The Role
Own and maintain the backend stack: build APIs and services in Node.js, manage deployments with Docker/Linux, design scalable REST APIs with Swagger, collaborate with hardware/frontend teams, and prepare sensor datasets for AI/ML pipelines with an eventual path to Lead AI Engineer.
Summary Generated by Built In
Backend / Future AI Lead Engineer - Torch Systems (Bay Area)
What You’ll Do
Tech Stack & Requirements
You Are
Why Torch
About Torch
Torch is building the most accurate outdoor wildfire detection system in the world - a network of advanced IoT sensors and AI models that save lives, protect communities, and prevent billions in damage. We’re a small but high-performing team, backed by top-tier investors, with real deployments protecting critical infrastructure across California.
We’re looking for a Bay Area-based Backend Engineer who can immediately take ownership of our backend stack — and, over time, grow into our Lead AI Engineer as we scale our data pipeline, ML models, and real-time alerting systems. This is an opportunity to be at the intersection of climate tech, AI, and mission-critical hardware.
- Own and maintain our backend systems from day one.
- Develop APIs and services in Node.js (Fastify or similar frameworks).
- Manage deployments using Docker and Linux.
- Design and maintain scalable REST APIs with proper documentation in Swagger.
- Collaborate with our hardware and frontend teams to ensure seamless data flow.
- Work with massive real-world sensor datasets to prepare for AI/ML pipelines.
- Stay ahead of AI trends and help transition Torch into a data + AI powerhouse.
JavaScript / Node.js — 3+ years professional experience (5+ years if aiming for Lead).
- Strong experience with Docker, Linux server management.
- Fastify or other Node.js framework expertise.
- REST API design and implementation.
- Swagger (OpenAPI) documentation experience.
- Bonus: Familiarity with AI/ML tools (PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain, etc.).
- Located in the San Francisco Bay Area (on-site collaboration preferred).
You Are
- A builder who thrives in early-stage environments.
- Comfortable switching between backend work and AI/ML experimentation.
- Energized by ownership — you see problems, you solve them.
- Excited by the mission of protecting people and infrastructure from wildfires.
Why Torch
- Mission with real-world impact.
- Significant ownership of your work.
- Small, elite team backed by top-tier VCs.
- Path to becoming Lead AI Engineer as we scale our data and AI stack.
Skills Required
- 3+ years professional JavaScript / Node.js experience (5+ years if aiming for Lead)
- Strong experience with Docker
- Linux server management experience
- Fastify or other Node.js framework expertise
- REST API design and implementation
- Swagger (OpenAPI) documentation experience
- Located in the San Francisco Bay Area (on-site collaboration preferred)
- Familiarity with AI/ML tools (PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain, etc.)
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The Company
What We Do
Torch Systems provides an AI-driven, solar-powered outdoor intelligence network designed to protect utilities, cities, and the planet. Their platform replaces fragmented monitoring setups with a single device that detects fires, intrusions, equipment faults, vegetation risk, and air quality anomalies in real-time. Deployed with major US electric utilities and critical infrastructure operators, Torch combines hardware, software, and AI to reduce operational risk and costs.
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