Backend Engineer (Simulation & Distributed Systems)

Backend Engineer (Simulation & Distributed Systems)

Location: Bellevue, WA (4+ days onsite)

Role Type: Full-Time

Start Date: ASAP

Company: Watchtower Labs — https://www.watchtowerlabs.ai

Company Overview

Watchtower Labs is an early-stage, well-funded startup founded by leaders across national security operations, commercial technology investing, and large-scale distributed systems engineering. The team is building an AI-native platform designed from the ground up for real-world mission environments, grounded in human decision cycles, collaboration, and operational reality. With guaranteed Department of Defense contracts, Watchtower is tackling some of the hardest problems in contested logistics and national security.

Role Description

As a Backend Engineer focused on Simulation & Distributed Systems, you will help design and build the core backend systems that power Watchtower’s multi-agent simulation platform. This role sits at the heart of the product and is critical to enabling intelligent, autonomous decision-making in high-stakes, real-world environments. You’ll take deep ownership of distributed systems that must operate securely, reliably, and at scale. This is a builder role—not maintenance—suited for engineers who thrive in fast-moving, mission-driven startups.

Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and scale backend services for a multi-agent simulation platform
• Own distributed system components end-to-end, from design through production deployment
• Develop systems that operate reliably under uncertainty and high performance constraints
• Collaborate closely with AI and frontend engineers to support real-time decision loops
• Build and deploy services in secure, restricted cloud environments
• Improve system reliability, scalability, and performance through modern engineering practices
• Contribute to core platform decisions that shape the long-term technical direction

Basic Qualifications

• 2–6 years of professional backend engineering experience
• Strong experience with C# and .NET in production environments
• Solid understanding of distributed systems, system design, and backend architecture
• Experience building and shipping production-grade services
• Ownership mindset with a bias toward action and delivery
• Comfortable working onsite in a fast-paced startup environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud infrastructure, especially AWS
• Familiarity with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience working in secure or regulated environments
• Interest in simulation systems, complex workflows, or decision-support platforms
• Background or strong interest in mission-driven or national security-related work

Tech Stack

Core: C#, .NET

Cloud: AWS (Secret / secure environments)

Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes

Systems: Distributed services, simulation platforms, secure APIs

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $170,000 - $200,000
• Equity: Early-stage equity
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) plan
• Growth Path: Opportunity for expanded ownership and leadership as the company scales

Additional Job Application Terms

This job is part of LinkedIn’s Full-Service Hiring beta program. Eligibility is limited to candidates located in and performing services in the United States, excluding those based in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, South Carolina, or West Virginia.

We’re committed to making our hiring process as smooth and timely as possible, and we understand that waiting to hear back can add to the anticipation. If you’re a potential fit, our team will reach out within two weeks to progress you to the next stage. If you don’t hear from us in that time, we encourage you to explore other opportunities with our team in the future, and we wish you the very best in your job search.