Senior AI-Driven Backend Engineer

At Trengo, we have outgrown traditional development cycles. We do not measure progress in weeks or sprints. We measure it in hours. Our teams move from a morning discussion about a problem to testing a solution on staging or production by the afternoon.

We’re looking for a new Senior AI-Driven Backend Engineer to join us in pushing this approach even further. Someone who treats AI as their primary engine for delivery.

You think in systems first. You prioritise system design and rapid verification, using AI to accelerate development rather than relying solely on manual coding.

About Trengo

Welcome to the forefront of AI-driven communication. At Trengo, we're redefining the industry by replacing repetitive work with meaningful conversations through our AI-powered customer engagement platform. We unify communication channels and leverage agentic AI to deliver proactive, human-like service, boosting efficiency for thousands of businesses worldwide.

As a fast-moving Dutch scale-up, backed by a $36M Series A and an official WhatsApp Business Solutions Provider, we thrive on acceleration. Your expertise will drive growth: you'll make a strategic impact, champion AI innovation, and help shape the product roadmap. You'll do this alongside an international team guided by our Dynamic pace, Future-proof mindset, Ownership, and Open culture.

What Your Role Looks Like

• High-Speed Execution: You will translate product needs into working code immediately. You should be comfortable in an environment where the goal is a functional prototype running in production by the end of the day.

• AI-Native Workflow: You will use Cursor and Claude.ai (including Claude Code) to handle the heavy lifting of code generation. Your focus stays on high-level architecture while the agents manage the implementation.

• Architectural Evolution: You will lead the incremental change of our PHP monolith into scalable, event-driven microservices. You design systems resilient enough to handle the pace of AI-driven releases.

• Agentic Logic: Instead of building static systems, you will focus on building AI Agents with specialized skills and connectors. This allows our technology to solve customer problems autonomously.

• Outcome-Based Agility: We skip the heavy SCRUM overhead. We focus on engineering practices where the only metric that matters is how fast we deliver value to the customer.

We’d love to meet you if you:

• AI-First Approach: You are an expert at using the latest tools to refactor modules and navigate complex codebases. You should be proficient with Claude Code to accelerate your workflow.

• Backend Expertise: You have 5+ years of professional experience. Our stack includes PHP, Node.js, Python, and Vue.js. We value your ability to solve complex problems more than your knowledge of a specific syntax.

• Beyond Infrastructure: You understand that the future is agentic. You know how to build the skills and connectors that allow AI agents to deliver value. You have moved past old RAG-based thinking.

• Product Focus: You look for the shortest path to a solution. You would rather find a smart integration or a creative connector to solve a problem in an hour than spend a month building a custom solution from scratch.

• Verification Mastery: Since AI writes the code, your value lies in your ability to verify the output quickly. You are the final gatekeeper for security, performance, and architectural integrity.

⚙️ Our Tech & AI Mindset

AI is not a buzzword at Trengo — it's part of how we build and operate. You'll work with AI-driven features, automation, data, or tools that help us move faster and smarter. We value thoughtful use of AI that creates real value for customers and teams.

What’s in it for you?

This is what we carefully prepared for you:

• 🚀 A key role where you’ll make a visible impact in a vibrant scale-up environment.

• 🌍 Hybrid working + 2 months per year to work abroad.

• 🏗️ A strong onboarding program with hands-on training and a dedicated buddy to set you up for success.

• 🧘 Mental health support with free sessions from on-demand psychologists(OpenUp).

• 📚 Learning budget + 2 extra days off to attend courses or conferences.

• 🌴 28 vacation days to rest, recharge, and travel

• 🚆 Travel reimbursement to our Utrecht HQ.

• 📶 Monthly internet & phone allowance to stay connected.

• 🗣️ Dutch courses for our international colleagues.

• 🍴 Daily warm lunches prepared by our workplace experience team when you’re at ourbeautiful Utrecht office.

• 💼 Pension contribution to help you plan for the future.

• 🛫 Sabbatical: After two years, enjoy up to three months away (unpaid) to rest, recharge, or see the world.

🔍 Our hiring process

1. Introductory call – First conversation with our Talent team.

2. Manager interview – Deep dive into experience and expectations.

3. Practical assignment – Role-related, real-world challenge.

4. Team connection – Meet future colleagues and confirm mutual fit.

We aim to keep the process clear, fair, and timely, and we’ll keep you informed at every step.

Join us in building the future of customer engagement — we’d love to have you on the team.

👉 Apply today and let’s grow together!

We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply.