Backend Engineer

Raya is a private, membership-based community that connects people online to enrich their lives offline. Our mission is to help people discover and experience the world around them, using technology that prioritizes authenticity, curiosity, and quality real-world interactions.

We're looking for a new member of the Places Team - a small, fast-moving group that operates like a startup within Raya. The team is building the next generation of location-based and discovery experiences, shaping how our members explore, connect, and engage with the world around them. You'll be working with cutting-edge technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) - developing an AI chatbot, integrating LLMs into production workflows, and experimenting with AI-driven discovery and personalization.

At Raya, we value productivity, ownership, and execution. This is a role for someone who thrives in high-growth, startup-like environments, with a strong bias toward action and a proven ability to deliver without heavy management. You should be ready to contribute from day one, take initiative, and continuously push forward ambitious ideas that shape real-world experiences at scale.

What You'll Do

• Own and Deliver : Take full ownership of key features within Raya's Places Team, shaping how members discover and experience the world around them.
• Build with AI : Work hands-on with LLMs to develop intelligent systems - from chatbots to personalized discovery - and bring them into production at scale.
• Drive from Start to Finish : Architect, implement, launch, and iterate. You'll be accountable for performance, reliability, continuous improvement, and overcoming every obstacle that gets between you and shipping
• Collaborate Across Disciplines : Work closely with design, product, and data to turn bold ideas into seamless, user-facing experiences.
• Operate Like a Founder : You'll have autonomy, make quick decisions, and move fast to deliver measurable impact.

What We're Looking For

Nice-to-Haves