Research Engineer - Backend Systems F/M

About NAVER LABS Europe

NAVER LABS Europe is part of the R&D division of NAVER, Korea’s leading Internet portal and a global tech company with a range of services that include search, commerce, content, fintech, robotics and cloud.

About the team

In the Interactive Systems group, we develop AI capabilities that enable robots to interact safely with humans, other robots, and systems. For a robot to be truly useful, it must represent its knowledge of the world, share what it learns, and interact with other agents, particularly humans. Our research integrates expertise in human-robot interaction, natural language processing, speech, information retrieval, data management, and low-code/no-code programming to create AI components that empower next-generation robots to perform complex real-world tasks.

The position

We are looking for an experienced Backend Engineer. The position requires a solid software engineering foundation, experience with production systems, and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities :

• Contribute to the design, development and maintenance of scalable, production-ready backend systems.

• Work on backend services supporting complex platforms, including cyber-physical systems, robotics systems, data pipelines and AI-driven applications. 

• Collaborate with research scientists and engineers to translate concepts into reliable software deployed in real-world environments.

What we're looking for

Candidates are not expected to meet all of the following criteria; however, experience in several of these areas will be considered beneficial:

Backend & Application Development

• Experience in backend development using Java (Spring / Spring Boot), including RESTful API design and implementation.
• Familiarity with the Java ecosystem and build tools such as Maven or Gradle.
• Understanding of software architecture patterns, testing practices and performance considerations.
• Experience working with production-grade systems.
• Familiarity with data pipelines, messaging systems (e.g. Kafka, RabbitMQ) or real-time systems.
• Knowledge of distributed systems, APIs and microservices architectures.

DevOps & Infrastructure

• Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and cloud-based environments.
• Understanding of system scalability, monitoring and reliability in production environments.

Software Engineering Practices

• Proficiency in Git and modern development workflows.
• Ability to write clean, maintainable, testable and well-documented code.
• Attention to performance, scalability and maintainability.

Collaboration & Communication

• Ability to work effectively in collaborative, multidisciplinary environments.
• Good communication skills in English (written and spoken).

Nice to have

• Experience with frontend technologies such as React, TypeScript or similar frameworks.
• Exposure to AI/ML systems, particularly in integrating models into production.
• Familiarity with observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack).
• Experience with high-performance or low-latency systems.

What we offer

• We foster a collaborative environment dedicated to ambitious, multidisciplinary projects that translate advanced research into impactful, real-world solutions, supported by 30+ years of experience in AI and related fields.
• Flexible work/life balance.

• We are an equal opportunity employer that hires based on skills, experience, and merit. We foster an inclusive and diverse workplace where all qualified candidates are considered fairly, regardless of background.

• We’re based in Meylan, close to Grenoble, a city that offers the perfect balance of urban life, cutting-edge research and technology, and spectacular mountain landscapes that provide countless opportunities to relax, recharge, and enjoy the outdoors.

All applications will be carefully considered, even if not all required skills are met. We value diverse backgrounds and the potential of each candidate, and we offer training to support the development of necessary skills.

NAVER LABS, co-located in Korea and France, is the organization dedicated to preparing NAVER’s future. Scientists at NAVER LABS Europe are empowered to pursue long-term research problems that, if successful, can have significant impact and transform NAVER. We take our ideas as far as research can to create the best technology of its kind. Active participation in the academic community and collaborations with world-class public research groups are, among others, important ways to achieve these goals. Teamwork, focus and persistence are important values for us.

 When applying for this position online, please don't forget to upload your CV and cover letter. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

NAVER LABS Europe is subject to French jurisdiction requiring organisations to stipulate that a job/internship is open to both women and men. None of our jobs/internships are gender specific.

References

Réf: 40447356-c30f-45b0-9dc5-b79ccb782ac2