Technical Lead (PhD only, Jan-Apr 27')

PawtholoGene Lab Limited; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 558,000 - 670,000; Full time

Job summary

Pathologene Lab, a Hong Kong startup, seeks a lead platform engineer to own the architecture and core engineering, guiding the team from planning to delivery. Expect 60–70% hands-on work across architecture, coding and technical review.

You will build and review Python/FastAPI services, manage RAG workflows, and own data design, cloud deployment, and CI/CD. Proven end-to-end ownership and leadership in AI/software are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD in a STEM discipline and the right to work in Hong Kong.
• 3–7 years in AI or software development with end-to-end ownership and team leadership.
• Entrepreneurial experience: taking a product or service from idea to launch.
• Strong Python and FastAPI skills for production backend services.
• Proven software architecture skills with MVP evolution focus.
• Experience delivering RAG and AI agent applications with retrieval, tool use, evaluation and failure handling.
• Hands-on PostgreSQL and cloud deployment experience, ideally Google Cloud.

Responsibilities

• Own platform architecture and core engineering, guiding planning to delivery.
• Develop and review Python/FastAPI services and APIs, authentication, background tasks.
• Deliver RAG and agent workflows with traceability and error handling; manage quality and latency.
• Track AI model developments and adopt improvements to strengthen the product.
• Own PostgreSQL design, performance, backup/recovery, and Google Cloud deployment.

Skills

Python

FastAPI

PostgreSQL

Cloud deployment

RAG / AI agent workflows

Code review / mentorship

System architecture

Education

PhD in STEM

Tools

LangChain

LangGraph

Job description

Pathologene Lab is a Hong Kong startup building an AI agent platform that turns questionnaire responses into personalised health supplement recommendations, linked to our e-commerce platform. Our MVP is being prepared for launch.

About the Role

You will own the platform architecture and core engineering, guide the team from planning to delivery, and help shape the long‑term technical direction of the whole platform. About 60–70% of your time is hands‑on architecture, coding and technical review.

Our technology stack

Our technology stack: Google Cloud, CloudSQL for PostgreSQL, Python and FastAPI, with retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and AI agent workflows.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical roadmap and architecture. Plan how the full stack evolves over the next two to three years; review the MVP and define an incremental architecture across questionnaires, user profiles, recommendations, product data and commerce.
• Core services. Develop and review Python/FastAPI services: APIs, authentication, background tasks and external integrations.
• AI workflows. Deliver RAG and agent workflows with traceability, tool calling, state, failure recovery and human review; evaluate quality, latency and model cost.
• Keep our AI current. Track new models, AI agents and market shifts; adopt what strengthens the product or makes our own work more efficient.
• Data and platform. Own PostgreSQL design, performance and backup/recovery, plus Google Cloud deployment, CI/CD, testing and monitoring.
• Lead the team and delivery. Plan milestones, set coding standards, review code and mentor engineers.

Required Experience and Skills

• PhD in a STEM discipline and the right to work in Hong Kong.
• 3–7 years in AI or software development, including at least 3 years with a single organisation, with demonstrated end-to-end ownership and experience guiding a team.
• Entrepreneurial, 0-to-1 experience: has taken a product or service from idea to commercial launch, e.g. as founder, co-founder or early technical owner.
• Strong Python and FastAPI skills, building and operating production backend services and APIs.
• Proven software architecture skills: clear on system boundaries, data flows and trade-offs; able to evolve an MVP into maintainable software.
• Practical experience delivering RAG and AI agent applications, including retrieval, tool use, evaluation and failure handling.
• Hands‑on PostgreSQL (or comparable database) and cloud deployment experience, ideally Google Cloud.
• Big‑picture technical judgement, with a strong grasp of developments in AI (such as AI agents) and how they change the market.

Preferred Qualifications

• LangChain/LangGraph, vector or hybrid retrieval, and LLM evaluation or tracing.
• Experience in e-commerce, health technology or recommendation systems.

Employment:

Full-time|Hong Kong Science Park / Cyberport

Salary:

HK$50,000–60,000 per month (commensurate with experience)