CTO / Head of Engineering

Huzzle.com; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Significant equity stake

Work onsite in San Francisco

True ownership over product and engineering

Collaboration with experienced founders

Job summary

Huzzle.com is seeking a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Founding Engineer in San Francisco to lead the technical strategy and architecture of an early-stage startup. The role involves defining the company’s technical vision and building a talented engineering team. The ideal candidate will have 6-10+ years of software engineering experience with a proven track record. Benefits include competitive salary and equity stake, plus the opportunity to shape a world-class engineering organization.

Qualifications

• 6-10+ years of experience in software engineering, with leadership experience.
• Proven track record of building and scaling products in startup environments.
• Experience leading engineering teams and setting technical direction.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company’s technical vision, architecture, and roadmap.
• Lead full-stack product development from MVP to scalable platform.
• Build and scale the engineering team, including hiring and mentoring top talent.

Skills

Full-stack expertise

Communication skills

Leadership

System architecture

Scalability

Tools

TypeScript

React

Node.js

PostgreSQL

Docker

Job description

At Huzzle, we connect exceptional talent with top opportunities at leading companies across the UK, US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

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

Requirements

• 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

Benefits

• 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