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AI Summary
This is a remote position.
About RaftLabs
RaftLabs is an AI-native custom software development company building products and platforms for clients across the globe. We operate as a fully remote team and work across diverse domains, from SaaS products to enterprise integrations to AI-powered workflows. We move fast, we care about craft, and we hold ourselves to a high bar on delivery quality.
As we grow, we need someone who can own the entire engineering function, raise the technical bar across the team, and make sure what we build today does not break tomorrow.
The Role
This is not a hands-off leadership role.
You will own engineering quality, architecture decisions, technical standards, and the growth of every developer at RaftLabs. You will manage our tech leads directly and be the final word on how we build things. At the same time, you will also own projects end-to-end.
The co-founder should not have to get involved in technical decisions. That is what this role is for.
What You'll Own
Code Quality and Architecture
Own and enforce coding standards across all active projects
Review architectural decisions before they go into production, not after
Catch scalability issues, anti-patterns, and technical debt early and address them before they become expensive problems
Ensure what we build is production-ready, not just feature-complete
Technical Standards and Stack Discipline
Define and document how we use our technology stack across the team
Push back on unnecessary tool changes; we do not switch from a tool we have already invested in unless there is a strong, justified reason to do so
Actively evaluate whether the tools we use are still the right ones and recommend changes when the case is genuinely compelling
Make sure we are not solving a problem we already have a solution for by reaching for something new
Tech Lead Management
Manage all tech leads directly and be accountable for their technical output
Coach them on architecture, scalability, decision-making, and engineering maturity
Build a culture where leads think before they act and can justify their technical choices
Developer Growth
Identify skill gaps across the engineering team and put a plan in place to close them
Create an environment where developers are learning and improving, not just shipping
AI-Native Development Standards
Define how the team uses AI coding tools, specifically Claude Code, in a structured and consistent way
Standardize AI-assisted development practices so they are a genuine productivity lever across the team, not a wildcard
Set the bar for what AI-assisted code review looks like and how we maintain quality in that workflow
Technology Evaluation
Stay close to what is happening in the industry and bring relevant insights to the team
Evaluate new tools and technologies critically: the bar is not "this is new" or "this is slightly cheaper," it is "this solves a real problem we have better than what we already use"
Prevent over-engineering; not every problem needs a sophisticated solution
Project Ownership
Own at least one active client project end to end, not as a figurehead but as an active technical lead
Use that project as a live example of how engineering should be done at RaftLabs
Requirements
What We're Looking For
Experience
6 to 9 years of software development experience, with at least 2 to 3 years in an engineering leadership role
Has built and shipped large-scale, production-grade applications that have had to handle real growth and real load
Has worked at a product company or a services company with multiple concurrent projects running at scale
Has directly managed tech leads or senior developers, not just individual contributors.
Solid understanding of modern full-stack web development; familiarity with our stack (Next.js, Vercel, Neon, Trigger.dev, and related tools) is a must
Has made architectural decisions they have had to live with long enough to see what worked and what did not.
Skills and Traits
Technically strong but not a gatekeeping engineer; you enable the team, you do not slow it down
Calm and structured when evaluating technical trade-offs; not swayed by hype
Strong communicator who can explain a complex technical decision to a non-technical stakeholder without losing accuracy
Humble enough to say "I was wrong" and change course when the evidence calls for it
Firm enough to push back on bad decisions, whether they come from a developer, a lead, or a client
Curious about new tools and approaches but disciplined about when and how they get introduced
Remote-Ready
Has worked in a fully remote engineering environment
Disciplined about a sync communication, documentation, and keeping the team aligned without constant check-ins.
What Success Looks Like at 90 Days
You have reviewed the architecture and code quality of every active project and flagged the risks that exist today.
Tech leads are making better decisions because you are in the room, not because you are making decisions for them.
There is a documented standard for how the team uses AI coding tools, and the team is following it.
The co-founder has stopped being the last line of defense on technical decisions
Benefits
Why Join RaftLabs
You will have real ownership of the engineering function, not just a seat at the table.
High trust, high autonomy: we give ownership to people who have earned it.
A team that is actively moving toward an AI-native model; you will help define what that looks like in practice.
Remote-first culture with strong async communication practices.
Diverse, fast-moving project environment across healthcare, fintech, retail, hospitality, and more.
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