. In this role, you will help build the structures needed to support continued international growth, complex AI and computer vision workloads, and a more scalable platform.

About Sleip

Sleip is a fast-growing startup backed by private and strategic investors, reshaping the equine health industry with cutting-edge AI and mobile technology. We’re on a mission to deliver objective, data-driven gait analysis that transforms how equine health is managed. Headquartered in Stockholm, our innovative app has already empowered over 1000 veterinary professionals worldwide, and we’re just getting started. Our leadership team, including visionary founders with deep expertise in both technology and veterinary science, and a recently appointed CEO from AniCura, is committed to creating impact through relentless innovation and collaboration.

About The Role

We are looking for a Lead Backend Engineer to take ownership of a business-critical backend domain at Sleip. This is a hands-on lead role where you will help shape how the platform evolves as the company scales, with a strong focus on architecture, reliability and long-term technical quality.

You will work closely with the CTO and collaborate across product, AI, Computer Vision, frontend and mobile teams. The role does not include formal line management responsibility, but it requires previous experience leading technical work, coaching colleagues and driving progress in complex backend environments.

Sleip’s backend ecosystem is built on GCP infrastructure using Python, TypeScript, with infrastructure orchestrated via Terraform, Docker and Kubernetes (GKE). The role also includes initiatives across RBAC, security hardening, observability, CI/CD, cloud cost optimization and integrations with external systems.

Key Responsibilities

As Lead Backend Engineer, you will translate Sleip’s technical and product needs into scalable backend solutions. You will contribute across architecture, infrastructure, data flows and operational improvements, while helping the team establish clear standards and effective ways of working.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Owning and developing Sleip’s backend architecture, cloud infrastructure and core backend applications.
• Leading technical direction and engineering standards within the backend domain.
• Designing backend solutions for data-heavy, AI-driven and computer vision workloads.
• Driving initiatives related to access control, security, observability, deployment and cost optimization.
• Supporting reliable data pipelines, integrations and backend services that enable continued product growth.

Who You Are

We are looking for an experienced backend engineer with previous experience leading technical work, either as a Tech Lead, Lead Backend Engineer, Backend Architect or in a senior role with clear ownership of technical direction and delivery. You are comfortable setting direction, coaching colleagues and taking responsibility for a technical domain in a fast-moving environment.

You combine strong engineering expertise with a pragmatic and collaborative mindset. You communicate clearly, create structure where needed and enjoy working close to product, AI and engineering teams. You are curious, adaptable and motivated by learning new things as technical needs evolve. You also bring a strong product mindset and an interest in applying high-performance engineering to veterinary science and animal welfare.

From a technical perspective, you should have:

• Extensive experience designing and operating high-volume, low-latency distributed systems and cloud infrastructure, including technologies such as Kubernetes and custom autoscaling.
• Extensive knowledge of GCP.
• Deep expertise in database architecture, spanning both relational and document-oriented databases.
• Proficiency in modern backend languages such as Python and TypeScript and Infrastructure as Code (e.g. Terraform).
• Practical experience conceptualizing and deploying Agentic Workflows, integrating LLMs with operational tools and data warehouses like BigQuery.

How to Apply

If you would like more information or have questions about the position, you are welcome to contact our recruitment consultant Elin Lidström or Henrik Dellgren at Novare, email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Location: Stockholm, Sweden (Onsite)