CTO / Head of Engineering

Huzzle; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Significant equity stake

Work onsite

True ownership over product

Collaboration with founders and investors

Opportunity to build and lead a world-class engineering organization

Job summary

A pioneering startup in San Francisco is seeking a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Founding Engineer to lead the technical strategy, architecture, and execution from zero to scale. This rare opportunity involves shaping the product and engineering organization, collaborating with founders and investors, and building an exceptional engineering team. Candidates should have 6–10+ years of software engineering experience, proven startup success, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• 6–10+ years of experience in software engineering with leadership experience.
• Proven track record of building and scaling products in startup environments.
• Strong full-stack expertise with the ability to remain hands-on when needed.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company’s technical vision, architecture, and roadmap.
• Build and scale the engineering team, including hiring and mentoring top talent.
• Ensure scalability, security, and reliability of all systems.

Skills

Software engineering

Leadership

Full-stack expertise

System architecture

Cloud infrastructure

Excellent communication

Tools

TypeScript

JavaScript

React

Node.js

PostgreSQL

Docker

Job description

About Huzzle

At Huzzle, we connect exceptional talent with top opportunities at leading companies across the UK, US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Our clients include high-growth startups, venture-backed tech companies, and innovative platforms across SaaS, FinTech, AI, and Web3.

Unlike traditional outsourcing agencies, we place you directly with a client—where you’re hired in-house as a core team member, with real ownership and long‑term upside.

About the Company

Our client is an early‑stage, venture‑backed startup building a category‑defining platform designed to reshape how businesses operate in a digital‑first world. Backed by experienced founders and strong early traction, the company is now hiring a founding technical leader at the C‑level to define and scale its technology vision.

Job Summary

We’re seeking a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Founding Engineer to lead the company’s technical strategy, architecture, and execution from zero to scale. This is a rare opportunity to join at the ground floor and shape not only the product, but the entire engineering organization, culture, and long‑term technical vision.

You will operate as both a hands‑on builder and strategic leader, working closely with the founding team, investors, and future hires to drive product innovation and company growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company’s technical vision, architecture, and roadmap
• Lead full‑stack product development from MVP to scalable platform
• Make high‑impact decisions on tech stack, infrastructure, and system design
• Build and scale the engineering team, including hiring and mentoring top talent
• Establish engineering processes, best practices, and performance standards
• Collaborate with founders on company strategy, fundraising, and product‑market fit
• Ensure scalability, security, and reliability of all systems
• Represent the technical function at the executive level with stakeholders and investors

Tech Stack

• Languages: TypeScript, JavaScript, Python (bonus)
• Frontend: React
• Backend: Node.js, Wasp (easy to pick up)
• Infra: Cloudflare Workers/R2, PostgreSQL, Docker
• AI & APIs: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, Bedrock, Openrouter
• Dev Tools: Cursor, Augment, Git, Linear

A Day in the Life

• Jump into a fast, focused standup to align on goals
• Prototype generative features that combine UX, backend, and AI orchestration
• Share demos via Loom, jam with founders in Slack, and rapidly ship to prod
• Ideate new user flows, sketch mockups, or dive deep into technical tradeoffs
• End the day knowing you shipped real value—and helped shape the future of design

Tech Stack (Ideal Experience)

• Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript
• Backend: Node.js (NestJS/Express) or Python (FastAPI/Django)
• Database: PostgreSQL, Redis
• Infrastructure: AWS / GCP, Docker, CI/CD pipelines
• Other: API design (REST/GraphQL), system architecture, DevOps best practices

Qualifications

• 6–10+ years of experience in software engineering, with leadership experience
• Proven track record of building and scaling products in startup environments
• Strong full‑stack expertise with the ability to remain hands‑on when needed
• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction
• Deep understanding of system architecture, scalability, and cloud infrastructure
• Strong business acumen and ability to align technology with company goals
• Excellent communication skills with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Prior experience as a Founding Engineer, Head of Engineering, or CTO is highly preferred

💰 Competitive salary (based on experience)

📈 Significant equity stake with early‑stage upside

🏢 Work onsite in San Francisco alongside founders and leadership team

🚀 True ownership over product, engineering, and long‑term technology vision

🧠 Collaborate with experienced founders and top‑tier investors

🎯 Opportunity to build and lead a world‑class engineering organization