Backend and infrastructure hires for VC-backed startups

Systems that hold up
when you scale.

Backend, platform, infrastructure, DevOps and SRE engineers, and the leads who run platform teams. For VC-backed startups from New York to San Francisco and Austin.

Book a 15-min callSee our results
What we hire

The engineers behind everything you ship.

Engineers who have built and run systems under real load. Not people who only passed the system design interview.

ServicesBackend engineersAPIs, services and data models that stay simple as you grow.
PlatformPlatform engineersInternal platforms and tooling that make every other engineer faster.
CloudInfrastructure engineersCloud, networking and infrastructure as code, built to scale.
ReliabilityDevOps and SREMonitoring, deployment and incident response that keep the product up.
ScaleDistributed systemsEngineers who design for concurrency, consistency and failure.
SecuritySecurity engineersSecure infrastructure and good habits from day one.
How we assess

We hire for systems that last.

  1. 01Track record
    Scale they've livedWe look for engineers who ran systems through real growth, not just designed them.
  2. 02Depth
    Trade-off thinkingStrong engineers explain why they chose a design and what they gave up.
  3. 03Ownership
    Owns it in productionWe look for people who have carried the pager and fixed what broke.
  4. 04Week 1
    Your shortlist3 to 5 engineers who fit, each with our honest notes.
Results

Engineers who built the core.

Early stage · AI infrastructure · $6.3M raisedPrincipal AI engineer
34 dayskickoff to signed offer, after 4 months searching alone
Core infrabuilt for the company's expansion
12+ monthsand still in role
CEO advisortrusted technical voice
Read the full story
The approachReality-checked the brief: compete on equity, scope and impact, not big-tech salary.Looked for senior and staff engineers who had shipped production systems at startups and wanted principal-level ownership.Coached both sides through the equity and salary trade-offs to close.
A year laterBuilt the core infrastructure behind the company's expansion.Owns the full AI and ML roadmap.A trusted technical advisor to the CEO.

Recent backend and infrastructure placements

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Hiring now

Backend and infrastructure roles we're working on.

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Questions

Hiring backend and infrastructure engineers, answered.

How long does it take to hire a backend engineer?

Most searches reach a shortlist within a week. A signed offer usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, depending on how quickly your interview process runs.

Should I hire a backend engineer or a full-stack engineer?

If your product depends on complex data, integrations or scale, a backend specialist pays off. If you need speed across the whole product early on, a full-stack engineer is often the better first hire. We'll help you decide on our first call.

Do you hire DevOps and SRE engineers?

Yes. DevOps, SRE and platform engineers, from your first infrastructure hire to the people who run reliability across the team.

Do you hire senior and staff engineers?

Yes. Senior, staff and principal engineers, as well as the leads who run platform and infrastructure teams.

Where do you hire?

Mainly New York, San Francisco, Austin and Boston, plus remote roles across the US. On-site, hybrid or remote.

Matt Geppert, founder of Open Select
Matt GeppertFounder, since 2011
Why Open Select exists

Most recruiters optimize for speed. I optimize for the hire you're still happy with two years later.

I've recruited engineers for startups since 2011. By the end of our first call I usually already have people in mind, because I've spent years talking to engineers long before your role existed.

  • 01You deal with me. No account managers. No handoffs.
  • 02Straight answers. On candidates, comp and your process, even when it's not what you want to hear.
  • 03I build with AI every day. When an engineer explains their work, I can follow it.
Email MattLinkedIn

Let's build your team.

Pick a time that suits you. A 15-minute call, a search strategy memo, and a decision in 48 hours.

Prefer email? hello@osrecruit.com
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