Head of Engineering

Role Responsibilities

• Serve as a hands-on engineering leader, dedicating ~70% of your time to IC-level contributions (coding, reviewing, debugging, shipping)
• Architect and maintain scalable, reliable backend infrastructure capable of supporting rapid growth and real-time AI-powered communications
• Validate and pressure-test architectural decisions across the stack – ensuring we build for scale without over-engineering
• Unlock engineering velocity by removing blockers, improving developer tooling, streamlining CI/CD, and establishing lightweight processes that keep the team shipping fast
• Enforce a high bar for code quality while keeping tech debt to near zero – you believe clean code and fast shipping are not at odds
• Lead and mentor a growing team of engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, high ownership, and relentless iteration
• Drive the technical roadmap in partnership with the founding team, balancing near-term product needs with long-term infrastructure bets
• Design and implement core infrastructure that supports AI-native applications, including multi-agent workflows, model routing, and real-time feedback loops
• Champion AI-first engineering practices across the org – ensuring we leverage AI coding tools, AI-native architectures, and emerging LLMOps patterns to stay ahead of the industry
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, and data to prioritize and deliver high-impact features

What We're Looking For (ideally)

• 8+ years of backend engineering experience with deep architectural ownership
• Proven track record of building and scaling backend systems, preferably in fast-growing SaaS, messaging, or e-commerce environments
• Comfortable working in TypeScript (NestJS) and AWS-based infrastructure
• AI-first mindset – you instinctively reach for AI-native solutions when designing systems, products, and workflows
• Deep experience with or interest in LLMOps, AI application infrastructure, and emerging tools that accelerate AI product development
• Excitement about using AI coding tools to boost velocity (e.g. Cursor, Copilot, Claude Code)
• A strong sense of engineering taste – you know when to build fast and when to build right, and you’re allergic to unnecessary complexity
• Experience leading or mentoring small, high-performing engineering teams
• Pragmatic and adaptable – someone who thrives wearing many hats and moves fast without sacrificing quality