Head of Engineering

Hidden Gems Talent; Philippines; On-site; PHP 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Hidden Gems Talent in the Philippines is seeking a hands-on Head of Engineering to lead architecture and development of an AI-powered platform that helps SMEs automate daily operations from scheduling to dispatch.

This builder-first, leader-second role partners with the founders to shape the technical foundation, solve hard engineering problems, and build reliable systems. You'll stay hands-on while mentoring the team and driving an AI-native development culture.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with hands-on coding.
• Strong backend architecture and systems design.
• Deep PostgreSQL and data migration expertise.
• Experience with Node.js/TypeScript, Python, or Go.
• Proven CI/CD and automated testing experience.
• Familiar with LLMs, AI agents, and workflow automation.
• Excellent English communication and stakeholder collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and migration efforts across data stores.
• Design backend systems and APIs for SME operations.
• Build automated tests, CI/CD, and guardrails.
• Develop AI-enabled workflows and agent integrations.
• Set engineering standards and mentor the team.
• Collaborate with founders to translate business challenges into technical solutions.

Skills

8+ years software

Backend architecture

PostgreSQL & data migration

Node.js/TypeScript

Python/Go

CI/CD pipelines

AI agents / LLMs

English communication

Tools

PostgreSQL

Relational DB design

GitHub Copilot

Job description

We're looking for a hands-on Head of Engineering to lead the architecture and development of an AI-powered platform helping SMEs automate their daily operations, from scheduling and pricing to dispatch and lead management.

This is a builder-first, leader-second role. You'll work closely with the founders to shape the technical foundation, solve complex engineering challenges, and build reliable systems that support AI-driven automation at scale.

We're looking for someone who enjoys getting into the code, making architectural decisions, and building systems that actually work, not just managing an engineering team.

What You'll Do

• Lead the migration from MongoDB to PostgreSQL, building a reliable and scalable data architecture.
• Design backend systems, APIs, and workflows that support scheduling, pricing, CRM, and other SME operations.
• Build automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and engineering guardrails to maintain system reliability.
• Develop infrastructure that enables AI agents to execute business workflows safely and consistently.
• Work closely with founders to translate real business challenges into practical technical solutions.
• Set engineering standards, mentor the team, and drive an AI-native development culture while remaining hands-on.

What We're Looking For

• 8+ years of software engineering experience, ideally with experience as a Tech Lead, Principal Engineer, or Head of Engineering.
• Strong hands-on experience in backend engineering and systems architecture.
• Deep expertise in PostgreSQL, relational database design, and data migration, particularly from NoSQL systems.
• Strong knowledge of backend technologies such as Node.js/TypeScript, Python, or Go.
• Proven experience building automated testing frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and reliable production systems.
• Practical understanding of LLMs, AI agents, tool integrations, and workflow automation.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving startup environment and solving ambiguous technical problems.
• Strong English communication skills and the ability to work closely with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice to Have

• Experience as a Founding Engineer or technical leader in a B2B SaaS startup.
• Experience building scheduling, booking, dispatch, or operational management systems.
• Familiarity with WhatsApp Business API, Twilio, or similar integrations.
• Experience using AI coding tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, or GitHub Copilot in engineering workflows.