Lead Engineer @ Ai-Powered Personal Growth Startup

Role:Lead EngineerLocation:Venice Beach, CA (Remote friendly for exceptional candidates)Salary/Compensation:$170k – $210k + equityAbout our client:Our client believes everyone deserves to thrive.They are democratizing what's traditionally been available only to the privileged few: a personal mentor invested in your growth and available whenever you need them.They combine state-of-the-art AI with cognitive science, powered by proprietary memory technology that truly gets to know you.They help people process daily thoughts, recognize patterns, set meaningful goals, and guide personal growth through tailored content—all while supporting users through daily challenges and triumphs.Having just crossed $1.5M ARR, they are at an inflection point ready for exponential growth.They are a passionate team of 11 looking to bring on mission-driven people who value personal growth and excellence in craft.Position Overview:Our client is seeking a Lead Engineer to own technical execution and architectural decisions for their product engineering team.You'll take over the most senior engineering role from their founding CTO, allowing him to focus on high-leverage creative work, AI strategy, and long-term technical vision.This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll be in the trenches coding 70%+ of your time while leading significant architectural decisions for a 4-engineer product team.You'll ensure consistent patterns across the codebase, eliminate redundant code, and make sure they can scale from 250K to millions of users without accumulating crippling tech debt.Key Responsibilities:Technical Architecture OwnershipLead significant architectural decisions with minimal churn and cyclingEstablish consistent patterns throughout the codebase and eliminate redundant codeOwn code quality standards and technical debt balanceMake critical technology stack decisions on React Native/Expo, state management, and release processesEnsure scalable technical foundation from 250K to millions of usersHands-On Development (70% of time)Personally implement the most complex features and technical challengesBuild and optimize React Native mobile apps and React web applications using TypeScriptDebug complex issues across the full stack and ensure system reliabilityArchitect scalable systems using Postgres, Firestore, and modern cloud infrastructureBuild robust CI/CD pipelines and deployment processesPrototype new technical approaches and validate technical feasibilityTechnical Leadership (30% of time)Lead 4 product engineers on complex projects and architectural decisionsTap engineers for projects that align with their growth goals and skill developmentLead technical design reviews and architecture discussionsFoster engineering culture emphasizing both technical excellence and user empathyMake autonomous decisions while involving team at appropriate points for feedbackPartner with founding CTO as sounding board on major technical decisionsProduct & Engineering BridgeTranslate product vision into technical implementation plansBreak down complex product initiatives into executable engineering tasksBalance technical debt with feature velocity for users needing immediate supportCommunicate technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholdersParticipate in developing AI strategy for the engineering organizationQualifications:Technical Excellence8+ years software engineering experience with 3+ years in senior/lead rolesExpert-level React Native and Expo experience with deep mobile architecture knowledgeStrong full-stack development background with React, TypeScript, and Node.jsDatabase experience with both SQL (Postgres) and NoSQL (Firestore) systemsExperience with modern deployment platforms (Vercel, CI/CD pipelines)Experience with state management libraries (Zustand, Redux, or similar)Strong opinions (loosely held) about release lifecycle, cross-platform quality, and mobile best practicesLeadership ExperienceLed engineering teams of 2-3+ people while maintaining 60%+ personal coding contributionsExperience making sound architectural decisions with minimal churnAbility to balance technical debt, feature development, and system reliabilityStrong communication skills for collaborating with non-technical stakeholdersTrack record of leading by example through code quality and technical decisionsHands-On ExecutionCurrently coding complex features in production environmentsExcited about being in the trenches, not looking for pure management trackBias toward shipping and iterating rather than over-engineeringExperience at high-growth startups, post-seed/Series A stageComfortable with ambiguity and rapidly changing prioritiesProduct SenseExperience building consumer-facing products with high engagement requirementsUnderstanding of how technical architecture impacts user experienceAbility to make pragmatic technical decisions that balance speed, quality, and scalabilityExperience managing release lifecycle across Android and iOS platformsDecision-Making PatternsOutline problems, identify solutions, provide recommendations with clear reasoningPlan before coding - don't dive into implementation without discussionInvolve team for feedback at appropriate pointsHit deliverable timelines consistently and communicate proactively about blockersBonus PointsExperience with AI/ML applications or LLM integration in consumer productsBackground in mental health, wellness tech, or mission-driven consumer applicationsPrevious experience as an early technical hire at a scaling startupOpen source contributions or technical blog writingInterest in psychology, personal development, or cognitive scienceWhat they offer:Leadership & ImpactOwn technical execution for a fast-growing AI product used by 250K+ people (nearly 1 billion words journaled)Work directly with founders in shaping the future of AI-powered personal growthLead a team that consistently says "this is the best team I've ever worked on"High autonomy and ownership over architectural decisionsCompensation & BenefitsCompetitive salary: $170k – $210k based on experienceEquity package (up to 0.8%) with high upside potentialComprehensive health, dental, and vision coverageLatest equipment and home office setupProfessional development budget and conference attendanceCulture & GrowthCulture that thrives on self-discovery, introspection, and personal growthWork with a kind, humble, collaborative team that genuinely listensOpportunity to shape engineering culture and practices from early stageDirect mentorship from founding CTO (Y Combinator alum, ex-Google, co-founder of Secret)Team members are invested in each other's growth and successLocationVenice Beach office with flexible remote optionsStrong preference for LA-based candidates (in-person collaboration with local team)Open to exceptional remote candidates in US time zonesWhy Join Now:Proven Traction250,000+ downloads, nearly 1 billion words journaledGrowing 15% month-over-month$1.5M ARR with 75% of users reporting mental health improvements within 30 daysStrong press coverage (Mashable, KTLA) and backed by Tim Ferriss, Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder)Mission ImpactTransform lives through AI-powered personal growthEvery day the team receives testimonials about lives being changedWorking at the forefront of AI and mental health intersectionBuilding technology that makes comprehensive emotional support accessible to everyoneTechnical ChallengesScale architecture from 250K to millions of usersLead AI strategy for product engineering teamBuild world-class mobile experience with React Native/ExpoSolve complex problems in real-time AI interactions and personalized content delivery#J-*****-Ljbffr