About Gradera
Gradera defines a new category of enterprise transformation called Software-Orchestrated Services™ - where software orchestrates human expertise, digital workers, and enterprise systems to deliver governed outcomes at scale. As an AI Native Services firm, we help enterprises redesign how work gets done across operations, product, engineering, customer experience, data, and enterprise workflows to move beyond fragmented AI pilots and disconnected automation toward measurable business outcomes.
Overview
We are seeking a hands-on, collaborative Lead API Engineer to drive API architecture, backend service design, and the continuous evolution of our platform’s integration capabilities. As Lead API Engineer, you will provide technical leadership to the backend team, ensuring scalable, secure, and high-performing APIs that power our digital ecosystem.
This role is central to establishing API-first practices, defining robust contracts, and enabling seamless integrations across products, UI layers, and external systems. You will work cross-functionally to ensure backend services meet stringent non-functional requirements, while fostering engineering excellence, maintainability, and operational reliability.
Key Responsibilities
Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the API engineering team
Lead the design, implementation, and evolution of API architecture and backend services
Champion API-first development, ensuring clear contracts and comprehensive documentation (OpenAPI/Swagger)
Lead the implementations of APIs conforming to all NFRs including security, scalability, and performance.
Ensure robust authentication, authorization, and data protection for all endpoints
Drive adoption of best practices in API design, versioning, and integration
Optimize API performance for low-latency, high-frequency interactions
Oversee observability, monitoring, and alerting for all APIs and backend services
Collaborate closely with product, UI, and runtime teams to deliver integrated solutions
Collaborate with the SDET to ensure comprehensive test coverage and effective test data creation
Lead the adoption of modern API tools, frameworks, and best practices
Ensure engineering rigor, code quality, and documentation standards are met
Facilitate clear communication, knowledge sharing, and effective documentation within the team
Support team growth through coaching, feedback, and skills development
Core Qualities & Skills
Proven experience leading API or backend engineering teams and delivering complex API projects
Deep expertise in API architecture, design, and implementation (RESTful, GraphQL, gRPC etc.)
Strong programming skills in relevant backend languages (e.g., Node.js, Python, Java, Go, etc.)
Experience with API security, authentication, and authorization (OAuth, JWT, RBAC, PKCE, define fine-grained access controls using ReBAC)
Experience with API documentation and standards (OpenAPI/Swagger, Use Case, JSON Schemas, etc.)
Familiarity with data serialization with Protofbuf
Experience with some API gateway is a must
Strong understanding of performance optimization, scalability, and reliability for APIs
Experience with observability, monitoring, and troubleshooting for backend services
Strong collaboration and alignment skills across disciplines
Willingness to learn, share knowledge, and adapt to evolving technologies
System design skills and awareness of technical debt and tradeoffs
Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management abilities
Comfort with ambiguity, discovery, and rapid change
Commitment to engineering excellence, security, and responsible practices
Preferred Qualifications
7+ years of hands-on API or backend engineering experience, with 2+ years in a technical leadership role
Track record of architecting and delivering scalable, reliable API systems
Experience with modern development practices (CI/CD, automated testing, code reviews)
Demonstrated ability to mentor and grow engineers
Experience working in cross-functional, agile teams
Highly Desirable
Experience with API gateways (e.g., Envoy, Kong, Apigee) and service mesh patterns (e.g., Istio)
Experience with event-driven and streaming architectures (pub/sub, callbacks, Kafka, etc.)
Experience with cloud-native infrastructure and automated provisioning (e.g., Terraform)
Experience building developer portals and self-service onboarding for APIs
Experience with API Gateways (Apache APISIX, KrakenD, …)
Ability to perform API Domain Modelling with a strong product orientation, aligning technical design with user and business needs
Experience thriving in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and balancing rapid delivery with technical excellence
Experience leading or working with distributed, multidisciplinary teams
Success Metrics
API response time (median and p95)
Uptime and reliability of critical services
Test coverage for API and backend logic
Developer velocity and time from API design to production
Time to First Prototype (TTFP)
Integration lead time for API consumers
Technical debt reduction and architectural alignment
Team growth, engagement, and retention
Stakeholder satisfaction and cross-team collaboration