Location: Kitchener, Ontario
Pay range: Based on experience ($70,000 - $100,000)
This is an on-site role; remote or hybrid work arrangements are not available
Position OverviewWe're a growing startup developing a next-generation platform from the ground up - and we're seeking a
Technical Architect & Engineering Lead to be our first senior technical hire. This role is critical in shaping both our technology strategy and engineering culture.
As a key member of the leadership team, you will:
- Design and build the product architecture.
- Manage and scale infrastructure.
- Lead, mentor, and grow the engineering team.
- Ensure execution is efficient, sustainable, and aligned with business goals.
This position is broader than a traditional architect or tech lead. You'll contribute as a hands-on full-stack developer, engineering manager, systems architect, DevOps lead, and product partner.
Key ResponsibilitiesArchitecture & Technical Strategy
- Define and implement the overall architecture for a scalable, cloud-native web platform.
- Make critical decisions around system design, microservices, API strategy, data modeling, and security architecture.
- Ensure the platform is designed for scalability, reliability, maintainability, and cost-efficiency.
Hands-on Engineering
- Write clean, robust code across the entire stack - from cloud infrastructure and backend services to frontend user interfaces.
- Set up the initial CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, monitoring, and logging.
- Lead technical implementation of core features, integrations, and infrastructure from scratch.
DevOps & Cloud Infrastructure
- Own and manage infrastructure using AWS or Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, etc.
- Implement DevOps best practices including CI/CD, automated testing, infrastructure-as-code, and observability.
- Ensure high availability, system security, and production-readiness from day one.
Team Leadership & Mentorship
- Provide technical leadership to a small team of mid-to-junior developers.
- Establish engineering standards, code quality guidelines, and agile workflows.
- Mentor team members to support their growth and build a strong development culture.
Cross-functional Collaboration
- Work closely with product, design, and business stakeholders to shape the roadmap and translate business goals into technical execution.
- Provide clear input on feasibility, trade-offs, timelines, and technical risks.
Technology Evaluation
- Stay current with industry trends and evaluate tools, frameworks, and platforms.
- Drive smart adoption of open-source and emerging technologies when they offer real value.
Our Current & Target Tech StackYou don't need experience with every tool listed - but should be comfortable ramping up quickly where needed.
- Frontend: React, Next.js, Vue.js, TypeScript, TailwindCSS, Vite, Component Libraries
- Backend: Node.js, TypeScript, Python, Go, REST APIs, GraphQL, Websockets
- Infrastructure & DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes, AWS (preferred) or Azure, Terraform/CDK, GitHub Actions, CI/CD
- Database & Data: PostgreSQL, Redis, Supabase, NoSQL, Object stores, ORM tools, Caching strategies
- Authentication: OAuth, JWT, RBAC/ABAC, Identity Providers
- Monitoring & Logging: Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, CloudWatch, Sentry, OpenTelemetry
- Testing: Unit, integration, and E2E testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright, Cypress)
- Other: API design (OpenAPI/Swagger), Event-driven architecture, Pub/Sub
What We're Looking For- 10+ years of full-stack software development experience, with at least 3+ years in a senior technical leadership or architect role.
- Proven experience designing, building, and scaling modern web applications and distributed systems.
- Deep understanding of cloud-native architectures, containerization, and microservices.
- Strong expertise in DevOps, infrastructure-as-code, and cloud automation.
- Solid background in system design, data modeling, API design, and performance optimization.
- Hands-on experience with both frontend and backend development.
- Passion for clean, maintainable, well-tested code and modern software engineering practices.
- Strong communicator - able to clearly articulate technical decisions, mentor others, and collaborate with non-technical stakeholders.
- Startup-ready mindset: resourceful, self-directed, thrives in ambiguity, and focused on outcomes over process.
Bonus Experience (Nice to Have)- Experience with Supabase, Firebase, or backend-as-a-service tools.
- Familiarity with analytics, event streaming, or real-time data pipelines (e.g. Kafka, WebSockets).
- Exposure to ML/AI integration or interest in emerging AI tooling.
- Strong eye for UI/UX, accessibility, and design system implementation.
- Past experience as a founding engineer or technical co-founder in an early-stage startup.
Why Join Us?
- Founding team member - help define the company's technical direction and long-term product vision.
- Take full technical ownership and build something from scratch the right way.
- Influence the company's roadmap, culture, and engineering org from the ground up.
- Build and scale a modern platform using the tools and technologies you believe in.
- Competitive salary and long-term leadership opportunities.
While we thank all applicants that apply, only qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews.
