Senior Applied Research Engineer - Optimization & Simulation (Python/Rust)

Unlike other companies, being a Senior Engineer isn’t just a paygrade or empty title for us here at akeno. It’s a distinction! It means you have built successful products in the past, faced mysterious production errors and came out on top of them, know how to get stuff done right, not just fast.

Being a Senior Applied Research Engineer means you can see a features implications for the database, API and related services - even for complex topics like scheduling and other NP-hard problems.

You’ll be working in our AI & Optimization Team with team mates that “know their stuff”. Colleagues who are there when you need them and not afraid to ask when you can help them. We don’t have dedicated architects or tech leads because frankly—if you’re a true senior—you should be capable of creating a great first draft yourself.

Additionally you will have Full Stack colleagues doing the heavy lifting to implement the algorithms and logics you build into our application.

You will be working at the heart of our application. We are rapidly changing and evolving our core logics and algorithms to achieve ever lasting positive impact on the performance of our customers supply chains. The backend is a hybrid combination of simulation and optimization components. You will be working on extending our simulation engine, performance improvements, modeling new constraints and more.

You will be facing complex requirements in a complex domain - which is inherently not mathematically end-to-end solvable. So if you are keen to find scalable, generic solutions for complex mathematical problems - you have found your match!

What you will be doing

• Extend our simulation engine (mainly constraint propagation & complex state searches)
• Interface design and evaluation of simulation and optimization components
• Benchmark performance of critical backend components
• Setup APIs and services to integrate our optimization and simulation backend with the rest of the application
• Development of solvers using different technologies (mostly hybrid systems between heuristics, constraint programming and meta-heuristics)
• Test suite maintenance and extension for simulation and optimization components

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge and expertise in coding in python
• Experience in building performance critical high-load backend services
• Experience leveraging different algorithmic approaches for simulation or complex state handling
• Capability to code on senior level in Rust
• Experience building long-term sustainable software end-to-end
• Capability to work independently on subtopics
• Capability to work in large and complex codebases

Benefits

At our company, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported, connected, and empowered. Here's what you can look forward to:

• Annual compensation plus significant stock options
• Relocation Package – We provide full support to help you settle in smoothly, including relocation assistance and accommodation guidance
• Visa Sponsorship – Comprehensive visa support
• Wellpass Gym Membership – Access to hundreds of fitness and wellness options for just €10/month
• Job Ticket – Subsidized public transport to keep your commute affordable and stress-free
• German Language Courses – Learn or improve your German with our supported language program
• Snacks, Drinks & Great Coffee – Always available to keep you fuelled and focused
• Modern Office with a View – Work from our beautiful Hamburg office with panoramic city views
• Supportive & International Team – Join a warm, open-minded group of colleagues from around the world
• Real Ownership – You'll have space to take initiative and make a tangible impact
• Flexible Working Hours – Because we understand that life and studies don’t always fit a 9–5
• Regular Team Events – From lunches to offsites—we celebrate the wins (big and small) together