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Hiring now · posted 251d ago Tech Full-time · Remote

Backend Software Engineer - Engine Team (Voice Agent)

at Deepgram

$150,000–$220,000/yr

Salary range published by Deepgram. Final pay depends on level and location.

Remote · United States Language: English Posted 18 Feb 2026

About this role

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Company Overview

Deepgram is the leading platform underpinning the emerging trillion-dollar Voice AI economy, providing real-time APIs for speech-to-text (STT), text-to-speech (TTS), and building production-grade voice agents at scale. More than 200,000 developers and 1,300+ organizations build voice offerings that are ‘Powered by Deepgram’, including Twilio, Cloudflare, Sierra, Decagon, Vapi, Daily, Cresta, Granola, and Jack in the Box. Deepgram’s voice-native foundation models are accessed through cloud APIs or as self-hosted and on-premises software, with unmatched accuracy, low latency, and cost efficiency. Backed by a recent Series C led by leading global investors and strategic partners, Deepgram has processed over 50,000 years of audio and transcribed more than 1 trillion words. There is no organization in the world that understands voice better than Deepgram.

Company Operating Rhythm

At Deepgram, we expect an AI-first mindset—AI use and comfort aren’t optional, they’re core to how we operate, innovate, and measure performance.

Every team member who works at Deepgram is expected to actively use and experiment with advanced AI tools, and even build your own into your everyday work. We measure how effectively AI is applied to deliver results, and consistent, creative use of the latest AI capabilities is key to success here. Candidates should be comfortable adopting new models and modes quickly, integrating AI into their workflows, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what these technologies can do.

Additionally, we move at the pace of AI. Change is rapid, and you can expect your day-to-day work to evolve just as quickly. This may not be the right role if you’re not excited to experiment, adapt, think on your feet, and learn constantly, or if you’re seeking something highly prescriptive with a traditional 9-to-5.

Opportunity

Deepgram is looking for a backend software engineer to lead the design and implementation of Deepgram’s Voice Agent product. You will design and implement secure, robust, and scalable services for speech processing; build integrations supporting telephony providers, RAG systems, and diverse deployment scenarios; engineer for testability and observability within a complex chain of AI models; and more. Your skill at building highly reusable code that overcomes technical challenges is paired with an intuition for delightful user experiences. You will be a critical voice in Deepgram’s Product and Engineering teams, driving high impact products from start to finish.

What You’ll Do

  • Improve Deepgram’s core inference services including areas in networking, speech processing, model orchestration, and observability

  • Develop integrations with cutting edge in-house, third-party, and open-source AI models for perception and managing conversational dynamics

  • Debug complex system issues that include networking, scheduling, and highly concurrent workloads

  • Rapidly customize backend services to support our customer needs

  • Partner with Product to design and implement new services, features, and/or products end to end

You’ll Love This Role If You

  • Thrive in a fast-paced, impact-driven environment where learning new skills on-the-fly is not only encouraged but a regular necessity

  • Enjoy balancing decisions about product and feature maturity to decide when to make minimally invasive changes versus when to incorporate detailed design work

It’s Important To Us That You Have

  • 3+ years of experience in an industry role

  • Programming experience in Rust (or C, C++), with competence in Python

  • Excellent communication and organizational skills, both written and verbal.

  • A high level of experience and understanding of version control; preferably git.

  • Comprehensive experience with UNIX-style systems.

It Would Be Great If You Had

  • Experience with low-latency, multi-model orchestration for AI-enabled applications

  • Experience with audio processing

Notice: We're aware of individuals impersonating Deepgram recruiters. All legitimate Deepgram recruiting communication comes from an @deepgram.com email address. If you've received a message claiming to be Deepgram, please forward it to [email protected].

This is a remote role. Applicants must be located in: United States.

How applying works

  1. Click Apply now and enter your email.
  2. You go straight to the application. We email you a copy of this role and your link.
  3. You apply on Deepgram's own careers page. Zekai is not the employer and never charges you.
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What to know before you apply

Pay
This is a yearly figure, so it is closer to a full-time contract than a side gig. Check the expected weekly hours in the description before you apply.
Location
Only applicants located in United States can be paid for this role. Platforms usually verify where you are, so apply only if you are based there.
How to stand out for developers
  • Mirror the job's own wording in your CV: reviewers and screening tools look for the skills listed above.
  • Show real work: a portfolio, GitHub, case study or numbers from past projects beats a long list of duties.
  • Show how you already use AI tools in your work. AI companies hire people who use their products well.
  • Apply early and follow up once, politely, if you hear nothing in two weeks.
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