Why this role as Backend Engineer at Rollo.ai matters
At Rollo.ai, we build AI systems that run in production, but great AI starts with great software. As a backend engineer, you will be the foundation of that. Your first mission is to migrate a legacy Java monolith into a clean, distributed DDD architecture combined with advanced CI/CD. You won't just move the mess, you will clean it up, restructure it and build the platform that future AI services will run on, you own the work end-to-end, you write your own tickets, estimate your delivery and clearly communicate all decisions involved. The autonomy is real and so is the impact.
About Rollo.ai
Rollo.ai is Antwerp's no-nonsense AI agency. We build tailored AI agents that bulldoze busywork so teams can focus on what really matters. Our crew is a tight-knit mix of engineers and strategists who turn ambitious ideas into reliable systems. We're obsessed with impact, allergic to fluff, and believe the best tech is built by people who are curious, honest, and not afraid to push boundaries.
What you will do as Backend Engineer
- Communicate with precision across domains: write clear technical proposals, ask the right questions before writing a line of code, and align stakeholders across services and teams. We treat clear thinking and clear writing as engineering skills, not soft extras.
- Design and implement clean, well-structured services in a monorepo setup with modern CI/CD pipelines.
- Bridge business problems and technical architecture across services, across domains, across teams.
- Use AI tooling daily: generate code, accelerate pull requests and apply 'vibe coding' in a controlled, professional way.
- Write your own tickets, estimates and technical analysis. We are a team where everyone thinks before they code and plans before they build.
- Build towards the future: once the foundation is solid, contribute to the AI services, gateways and monitoring layers that sit on top of it.
- Optimize relentlessly: improve performance, scalability, latency, and cost of existing generative AI models and pipelines.
- Make the complex simple: write clear documentation and explain solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Multiply your impact: share best practices, mentor teammates, and help raise our collective level.
Skills & Experience
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or a related field (PhD is a plus, not a must).
- Medior-level software engineering experience.
- Strong Python skills and hands-on experience with FastAPI or similar frameworks.
- Ability to read and navigate Java codebases. You don't need to write new Java code but must be able to understand and extract logic from existing code.
- Solid grasp of Domain-Driven Design and distributed system principles.
- Experience with or strong interest in monorepo setups and modern CI/CD practices. Good grasp of data structures, algorithms, and software engineering principles.
- Comfortable working with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, …) and modern development practices.
- Strong written and spoken English.
Nice to have
- Experience working in agile environments and managing software projects.
- Previous experience in a small, high-impact company similar to Rollo.
- Kubernetes and container orchestration experience.
- ArgoCD or similar GitOps tooling.
- Next.js or frontend experience.
How you work
- You think before you build: you write tickets, define scope, estimate effort, and align before writing a line of code.
- You enjoy owning problems end-to-end: understanding the business context, choosing the right approach, and shipping.
- You think pragmatically: you care about robustness, security and ROI, not just cool demos.
- You communicate clearly and can make complex ideas understandable for different audiences.
- You collaborate well in a small team, give and receive feedback openly, and care about collective success.
- You use AI tools fluently and responsibly. Use it as a professional multiplier, not a crutch.
What you get as Backend Engineer
- Work that matters: Your agents will be used daily by real customers, removing hours of repetitive work and improving decisions.
- High-impact environment: Small, senior team where your ideas and decisions have visible impact on products and clients.
- Hybrid flexibility: Work from our Antwerp office combined with remote days; organize your focus and collaboration time in a way that works.
- Growth & learning: Mentorship from experienced engineers and strategists, exposure to diverse industries, and room to experiment with new tools and approaches.
- Culture that clicks: Team-building, hackathons, and a straightforward "say what you mean" culture. We take our craft seriously, not ourselves.
- Competitive compensation: Salary and benefits that respect your talent and impact.
- Autonomy with accountability: Real ownership over your projects. You get the freedom to choose how, as long as the outcome is solid and on time.
How we hire
We keep our hiring process focused and human:
- Intro call (60 min): mutual fit and Q&A about the role and Rollo.
- Technical / case exercise: realistic short challenges to see how you think and build.
- Team & culture conversation: meet future teammates and see how we work together.
We aim to move quickly and give you clear feedback at each step.
How to apply
If this sounds like the kind of work and team you're looking for, we'd love to hear from you.
Send us your CV or LinkedIn profile and a short note or cover letter on the kind of AI problems you enjoy solving. [email protected]
Rollo.ai is committed to diversity and inclusion. Different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences make better teams and better AI. If you're excited about the role but not sure you tick every box, we still encourage you to get in touch.
We truly value the diversity and perspective that international talent brings to our team, and we want to be transparent with you from the start. To work in Belgium, candidates who are not EU/EEA or Swiss nationals need a valid work permit and residence authorization. We understand this process can feel daunting, and we're committed to communicating clearly about what's possible within our current capacity to support visa or permit sponsorship. If you're unsure where you stand, please check your status first when in doubt.
Pay: €2.715,28 - €5.720,75 per month
Benefits:
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Commuter assistance
- Company computer
- Travel reimbursement
Ability to commute/relocate:
- 2000 Antwerp: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)
Education:
Experience:
- Medior: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in 2000 Antwerp
