The posting
Who we are at Osmo:
Osmo is a digital olfaction company, on a mission to give computers a sense of smell to improve the health and wellbeing of human life. Why? Our sense of smell both enriches and saves lives, and has a deep and direct connection to our emotions and memory.
Olfactory Intelligence has applications across industries including fragrance, manufacturing, security, medicine, and more. We believe in the power of automation and thoughtfully applied AI/ML to solve problems beyond the reach of human intuition alone.
We're headquartered in Elizabeth, NJ, with an additional office in Somerville, MA. We provide complimentary shuttle service from Brooklyn and Newark, NJ.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Osmo's engineering team is currently junior, and we're looking for the senior backend voice to help it grow up. This is a backend-forward seat with a data component on the side, not a database architecture role: you'll own systems up through the API layer, bringing production judgment, on-call experience, and structured problem solving the team doesn't have yet.
You'll have the trust to question whether a big, ambiguous problem is even worth solving, and the autonomy to scope the right first chunk of it rather than diving straight into code. This isn't a scale or performance role at this stage. It's about laying a robust foundation, handling long-running requests and calls to systems that can fail, and building real recovery paths, not just happy-path code.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
- Own Backend Systems Through the API Layer — Handle the complexity underneath the API contract, not just define it.
- Bring Production Judgment — Take on monitoring and on-call responsibility, knowing what should be watched and why.
- Build for Failure, Not Just the Happy Path — Handle long-running requests and calls to other systems that might fail or crash, with real recovery paths.
- Lay the Foundation for Scale Later — Focus on robustness and foundational reliability now, not premature scale or performance optimization.
- Work With Data the Way a Backend Engineer Does — User-oriented data work, not database architecture.
- Be the Senior Backend Voice — Bring structured problem solving and production experience to a team that doesn't have it yet.
WHO YOU ARE:
- 6-15 Years of Non-Internship Experience — Staff-level backend engineer; internships, co-ops, and student roles don't count toward this.
- A Designer, Not Just an Implementer — Real system or workflow design ownership, not just "built X, shipped Y" without design-level involvement.
- Real Production Ownership — Has run services in production, including on-call and monitoring responsibility.
- Staff-Level Problem Solver — Can take a large, ambiguous problem, question whether it's the right one to solve at all, and scope a sensible first chunk instead of diving straight in.
- Comfortable Building the Foundation — Not chasing scale for its own sake; ready to do foundational reliability and robustness work first.
- Python and SQL baseline expected; TypeScript, Go, or Scala experience is a plus, not a requirement.
- NYC/NJ based.
WAYS TO STAND OUT:
- Mentorship Mindset — Experience leveling up a team, valuable given how junior Osmo's engineering team is today.
- Full-Stack Exposure — React/TypeScript experience, even though this isn't a full-stack role.
- Broader Systems Experience — Go or Scala exposure, as a signal of real distributed-systems depth.
What We Offer:
- Catered Lunch — Mon/Wed/Fri; Newark, NJ and Brooklyn shuttles
- 401(k) savings plan and employer match
- Competitive salary and meaningful equity in a high-growth company
- Flexible PTO and paid family leave
- Commuter benefits (pre-tax transit and parking)
If this role inspires you we’d encourage you to apply. We are committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining an incredible team optimized for a diversity of thought, background, and approaches.
Every posting lists the pay range and benefits for that role. Where you land in the range depends on skills, experience, scope, and internal equity. Full time employees receive a total rewards package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, a healthcare FSA, a 401(k) with company match, flexible paid time off, paid family leave, company holidays, and commuter benefits. Eligible roles also receive equity, which is subject to the terms of the equity plan and board approval and is not guaranteed. Applicants and employees may ask about and discuss their pay without retaliation.
Equal Employment Opportunity: Osmo is an equal opportunity employer. We hire, develop, and promote based on skills, experience, and potential, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, nationality, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related conditions, gender identity or expression, transgender status, sexual orientation, marital, civil union, or domestic partnership status, familial or caregiver status, disability, genetic information, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, military or veteran status, liability for military service, hair texture or protective hairstyle, arrest or conviction record consistent with applicable law, unemployment status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. This commitment covers every part of employment, including hiring, job assignment, compensation, discipline, benefits, and training.
Accommodations: If you need an accommodation to apply or interview, tell us at [email protected]. Your request is confidential and will not affect how we evaluate you. Please reach out before your first interview so we can plan with you.
Recruiting & Staffing Agencies: Osmo does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Please do not send resumes to Osmo employees or any Osmo address. Osmo is not responsible for fees on unsolicited submissions unless the Talent Acquisition team has engaged you directly in writing.
Work authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Each posting states whether visa sponsorship for employment is available for that role. All new hires must complete identity and employment eligibility verification (Form I-9) after an offer is accepted.
