Backend Engineer

As Backend Engineer (m/f/d) you will own a key position on our engineering team, building the software that powers Bliq’s driverless operations. You’ll work across a range of product-facing and internal systems, including backend services and web applications, helping shape both what we build and how we build it.

Your tasks and responsibilities are just as demanding as diverse:

• Implement cutting-edge, end-user-facing features driven by user feedback and our product roadmap, across both backend systems and web applications
• Develop and architect backend services and internal tooling that support our driverless stack
• Drive key technological decisions around system architecture and the broader tech stack
• Use AI tools thoughtfully to boost your own productivity and the team’s, not as a replacement for engineering judgment, but as a force multiplier for shipping faster and better

You are right for this role if you are an entrepreneur at heart and always build with the bigger picture in mind. You are right if you embrace the opportunity of joining a company still moving fast and redefining its product. You should apply immediately if you are not afraid to work hands-on and deeply involve yourself in every single aspect of building a successful product. In particular, we look for:

• A proven track record of at least 5 years of post-degree professional software delivery using JavaScript/TypeScript as part of an engineering team
• Ability to take ownership of technical challenges and turn them into reliable shipped solutions
• Strong backend, systems, or DevOps engineering experience.
• Familiarity and experience with our core stack built on Node.js and MongoDB.
• Hands-on experience building web applications, ideally with React or similar frontend frameworks
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, distributed systems, Linux-based environments, networking, containers, or infrastructure automation.
• Practical experience using AI coding tools (e.g. Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor) to accelerate development with the judgment to know when and how much to rely on them
• Ideally previous experience in a startup-like or fast-moving product environment
• Bonus: curiosity about or prior exposure to autonomous vehicle systems, fleet management, or safety-critical software
• Self-motivated attitude, energetic & entrepreneurial
• Focused on getting things done rather than perfecting them
• Degree-level education in a technical major, preferably Computer Science
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written

1. Read the job description carefully. Don’t just fire off a generic application. You are then just wasting your time and ours.
2. Share relevant work samples. This matters more than a polished CV.
3. Briefly explain what you bring to the table as a candidate: How is your skill set driving value for the company? How are you making our team stronger?
4. Don’t let AI speak for you. We receive 1000’s of applications, most of them written by AI. They all sound the same. Use AI to polish your language or fix your grammar, but don’t let it do the thinking for you.

Why us?

• Be vital in building a real driverless vehicle operation from scratch.
• Your code goes into vehicles and the systems around them fast.
• Help define the architecture, not just implement it
• Work directly with the founders
• No politics, no corporate layers, no endless meetings
• Massive ownership from day one
• Competitive salary and meaningful equity for exceptional people
• Based in Berlin, building globally relevant technology

With Bliq, we are working to bring driverless mobility to European cities.

We started out as a ride hailing company and since our launch, have already processed more than 50+ million trip offers from hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Having established a strong presence in 7 markets across Europe, Bliq is now expanding onto the next frontier: to launch a driverless vehicle service from the ground up. After years of technology development and rigourous testing, this expansion marks a significant milestone as we bring our innovative approach to urban mobility to cities worldwide. Backed by a total funding of more than $35m from notable investors such as NEA and Atlantic Labs, Bliq is poised to redefine the future of ride-hailing.

We already have colleagues from a total of 12 countries, a truly international, diverse, and open-minded team. We value teamwork, entrepreneurial spirit, and technology. We work and play equally hard. We’ve grown 20 times over the past 12 months while improving the lives of thousands of drivers and passengers, and we’ve got global expansion plans. If you’ve ever wanted to join a super-star team and change the world for the better, this is your chance. Apply now, let’s get to know each other!