Head of Engineering (Lead Engineer)

Builders + Backers

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The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Lead Engineer to serve as our technical architect and engineering leader. This individual will design the architecture of our next-generation AI platform, guide our migration from existing systems, build early core services, and lead a small team of engineers as we scale our AI-enabled venture studio to thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide.

You will be the principal technical architect of our multi-model AI platform and the technical decision-maker across Frontend, Backend, and AI Orchestration layers. This role begins with hands-on technical contributions to establish foundational patterns and services., It then evolves into a strategic leadership position, including leadership on technical team hiring and team guidance as we scale.

This is a role for someone who wants to shape the technical foundation of a system that will democratize entrepreneurship globally, while growing into a Head of Engineering position as the team scales.

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About Us

Builders + Backers has radically reimagined entrepreneurship. We operate the world's first AI-enabled venture studio for entrepreneurship education, combining conversational AI, data-driven behavioral insights, and proven venture creation methods. Our mission is to democratize access to entrepreneurial resources to create the new onramp to entrepreneurship for everyday innovators—anyone, anywhere, anytime. AI powered, expert guided

Key Responsibilities

Platform Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Design the end-to-end system architecture for our custom platform, leveraging modern technologies such as a React/Next.js frontend, Python/Node backend, PostgreSQL, and vector databases
• Architect the multi-model AI abstraction and orchestration layer, including model routing, provider integrations, and cost optimization strategies
• Define API contracts, data schemas, integration patterns, and architectural standards that enable rapid development while maintaining quality
• Lead the design of a multi-tenant AI platform capable of serving thousands of users simultaneously and securely
• Make thoughtful build-vs-buy decisions that balance speed, scalability, cost, and long-term flexibility
• Establish engineering practices, code quality standards, observability and monitoring frameworks, and technical documentation that scale with the team

Technical Leadership & Team Development

• Translate product requirements into technical specifications and development tasks
• Conduct code reviews and provide technical guidance to ensure quality and consistency
• Build the first core services to establish foundational patterns, including the retrieval layer, APIs, workspace infrastructure, and system backbone
• Implement data pipelines, storage strategies, and hybrid architectures supporting AI/ML capabilities to set technical direction