Tech Lead Manager, Backend Platform

Optimism; New York (NY); Remote; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the blockchain space is seeking an experienced Tech Lead Manager to oversee the design and implementation of their API and indexing services. You will lead a talented backend team, drive technical direction, and foster a culture of excellence. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in backend engineering, strong leadership skills, and a passion for mentorship. This role offers a chance to shape the future of a cutting-edge platform and work in a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Flexible Time-Off Policy

New Macbook Pro

Equity

Qualifications

• 8+ years of backend engineering experience, including 2+ years managing backend teams.
• Proven experience in leading backend teams with a strong foundation in Python and Ethereum RPCs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a high-performing backend platform team.
• Architect scalable backend platforms and frameworks.
• Mentor and develop engineers through feedback and performance reviews.

Skills

Python

GraphQL

Leadership

Communication

Tools

Redis

MongoDB

Postgres

Job description

About Us

Zora is a new kind of on-chain social network where you can express yourself freely, connect with others, and discover the value of your imagination. We believe that by using crypto, we can enable a more equitable system for creators, fundamentally rediscovering the power of the internet.

We’re working tirelessly to make Zora available to as many people as possible with a simple, fun, and rewarding consumer app. Our mission is to make creating on the internet free and valuable.

Who we're looking for

ZORA is looking for an experienced tech lead manager to help design, implement, and extend the ZORA API and indexing services.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and grow a high-performing backend platform team, balancing technical execution with team development.
• Architect scalable backend platforms and frameworks that enable product teams to build efficiently and with high quality.
• Set technical direction and roadmap in collaboration with platform engineering leads across frontend, backend, and infrastructure.
• Oversee the design and evolution of Zora’s API and indexing architecture, ensuring reliability and performance at scale.
• Identify gaps in platform capabilities through close partnership with product teams, and drive the development of strategic platform features.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the engineering organization.
• Mentor and develop engineers through regular feedback, performance reviews, and growth planning.

Skills We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in leading backend teams with a strong foundation in Python (asyncio), Ethereum RPCs, and blockchain data systems.
• Deep understanding of GraphQL architecture and distributed workflow systems like Temporal.
• Strong technical judgment and decision-making ability, especially in areas such as API architecture, data consistency, and performance optimization.
• Hands-on experience with key backend systems, including Redis, MongoDB, and Postgres.
• Demonstrated ability to define KPIs, align team goals to company priorities, and lead execution end-to-end.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with a collaborative approach to working across teams and disciplines.
• Passion for mentorship and a track record of scaling engineering teams.

Nice to Have

• 8+ years of backend engineering experience, including 2+ years managing or tech-leading backend/platform teams.
• Experience in Web3 or blockchain infrastructure, including indexing systems and smart contract interaction.
• Familiarity with infrastructure and DevOps best practices.
• Experience with high-throughput APIs and building systems with strict consistency guarantees.
• Technical breadth across backend, frontend, and infrastructure domains.

Benefits

ZORA provides top quality medical, dental, and vision insurance, with a flexible time-off policy and a new Macbook Pro for full-time employees. Employees also receive equity.

Location

ZORA is international. Our headquarters are the internet and we have employees all over the world. We’re currently in Atlanta, Berlin, Lisbon, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, and Vancouver.