Software Engineer (m/f/d) Backend & Applied AI Systems

Join the founding team behind an immersive AI-powered VR training platform About iACT iACT is an AI-powered immersive platform that helps international talent navigate social, professional, academic, and administrative life in Germany through realistic, interactive practice. We have a functional prototype and are preparing for institutional pilots. We are looking for a backend and applied AI engineer who wants to shape the technical foundation of the product from an early stage. The opportunity This is not a standard salaried vacancy. You would join the prospective founding team and apply with us for the EXIST Business Start-up Grant. The commitment would begin only if the grant is approved. If approved, the programme provides a 12-month, full-time scholarship while the team develops the product and business. Tasks Your role Own the backend and applied AI architecture connecting the Unity VR client with authentication, databases, speech services, and LLM/RAG pipelines. Design secure REST and WebSocket APIs and define reliable client-server contracts with our Unity/VR developer. Implement authentication, authorisation, role management, and GDPR-conscious data flows. Design and maintain data models for users, sessions, learning progress, and application data. Integrate and orchestrate LLM, RAG, Speech-to-Text, and Text-to-Speech services. Develop dialogue-state logic and systems for retrieving institution-specific knowledge. Optimise AI pipelines for latency, reliability, observability, and cost. Support secure, scalable cloud deployment and prepare the platform for institutional pilots and future commercial use. Requirements What you bring A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. At least two years of hands-on backend development experience. Strong Python skills and experience with FastAPI, Django, or a comparable framework. Experience building REST and/or WebSocket services and working with databases such as PostgreSQL. A solid understanding of authentication, authorisation, API security, and scalable backend design. Practical experience integrating LLM APIs and/or RAG systems into real applications. Comfort designing systems for real-time or interactive clients. English proficiency at B1 level or higher Based in Germany or willing to relocate, and available for a full-time commitment if the grant is approved. Nice to have Experience with vector databases, embeddings, and production RAG pipelines. Experience integrating Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech services. Docker and cloud deployment experience with AWS, Azure, GCP, Hetzner, or similar. Knowledge of GDPR and privacy-by-design principles. Experience with C#/.NET, Unity integrations, VR/XR, or other real-time interactive applications. Benefits What we offer Ownership of the backend and applied AI architecture from prototype to pilot. A small, founder-led team with substantial influence over technical direction and product