Lead Engineer

This position is posted by Jobgether on behalf of a partner company. We are currently looking for a Lead Engineer in Portugal.

This is a high-impact technical leadership role at the heart of a fast-scaling global platform enabling borderless hiring and workforce management. As Lead Engineer, you will shape system architecture, drive technical excellence, and contribute hands-on to the most complex parts of the codebase. You will work closely with product and engineering teams to design scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions that power global payroll, compliance, and HR infrastructure. Beyond architecture ownership, you will guide engineering direction, mentor developers, and help build a strong culture of quality and innovation. The role blends strategic technical leadership with meaningful hands-on contribution. It is ideal for an experienced engineer who enjoys both building systems and elevating teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

• Lead the technical design of new features using Domain-Driven Design (DDD) principles and scalable architecture practices
• Define and maintain the technical roadmap, ensuring alignment with broader business and product objectives
• Actively contribute to the codebase (up to 40%), focusing on complex development tasks, technical enablers, and proof-of-concept initiatives
• Conduct code reviews to ensure high engineering standards, maintainability, and system reliability
• Document system architecture, workflows, and technical processes to ensure clarity and alignment across teams
• Set technical direction and help prioritize engineering initiatives in collaboration with stakeholders
• Mentor and support software engineers, fostering technical growth and continuous learning
• Participate in recruitment processes by evaluating and interviewing engineering candidates

Requirements:

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in software development, including at least 2 years in a Tech Lead or Architect role
• At least 3 years of experience building SaaS applications in production environments
• Proven experience designing and implementing service-based or distributed architectures
• Experience with domains such as payroll, invoicing, or online payments is highly desirable
• Hands-on experience integrating third-party services into core systems
• Strong knowledge of API design (REST, gRPC, GraphQL) and API documentation standards (OpenAPI, Swagger)
• Experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases, caching systems (e.g., Redis), and messaging/streaming tools (e.g., Kafka, MQ, Elasticsearch)
• Solid experience with cloud platforms (preferably AWS)
• Proficiency in Python and Java
• Strong focus on security, scalability, and performance optimization
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a pragmatic, solution-oriented mindset
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work independently when needed
• High ownership mindset with a drive for continuous improvement
• Strong communication, presentation, and technical documentation skills

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package aligned with experience and seniority
• Fully remote-first or hybrid working model depending on role requirements
• Asynchronous working environment supporting flexibility and autonomy
• Opportunity to work from abroad for short periods
• Strong career growth and internal development opportunities
• Company-provided hardware and tools from day one
• Inclusive, international, and fast-growing team environment
• Mission-driven work focused on enabling global access to employment opportunities