--- title: 'Lead Backend Software Engineer at Beacon AI' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-backend-software-engineer-beacon-ai-san-carlos-vdty6898rr41' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-06' --- # Lead Backend Software Engineer at Beacon AI - **Company:** Beacon AI - **Location:** San Carlos, CA - **Compensation:** $185k–$260k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2026-08-27 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/beaconai/0d73c33f-d71d-407e-9dd4-19a56e768e15 ## Job description ## ABOUT BEACON AI We’re a fast-moving team of aviators, engineers, and operators building an AI platform to make flying safer, more efficient, and more capable. Backed by top investors, we’ve secured a dozen Department of Defense contracts and partnered with major airlines to deliver mission-critical systems. We operate without silos or heavy processes. Small, focused teams own what they build, ship quickly, and learn fast, pushing the boundaries of how humans and AI work together in aviation. ## Role Overview We are seeking a Lead Backend Software Engineer to design, build, and scale the backend systems that power our flight safety platform. In this role, you will take ownership of backend services, APIs, and data pipelines, balancing hands-on development with technical leadership. You’ll work closely with product and cross-functional teams to deliver reliable, secure, and scalable systems that support mission-critical, real-world applications. ## What You’ll Do - Architect, build, and maintain backend services and distributed systems that support mission-critical applications. - Design and implement secure, scalable APIs for internal and external integrations, including real-time data streaming and support for web and mobile clients. - Build and optimize data pipelines for efficient ingestion, processing, and access to time-series and multimedia data. - Own backend system reliability, performance, and scalability in production environments. - Lead technical design discussions and contribute to code reviews and architectural decisions. - Troubleshoot and resolve complex backend and cloud infrastructure issues to ensure high availability. - Take ownership of backend features or systems from concept through delivery, working closely with product and cross-functional partners. What Will Make You Successful - 5+ years of experience designing and implementing backend services, APIs, and distributed systems in production environments. - Fluency in modern backend languages such as Python and JavaScript/TypeScript (Node.js http://node.js). - Proven experience building, scaling, and operating backend infrastructure. - Strong ownership mindset, with experience driving end-to-end systems and features from design through deployment. - Ability to operate effectively in evolving environments while maintaining high standards for quality and reliability. - Experience building or working with data pipelines and backend systems handling large-scale or real-time data. Bonus Points - Passion for aviation and a desire to improve air travel efficiency and safety. - Familiarity with machine learning workflows or data-intensive systems. - Experience working with big data tools or large-scale data processing frameworks. - Background in DevOps or DevSecOps, including automating infrastructure and improving system reliability and security. Work Location This is a hybrid role based in San Carlos, CA, with 3+ days per week onsite and the option to work remotely on remaining days. ## Perks & Benefits (Full-Time Employees) - Healthcare: 100%* of employee medical premiums covered; 25% for dependents - Time Off: 3 weeks PTO plus 13+ paid company holidays - 401(k): Offered (no current employer match, but we are committed to enhancing this benefit in the future) Due to U.S. export control regulations, we can only hire U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, Green Card holders, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum or refugee status). We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support visa transfers. All work must be performed in the United States. Beacon AI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit harassment or discrimination of any kind in the workplace and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. ## About Beacon AI ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Beacon AI builds an AI Copilot for pilots to enhance flight safety and operational efficiency, serving commercial airlines, defense fleets, and aircraft operators. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A – $15M led by Costanoa Ventures, August 2024) - **Headquarters**: San Carlos, California, USA - **Founded**: 2021 - **Founders**: Matt Cox (Co‑Founder & CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Aviation software / AI‑powered pilot assistance - **Target Customers**: Airlines, Public & Government Fleets, Air Charter Operators, Corporate Flight Departments, OEMs, System Integrators - **Mission Statement**: “An AI Assistant or Copilot in every professional flight deck; pulling forward the future.” – Beacon AI ## Products & Services - **Safety Net**: AI‑driven procedures, checklists, configuration management, and pilot safety system (alerts, compliance monitoring) - **Coach**: In‑flight debrief and playback, live flight support, fleet monitoring, third‑party integration - **Superhuman**: Route optimization, divert calculations, and performance analytics – all running as a hardware‑lite onboard assistant ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total funding – **$21.25M** (Series A $15M, Seed $5M, Grant $1.2M, Pre‑Seed) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Costanoa Ventures (lead), Sam Altman (Apollo Projects / Hydrazine), JetBlue Ventures, Scout Ventures, Lachy Groom, Mischief, Countdown Capital - **Growth Signals**: - Signed a **$49.5M Phase 3 Prototype OTA** with USSOCOM to bring first‑of‑its‑kind pilot assistant to production - Awarded a **U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command** contract (April 2026) - Employee count grew ~7.4% month‑over‑month (current ~18‑19 employees) - Job postings increased **+72.7% monthly** and **+137.5% quarterly** as of mid‑2026 ## Competitive Advantages - **Unique team blend**: Founders and engineers combine deep professional pilot experience with self‑driving car software expertise (e.g., autonomous driving, military aviation backgrounds) - **Hardware‑lite AI assistant**: Differentiates from traditional avionics by focusing on intelligent software augmentation rather than complex hardware integration - **Defense‑grade contracts**: Early validation from USSOCOM and U.S. Air Force demonstrates trust in safety‑critical environments ## Strategic Focus - Scaling production of the AI Copilot for both defense and commercial fleets - Expanding integrations with aircraft systems and third‑party platforms - Aggressively hiring across engineering (backend, iOS, AI/LLM, cloud infrastructure, frontend) and business roles to meet contract demand ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Ratings**: 5.0/5.0 on LinkedIn (6 reviews); Career 5.0, Culture 4.8, Compensation 4.6 – employees highlight challenging work and high growth - **Work Environment**: In‑office (onsite) at San Carlos, CA; small, tight‑knit team (≈19 people) - **Notable Perks / Engineering**: Work on cutting‑edge AI for aviation safety with direct impact on pilots and passengers; cross‑discipline collaboration (aviation, AI, software) - **Open Roles** (as of mid‑2026): Lead Backend Engineer, iOS/Mobile Engineer (EFB, Health Wearable), AI/LLM Engineer (multiple levels), Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, Frontend Engineer, Product Designer, and more ## Sources 1. [beaconai.co](https://beaconai.co/) 2. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/beacon-ai) 3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/beacon-ai) 4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/beacon-ai) 5. [jobs.beaconai.co](https://jobs.beaconai.co/) ## Other roles at Beacon AI - [Software Engineer, iOS/Mobile](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ios-mobile-beacon-ai-san-carlos-04xyxzvw72c7) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, iOS/Mobile - Health Wearable](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ios-mobile-health-wearable-beacon-ai-san-carlos-xcjjtmtsffje) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, iOS/Mobile - Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ios-mobile-electronic-flight-bag-efb-beacon-ai-san-carlos-mnj0z60t6gx5) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, Cloud Infrastructure (Multiple Seniority Levels)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-cloud-infrastructure-multiple-seniority-levels-beacon-ai-san-4skwkbvt0q4v) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, Advanced Pilot Assistant Software (Autonomy/Robotics)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-advanced-pilot-assistant-software-autonomy-robotics-beacon-ai-8nq0ne21s15d) — San Carlos, CA - [Lead Software Engineer, Advanced Pilot Assistant Software (Autonomy/Robotics)](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-software-engineer-advanced-pilot-assistant-software-autonomy-robotics-yz6q73gaa6nx) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, Backend](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-beacon-ai-san-carlos-ktrttmr6dzk6) — San Carlos, CA - [Lead Software Engineer, Frontend/Web App](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-software-engineer-frontend-web-app-beacon-ai-san-carlos-b48nrxxapxjh) — San Carlos, CA - [Software Engineer, Frontend/Web App](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-frontend-web-app-beacon-ai-san-carlos-0g90cx3ebsb8) — San Carlos, CA - [Head of Legal](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-legal-beacon-ai-san-carlos-j77c7j2yv4rg) — San Carlos, CA