Tech Lead (Node&React) - South Africa

OAK'S LAB; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech product development partner is looking for an experienced Tech Lead to manage a remote engineering team. The role involves overseeing technical delivery and fostering a high-performing team culture. Ideal candidates will have solid experience in Node.js and React, with leadership skills to guide projects effectively. The position offers flexible working hours and great benefits including growth budget and team bonding activities.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Remote working environment

26 days off plus additional leave

Budget for personal growth

Free English lessons

Team bonding activities

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a leadership role.
• 6+ years in engineering.
• 3+ years building web applications using Node.js and React.
• Experience in architecting software.
• Experience in setting up hosting infrastructure.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of engineers.
• Own the technical delivery of the project.
• Ensure deadlines are met and deliverables align with client objectives.
• Conduct regular code reviews.
• Proactively seek improvements in development processes.

Skills

Leadership skills

Problem-solving

Node.js experience

React experience

Analytical thinking

Business acumen

Desire to learn new technologies

Proficiency in English

Tools

Node.js

React

Typescript

Google Cloud Platform

PostgreSQL

Job description

* The position is fully remote and is open to candidates based in South Africa

* The position is for a B2B/freelancing cooperation

ABOUT US

We are a leading product development partner specializing in custom web and mobile application development. With Silicon Valley founders and top-tier European tech talent, we operate from Prague and have successfully delivered over 65 software products for early‑stage startups, scaleups, and global enterprises.

• Founded in 2016
• Headquartered in Prague
• Built and launched 65+ products
• 85+ team members
• Driving product innovation for leading US companies

At OAK’S LAB, we take an AI‑first approach, utilizing AI on almost every project. From streamlining design and testing workflows to enhancing developer productivity, our teams leverage tools such as Figma MCP Server, Playwright MCP Server, and Cursor, and we’re actively experimenting with remote AI agents to push the boundaries of what’s possible in product development.

OUR PROJECTS

Here are a few from our portfolio:

• Nasdaq Private Market (Series C, Finance) – nasdaqprivatemarket.com
• Blackpoint Cyber (Series B, Cybersecurity) – blackpointcyber.com
• OpenLoop (Series A, Healthcare) – openloophealth.com

THE ROLE

Our product development team is looking for an experienced Tech Lead who combines creative thinking, exceptional problem‑solving skills, and technical expertise to own the technical buildout of the product. On each of our products, we have a dedicated team led by a Tech Lead, a Product Manager, and a Design Lead. Our teams are small and effective and range from 5 to 15 people.

This role requires a combination of strong technical and leadership capabilities. You’ll be responsible for managing an engineering team (usually 3‑7 engineers), owning the software architecture and infrastructure, engaging with the business to understand the product needs, and overseeing the technical direction and delivery.

You’ll get support and guidance from our Head of Engineering and will also be part of our Engineering Leads Council, where we consult on large technical challenges and tech‑related decisions that shape the startups we build. You’ll also have the opportunity to join our internal AI Guild, a community where engineers share insights, experiment with cutting‑edge AI tools, and learn from one another.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Collaborate with the Product Manager and Design Lead to align on the project’s goals and ensure the delivery of a seamless, performant front‑end experience.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of engineers, fostering a collaborative and high‑performing team culture.
• Create and maintain an environment where your engineers are motivated, engaged, and constantly improving their skills.

Development

• Own the technical delivery of the project, ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables align with the client’s objectives.
• Select and update technologies that are most appropriate for the client’s needs, ensuring they align with our standards.
• Assist the Product Manager in discovery refinement, ensuring that epics and user stories in the roadmap are refined, estimated, and prioritized in line with business goals.
• Be a hands‑on contributor to the project, developing features together with the team.
• Conduct regular code reviews to maintain code quality.
• Oversee the overall software architecture.
• Proactively seek ways to improve the development process and team efficiency.

SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS

• 2+ years in a leadership role
• 6+ years in engineering
• 3+ years building web applications using Node.js and React
• Experience in architecting software (starting projects from scratch is a plus)
• Experience in setting up and maintaining hosting infrastructure
• Strong business acumen (experience in early‑stage startups is a plus)
• Desire to learn new technologies and apply AI in your workflow
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills for complex technical challenges
• Willingness to learn new technologies
• Proficiency in English

OUR TECH STACK

• Typescript
• Node.js
• React + Next.js
• React Native
• GraphQL, tRPC
• Material UI
• Playwright
• PostgreSQL
• Google Cloud Platform
• Python
• HuggingFace API, LLM APIs (eg OpenAI API), Langchain, Vector Databases for RAG

Note: You don’t need experience with all the above technologies as we are happy to upskill in certain areas.

BENEFITS

• Flexible working hours
• Remote working environment
• 26 days off + 1 additional day for every year working with OAK’S LAB (capped at 30 days)
• Budget to spend on your growth (books, courses, conferences)
• Free English lessons
• Team bonding, happy hours, online games, and annual offsite trips

Important Notice: OAK'S LAB communication, including interview requests and job offers, are only sent from an "@oakslab.com" or "@oaks-lab.com" email addresses (e.g., [e-mail] or [e-mail]). Any message from a different email domain is not associated with OAK'S LAB. We will never ask for payment information or banking details via email, phone, or any other communication channel during the interview process. If you receive messages using our name, domain, or brand assets in an attempt to impersonate us or act on our behalf, do not engage. Instead, report it to Econsumer.gov at Government Shutdown Notice / Aviso de cierre del gobierno (if you are in the EU), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at Government Shutdown Notice / Aviso de cierre del gobierno , or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in case of investment fraud at SEC.gov | Report Suspected Securities Fraud or Wrongdoing (if you are in the US).