Backend Engineer (Freelance)

About Make

• Make is an AI-first design and engineering agency based in Texas, with team members worldwide.
• We’re proud to have created award-winning software that has been featured in TechCrunch, Mashable, US Weekly, CBS News, Texas Monthly, and The Today Show.
• A multi-disciplinary team of engineers and designers, we are passionate about creating world-class software that people enjoy using.
• At the end of the day, more than our work life, it’s our life’s work 💙.
• We are a team of talented individuals who take ownership of the entire project beyond their own craft.
• We value proactive communication, autonomy, and initiative.
• You'll be joining a team of 'Managers of One'—people who set their own direction, identify what needs to be done, and dive in without waiting for permission 💯.
• We’re not only passionate about our craft but also about our culture.
• We deeply believe that work is purposeful, and that culture is one of the most important parts of any team.
• Our culture informs our decisions, sets our standards, and guides our interactions 😀.

Responsibilities

• Join a team of AI-first engineers Build and maintain backend services using TypeScript and Node.js .
• Integrate backend functionality with third-party APIs and external data services Write clean, readable, and well-tested code.
• Use AI tools daily to streamline development, debugging, refactoring, and documentation workflows without compromising quality Work closely with other engineers in a remote-first environment, proactively communicating progress, blockers, and risks Identify issues proactively, spotting bugs, performance bottlenecks, or architectural risks early and taking ownership of solutions.

Requirements

• An AI-first mindset

Hands-on experience using Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex

• Hands-on experience building at least one large-scale system from scratch
• +7 years of backend experience
• +2 years of Node experience
• Excellent communication skills and comfort working in an asynchronous, remote environment
• A proactive, ownership-driven mindset: you see problems, raise them early, and help solve them
• Comfort operating in a 100% operational role, managing priorities and complexity independently

Location and contract details

📍 Location: Remote (Work from Anywhere) 🗓️ Date: Short-term contract (2 months) 🌍 Time Zone: Available for meetings in Central Time , with at least 2–3 hours of daily overlap ⏰ Working Hours: Full-time availability is required until end of contract