Senior Backend Engineer (.NET) (f/m/d)

Join Apaleo and Shape the Future of Hospitality Tech!

Apaleo is the world’s most open, API-first property management platform powering the next generation of hospitality operations. Its modular, AI-powered infrastructure enables hoteliers to customise their tech stack, automate routine work, and deliver seamless, personalised guest experiences, powered by best-in-class apps and autonomous AI agents that adapt to every stay.

We are looking for a Senior Backend Engineer (f/m/d) to build the foundation of Apaleo’s market-facing API layer, bringing agentic booking into hospitality and enabling the next generation of guest-facing AI experiences.

This is a highly autonomous role where you will design and ship the Storefront API, a production-grade, scalable interface that allows external systems (like ChatGPT and booking platforms) to interact directly with Apaleo.

You’ll operate at the intersection of backend engineering and AI, starting with clean API architecture and evolving into systems that power intelligent, agent-driven interactions.

What You’ll Be Up To

Build the Storefront API from Scratch

• Design and implement a production-grade, multi-tenant API / MCP
• Enable seamless integration with external platforms and AI agents
• Ensure scalability, reliability, and high performance from day one

Own the Full API Lifecycle

• Define API schemas and contracts (OpenAPI)
• Implement versioning strategies and backward compatibility
• Design authentication, authorization, and security patterns
• Build rate limiting and usage controls
• Ensure strong documentation and developer experience
• Set up monitoring and observability

Work Across Distributed Systems

• Integrate with existing .NET microservices
• Connect to event-driven systems (Kafka or similar)
• Navigate and improve a complex distributed architecture

Operate in the Cloud

• Deploy and manage services in AWS
• Work with Docker and containerized environments
• Contribute to infrastructure as code practices

Collaborate on AI-Driven Use Cases

• Partner with AI engineers to enable agent-based workflows
• Build APIs that integrate with LLM-powered systems
• Help evolve the platform toward AI-native product capabilities

Shape Engineering Standards

• Define best practices for:
  • API design
  • System architecture
  • Code quality and maintainability
• Contribute to how the ecosystem team scales and operates

What You’ll Bring to the Team

Core Requirements

• Proven experience building and operating production-grade APIs at scale
• Strong expertise in REST API design and architecture
• Solid experience with C# / .NET 8+
• Hands-on experience with AWS, Docker, and infrastructure as code
• Strong understanding of microservices and distributed systems
• Ability to work independently and make architectural decisions
• Interest in AI systems and integrations

Mindset & Traits

• Self-starter — you take ownership and drive work without waiting for direction
• Comfortable with ambiguity — you can build in evolving, low-structure environments
• Pragmatic decision-maker — you balance speed with long-term scalability
• Builder mindset — you enjoy creating systems from scratch
• Curious about AI — you’re motivated by where backend systems meet intelligent agents

Nice to Have

• Experience with:
  • Event-driven systems (Kafka or similar)
  • Multi-tenant SaaS architectures
  • Developer-facing or public APIs
• Exposure to:
  • LLM integrations or agent-based systems
  • Python
  • Any major frontend framework
• Background in hospitality tech (not required)

Why This Role Matters

This role is about more than building APIs, it’s about defining how external systems interact with Apaleo in an AI-first world.

You’ll:

• Lay the foundation for market-facing, AI-integrated products
• Enable guest-facing experiences powered by intelligent agents
• Help transform Apaleo into a platform ready for autonomous systems

What We Offer

Culture & Growth

• A Diverse & International Team: Work alongside passionate professionals from over 20 nationalities, bringing unique cultural perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to shape the future of hospitality tech.
• Growth & Development: As we scale, so do your opportunities. You’ll benefit from 360° feedback reviews, a dedicated learning budget, and plenty of chances to take on more responsibility. Our evolving career framework ensures you have increasing opportunities to learn new skills, advance your career, and make an impact.
• Autonomy & Ownership: Great ideas can come from anywhere. We empower you to take responsibility, make decisions, and contribute directly in an environment built on trust, transparency, and collaboration.
• Shape the Future of Hospitality Tech: Be part of a fast-growing scale-up transforming the hospitality industry. From day one, your work drives real impact and you’ll have the freedom to bring your ideas to life.
• Competitive & Fair Compensation: We believe great work deserves great pay. Our salaries are competitive and guided by benchmarking data to ensure fairness across all roles and teams. We make sure to recognize and reward performance and contribution.

Perks & Lifestyle

• Flexible & Remote Work Options: We focus on results, not clocking hours. You can work from home, the office or in a hybrid setup, with flexibility to adapt your schedule as long as it makes sense for your role, your team and our business.
• Free Public Transport: Travel across Germany with ease using our fully covered Deutschland Ticket.
• Team Connection: Strong connections fuel collaboration. We celebrate and connect through regular team dinners, company meetups, Oktoberfest celebrations, Christmas parties, and other offsite events.
• Paid Time Off: Enjoy 30 days of vacation to fully disconnect, recharge, and return inspired.
• Health & Wellbeing: Prioritize your health with access to hundreds of gyms, fitness studios, and wellness options through our EGYM Wellpass membership.