As the second engineering hire at Overtone, you will build the foundational backend and ML infrastructure for a revolutionary voice-first dating experience. Working directly with the founder of Hinge, you'll design fault-tolerant systems and real-time architectures that move beyond the swipe to facilitate genuine, AI-enhanced human connections.
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Senior Backend Engineer at Overtone
Join the founder and former CEO of Hinge at Overtone as a founding Senior Backend Engineer to fix dating once and for all. As employee #3, you'll own the ML infrastructure and real-time voice systems for a new service backed by Match Group. This is a rare 0→1 opportunity in NYC to build a category-defining product that uses AI and voice to create genuine conversational chemistry, moving beyond the exhausted swipe model toward real human connection.
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Location
New York, United States
Compensation
$175k-$225k + Equity
Company
Overtone
Role overview
Software
Overtone is a new dating service founded by the creator and former CEO of Hinge. We're building something different from the apps—a more intentional, curated approach to matching that combines human insight with AI to help people find genuinely compatible partners. We're an early-stage team based in NYC, working in person, on a problem that sits at the intersection of technology, psychology, and culture. The work is high-craft and the bar is high. We're looking for builders, designers, researchers, and operators who want to shape a new category from the ground up and do some of their best work along the way.
What you will do
- Design and build the core backend infrastructure for a consumer-facing product focused on real-time voice interactions and low-latency user experiences.
- Develop production-grade ML infrastructure, including feature stores and evaluation systems, to power high-trust matchmaking and conversational chemistry.
- Establish engineering standards and make critical architectural tradeoffs while implementing robust security and privacy-by-design principles for sensitive user data.
Who this is a fit for
- Proven experience as a Senior Backend or Systems Engineer building and scaling consumer products from 0→1 in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong expertise in real-time or streaming technologies such as WebRTC, along with experience managing LLM-powered features and model lifecycles.
- Demonstrated ability to design fault-tolerant, production-grade systems with a deep commitment to high-quality craft and pragmatic, intentional engineering.
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Why this role is remarkable
- Join as employee #3 at a startup founded by Justin McLeod (founder/former CEO of Hinge) with direct backing and a board seat from Match Group.
- Exercise complete technical ownership over 0→1 systems including ML pipelines, model serving infrastructure, and real-time voice streaming architectures.
- Work in-person with a high-caliber NYC team to disrupt the dating industry by solving "swipe fatigue" through sophisticated AI and human psychology.
How Jack & Jill work together
I get to know what you’re great at, then find roles you’d never find yourself.Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support.
I recruit from Jack’s network and make the intro when I spot a great match.And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate.
Jack gets to know what you're great at and what you want next, then searches 15 million jobs daily and helps you discover roles at companies like this.
Meet Jack
What happens next?
Jack’s an AI agent for job searching and career coaching. He works for you.
Jill is the AI recruiter working for the company. She recruits from Jack’s network.
If your profile’s a match and Overtone wants to meet, Jill will make the intro. In the meantime, Jack will send you excellent alternatives.