Staff Software Engineer (on-site)

Most energy companies are still running on spreadsheets and phone calls. At Cloover we're building the infrastructure that replaces all of that, and we need engineers who don't just own features but shape the systems beneath them. We're looking for a Staff Software Engineer to join our Berlin team: someone who helps set technical direction, raises the bar across the engineering org, and solves the problems that others escalate.

You'll report to our CTO and operate across squads. From your first week, your decisions will be shaping systems that reach thousands of installer partners directly.

• Set technical direction and lead complex, cross-functional initiatives end-to-end: architectural decisions across APIs, infrastructure, and data systems through to production and long-term ownership, bringing other engineers with you.
• Identify systemic weaknesses before they become incidents. Design systems that self-monitor, degrade gracefully, and recover fast. Establish the reliability practices that make that the norm across the team.
• Own and evolve our backend and frontend systems (Node.js, Next.js, React, TypeScript). Design APIs that are scalable, secure, and easy to build on.
• Model, optimise, and operate our PostgreSQL data layer: schema design, indexing, query optimisation, and migrations that ship safely.
• Architect and manage cloud infrastructure on Google Cloud Platform using Terraform, keeping environments consistent, auditable, and built for the scale we're heading toward.
• Integrate and harden authentication and authorisation flows on Auth0 (OAuth, SSO, session and token management) across the platform, balancing security with a frictionless user experience.
• Champion AI tooling across the engineering team: not just using it yourself, but defining how we build with it. Push the boundaries of what our AI operating system can do.
• Mentor junior engineers. Develop technical leads, run architecture reviews, and shape how we hire and evaluate engineering talent.
• Collaborate daily with Product, Ops, Finance, and Design, translating ambiguous cross-functional problems into well-scoped, reliably shipped solutions.

We care more about how you think and what you've built than where you've been. Here's what will set you up for success in this role:

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, operating as a Staff or Senior engineer — leading initiatives, not just executing them.
• Deep experience building high-stakes systems where reliability and correctness matter more than raw scale. You know what good looks like when each transaction carries real value.
• Strong JavaScript and TypeScript across frontend and backend. Comfortable across the full stack and opinionated about quality.
• Cloud infrastructure depth, ideally on Google Cloud Platform, with hands-on Terraform or equivalent IaC practice at production scale.
• Strong relational database expertise: schema design, indexing, query optimisation, and performance tuning at scale.
• Proven experience building well-designed APIs that others can rely on and build on top of.
• Works without waiting to be directed. Takes cross-functional ownership. Moves fast and brings others with them.
• Based in Berlin and energized by being in the room. We're intentionally office-first — decisions get made in real time, prototypes get stress-tested over lunch, and the founding team is ten meters away. If that's how you thrive, you'll feel at home here.
• Fully proficient in English (C2).

Nice to have (but not required):

• Deep knowledge of auth protocols: OAuth, OpenID Connect, SSO, session management. You've built this, not just consumed it.
• German language skills.

Don't meet every requirement? Apply anyway. We hire for potential and perspective — credentials are a starting point, not a ceiling.

We keep things transparent and respect your time. Most go from first call to offer in under three weeks.

• Intro call (30 min) — We want to understand what you're looking for, not just screen your CV.
• Hiring manager interview (45 min) — We go deep: your experience, your technical thinking, how you lead through ambiguity.
• Case study (1 hour) — You get the brief in advance. We care about your approach — not whether you land on the right answer.
• Offer & signed contract.

Need any adjustments at any stage? Just let us know.

• Performance pay. Strong base, bonus tied to outcomes, and meaningful equity — recognised when it happens, not locked behind annual cycles.
• AI-first & unthrottled. Unlimited enterprise-grade AI — no caps, no approval process. Every role, every team. The grunt work disappears so you can focus on what actually requires human judgement.
• Real ownership on a real mission. From day one you're shaping decisions that impact thousands of installers. We're not just building software — we're powering the energy transition across Europe.
• Grow faster than anywhere else. You'll work directly alongside the founding team and world-class investors. If you're building toward your own venture one day, there's no better room to be in.
• The basics, done well. Prenzlauer Berg office with the latest Apple hardware. Free breakfast and dinner, stocked kitchen, regular team events, 25 days vacation, Urban Sports Club (M), and company discounts.