Senior Software Engineer

About Joy

Practice with Joy is helping nurse practitioners start and grow independent clinics—with better tools, smarter marketing, and all the non-clinical support they need to thrive. We’re disrupters in healthcare, shaking up the status quo and making entrepreneurship accessible to clinicians who’ve never been shown how. At Joy, you’ll be joining a team of healthcare innovators and serial entrepreneurs that are passionate about empowering clinicians with purpose built technology.

The Role

We're looking for a Senior Software Engineer who thrives at the intersection of backend systems and AI innovation. You'll architect and build AI agents that reduce administrative burden for small medical practices, working primarily on backend systems while contributing across our full stack when needed. This isn't just about implementing features—you'll be shaping product direction, experimenting with cutting-edge AI capabilities, and finding the sweet spot between quality and velocity in a fast-moving healthcare startup.

What You'll Do

• Design and build robust backend systems using Python and AWS serverless technologies (Lambda, Step Functions)
• Develop AI agents and workflows that integrate with LLM APIs to automate healthcare administrative tasks
• Contribute to frontend development in React/TypeScript when the product demands it
• Stay current with AI/LLM advances and rapidly prototype new capabilities into our products
• Collaborate directly with founders and product team to define technical requirements and product strategy
• Take ownership of code quality, testing strategies, and deployment processes for non-deterministic AI systems
• Use AI-assisted development tools (Cursor, etc.) to accelerate your own development workflow
• Contribute ideas and improvements across all areas of the business, not just engineering

Who You Are

• 5+ years of software engineering experience with strong backend fundamentals
• Proficient in Python and comfortable with modern web development (React/TypeScript preferred)
• Experience building on top of LLM APIs and AI services
• AWS experience preferred, especially with serverless architectures (Lambda, Step Functions)
• Startup DNA — you move fast, think like a product manager, and aren't afraid to wear multiple hats
• Strong communication skills and comfortable with asynchronous, transparent collaboration
• Excited about AI's potential in healthcare and eager to experiment with new tools and approaches
• Comfortable working in ambiguous environments where you help define the path forward
• Bonus points for healthcare industry knowledge or DC metro area location

Why This Role Rocks

• You'll work directly with founders at a seed-stage company where your impact is immediately visible
• You'll be building AI agents from scratch that directly improve healthcare outcomes
• You'll have creative freedom to experiment with the latest AI technologies and incorporate them into real products
• You'll shape both technical architecture and product strategy in a rapidly growing market
• You'll join a small, talented engineering team where every voice matters